Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Library 2.0: More questions than answers . . .
Five of the seven required readings for this week were written four or more years ago (2006 & 2007); social software and networking have exploded since that time which makes me wonder how many librarians still think of social software as a fad or continue to downplay the concept of Library 2.0. What I’ve learned through this week’s readings is that Library 2.0 is not just about promoting the library using whatever social software technology is popular at the moment; the ideas behind it are more about cultivating relationships with patrons and their communities. This means resisting the urge to slap up a Facebook page that lists library events assuming that patrons will suddenly be interested just because the library now has a presence in Facebook. Meredith Farkas, a guest at a Library 2.0 Gang 12/09 podcast discussing social software in libraries (http://librarygang.talis.com/), points out librarians sometimes wonder why no one comments on their blogs; she suggests that there may be nothing of interest in their blogs on which to comment. The most interesting concept about Library 2.0 for me at this point then, is figuring out how to use these social software tools to connect and converse with patrons about what’s important to them, i.e., maintain a two-way conversation rather than just deliver a library’s information.
I believe in 2011 that most librarians are coming to the realization that attention needs to be paid to the ideas behind Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. At this point, it’s important to ask questions: What do we do with these ideas and technologies in terms of our libraries? What’s our intent in using these tools? How do we use them effectively to form relationships with our patrons, rather than just as promotional tools? Planning before implementation is the key to success; this idea is also discussed in the Library 2.0 Gang podcast mentioned above. This is not to say that libraries should not endeavor to try out new technologies for fear of failure, but rather to exercise caution in jumping on the bandwagon every time some new software comes out.
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I definitely agree with your post here. I was shocked to see that many of our readings this week were written long ago enough to really question how social network software and applications have evolved and how they're being used now by both for-profit organizations and libraries. I also agree that the ideas behind how to best make your presence known online are more important than immediately creating a profile on the newest social software tool. One of the biggest ideas behind the 2.0 philosophy is connecting with your patrons and users in a way that makes you, the library, more approachable to your everyday users and to attract new users or patrons. This means really paying attention to how specifically you want to connect, instead of just jumping on the latest fad.
ReplyDeleteI think libraries can benefit from using certain Web 2.0 applications, but not in an indiscriminate fashion. For example, I don't recall ever having subscribed to a library's Twitter feed or Facebook page; however, I recognize the value of librarians being able to collaborate on wikis, reach patrons for reference questions via instant messaging (and, by extension, IM aggregators such as Meebo), and perform other such interactive duties. In other words, if Web 2.0 answers a direct patron information need, those librarians who feel averse to using such applications are selling themselves short as well as those they serve.
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