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Web 2.0 Library 2.0 Librarian 2.0

Presented for EINIRAS – 9 October 2007

by

Ran HockOnline Strategies

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First --

• What is Web 2.0, really?

• Why should I care?

• Will it just go away?

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Manifestations of Web 2.0

– Wikis– Mashups– Blogs– RSS– Streaming audio/video (really Web 1.0)– Tagging– Instant Messaging (really Web 1.0)– Social Networks– Web-based software– Widgets– Ajax and API’s

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Web 2.0 Is:

Internet communication and productivity tools that are:

• User-Centered• Collaborative• Social • Interactive• Content-rich• Multi-media-rich• De-centralized (control)

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Web 2.0 Is

• Not a fad, not a movement, not a cause

• It is simply a description of what is happening.

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Web 2.0 Also Concerns“The Long Tail”

• Chris Anderson (Wired Magazine) – demand for high-sales items, such as the best-selling books, is far exceeded by the total demand for lower popularity items.

• Web 2.0 allows that long tail to be effectively addressed as never before.

• Libraries have usually had a “long tail” of clients (infrequent and non-users) and “stock”

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Fairly Obvious Web 2.0 Opportunities in the Library

• IM interaction between librarians and users• Personalized OPAC/ILS interface, with suggested

readings (automatic), sharing, bookmarks, user ratings, user recommendations, discussions, etc.

• Taggable databases, content, (including OPACs)• Mashups of multiple databases and media• Interactive, media-rich tutorials• Bibliographic instruction broadened to information

tools instruction

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Fairly Obvious Web 2.0 Opportunities in the Library

• E-content• Library blogs, RSS feeds, wikis• Librarian/user wikis • Organization of Web 2.0 manifestations

(wikis, blogs, mashups, etc.)• Re-birth of “bibliographies” – dynamic,

user-centered, user-generated, user-edited.

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Fairly Obvious Web 2.0 Opportunities in the Library

• Extension of the library’s role of a meeting place – Content-rich virtual spaces

• More interactive library websites

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What It Means for Librarians

• Web 2.0 For Librarians – The Librarian as User

• Web 2.0 For Library Users

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What It Means for Librarians

• Web 2.0 is only a threat if we (librarians and other information workers) ignore and don’t become a part of it.

• Are we to be seen as up-to-date, savvy, and innovative?

• The “2.0” part may be a fad, but the essence is not.

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Librarian 2.0• Web 2.0 brings up issues we should be

addressing anyway:• How “user-centered” are we, how user-

centered do we want to be, how user-centered should we be.

• How collaborative do we want to be, can we be, should we be?

• The librarian as “facilitator”• Web 2.0 (Library 2.0) provides a reason to re-

examine library services!

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The Interesting Intersection of Librarianship and Web 2.0

• User-centered - We like to think so• Collaborative - Emphatically • Social - Most of us• Interactive - basically• Content-rich - Emphatically• Facing Decentralization of Authority/Control

– Yes

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Doing It

• Can we?

• Should we?

• Do we want to?

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Probably the Most Important Point of All

• A library can become a Web 2.0 Library at virtually no cost, no risk.

• If it is successful, it can indeed take time• It can be done in pieces • There is no long-term commitment –

Throw out or change what doesn’t work, with no embarrassment

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Challenges

• Understanding the technologies

• Understanding our younger and our more progressive users

• Separating fads from substance

• Accepting and participating in change but not change for change’s sake

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Important Question

Providing Web 2.0 for Library / Library users (esp. for blogs, wikis, tagging, etc.)

• Will they use it and participate (do they care and have the time)?

• If it provides relevant, timely “answers” they will come

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The Long Tail of Users

• The new 80-20 rule

• 2.0 tools and approaches are a means of getting to the long tail, reaching new and under-utilizing users

• Blogs, RSS and wikis can address general and niche user groups.

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If You Decide to Web 2.0-ize the Library

• It’s easy – if you have a little time and a little encouragement.

• New skills required are minimal –it’s getting easier by the day

• Some resources for getting started painlessly and quickly are at onstrat.com/web2

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The Collaboration Side

• As librarians and information professionals, we pride ourselves on collaboration and sharing

• Web 2.0 collaboration extends not just to users but to others in organizations (e.g., IT people, archivists) and to vendors.

• Vendors want (or should want) to be Web 2.0-friendly.

• You don’t need to know AJAX, but it may be helpful to know someone who does.

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Library 2.0 Here and There

• Is it catching on more quickly in the US and Canada?

• If so, why?

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“Theories” on That

• Americans are used to and don’t mind embarrassing themselves, are more susceptible to fads.

• Americans are more boastful, “evangelical”, and public, while our cousins are more reserved, traditional, and private

• Simply an epidemiological issue • Intrapreneurship and going beyond the “job

description” is encouraged in libraries

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Summary

• There is little reason not to do it

• There are lots of reasons to do it

• It is valuable to users and to us as professionals

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Ran HockOnline StrategiesVienna, VA, USA

Company site: www.onstrat.comBooks site: www.extremesearcher.com

001.703.242.6078ran@onstrat.com