Subscribe for Free
Send to a Friend
 |
||||||||||||||||||
LexisNexis survey finds info pros are very interested in 2.0 technologies
How can using 2.0 help researchers find highly relevant results? Scirus Topic Pages provide the answer
 Scirus and OCLC promote benefits of fulltext linking
Rights Spot: Regarding sharing and discussing research, prior to publication, what are Elsevier's policies?
|
Librarians Speak Up:
How is your library using 2.0 to reach users?
Bonaria Biancu
Bonaria Biancu, Technologist, University of Milano-Bicocca Library, Milan, Italy
Our library has adopted a number of Web 2.0 features to enhance user experience and mash up information and services: RSS feeds for library news; a database of free online resources enriched with recommendations, comments and ratings; a browser toolbar to show off our tools; photos and videos on social networking sites. And we are going to add as many more as we can!
Sue White
Sue White, Head of Library Services, University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK
At the University of Huddersfield we’ve introduced Web 2.0 features to the library catalog, allowing greater personalization and options for rating books as well as dynamic floor plans showing the locations of subject areas. The aim is to make the catalog a more interactive tool — and it is!
Dr. Heila Pienaar
Dr. Heila Pienaar, Deputy Director, e-Information Strategy and e-Research Enablement, Library Services, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Currently the UP Library uses Web 2.0 applications like RSS feeds from the catalog, book covers sourced from Amazon.com integrated with the catalog, email notification via FeedBlitz when the library’s Web page is updated, blogs and wikis as communication tools, and a list of Web 2.0 tools on the library’s Web page as a reference for users.
Thomas Brevik
Thomas Brevik, Head Librarian, Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, Bergen, Norway
Our library uses blogging on the Wordpress platform to reach our users. In addition we are working on including LibraryThing, Flickr and Meebo widgets in the blog to reach our users with more information. I am also looking at Facebook and Second Life.
Sandra Kramer
Sandra Kramer, Assistant Director for Services, Arizona Health Sciences Library, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
AHSL uses Web 2.0 tools such as Google's custom search feature on our Evidence-Based Medicine Search Engine to help patrons discover fulltext resources held in our library's collection. Customizing curriculum resource pages and creating health topics pages focused on the university's research priorities are other ways that Web 2.0 helps us serve clients across both our campus and our state.
Casey Bisson
Casey Bisson, Information Architect, Plymouth State University, NH, USA
Our new site, based on Scriblio, invites comments on every page. When a user recently reported a database wasn't working, the comment and our response were posted for all to see. Another user said seeing that interaction made her more comfortable asking questions. That transparency and interactivity are delivering new value to our users and stats show increased usage over last year.
Stephen Cramond
Stephen Cramond, Electronic Resources Librarian, University of Adelaide, Australia
At Adelaide, we see the potential of Web 2.0 for more direct engagement with library users. Though current focus is on our Institutional Repository, some interesting 2.0 developments include RSS feeds from the catalog, redirected RSS feeds from database sites to the library website and a staff intranet blog.
Lynette Lewis
Lynette Lewis, Coordinator Online Services, Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service, Victoria, Australia
Web 2.0 technologies at Yarra Plenty Library include four blogs, a reading club wiki for our younger audience and the beginnings of a community wiki and a reader’s advisory wiki. We offer Web 2.0 classes for the public on blogging, LibraryThing and Second Life, and we showcase special library events (such as our Unconference earlier this year) through Flickr and YouTube.
Five Quick Questions
Christie Koontz
1. What’s the attitude of librarians toward the new technology involved in Library 2.0 (L2.0)?
Information professionals embrace and fear new media and technologies. We’re loathing and embracing L2.0, depending on where we are on the technology food chain. I would argue that the underlying philosophy of librarianship is in essence not “one-directional” but rather “reflectional,” as is L2.0. This means that overall librarians are among first adopters when it comes to embracing new technologies that enhance services we can provide users.
2. Why do some librarians feel uneasiness regarding new technologies used in L2.0?
Some information professionals are reticent to embrace new technologies, because, at least for the “hunter-gatherer” part of us, there may be just too many all at once. At least the other technologies dribbled in over half a century!
3. How does L2.0 fit into the evolution of libraries?
L2.0 resides on the underpinnings of our service-based profession. The new technologies allow increased and enhanced two-way participation between users and librarians. Now as in the past, collaboration is what librarianship is all about.
4. What's an example of L2.0 that you want to call to readers' attention?
A mixture of the best of tech and nontech L2.0 is occurring on my own campus. At Florida State University College of Information, in the Goldstein Library we have the CAVE (Collaborative Environment) run by future library and information professionals. The CAVE encourages student use by offering a free space with current flexible resources, vodcasts and podcasts with a continually updated download list. At the front circ desk soon-to-be librarians offer nontech L2.0 through instruction and guidance face-to-face.
5. What will 3.0 bring to the library community?
So Library 3.0 — what is it? I say it is Librarian 3.0. It is acceptance of our role as the only profession, thus far on earth, that can successfully corral society's knowledge and information and make it usable to markets within the masses based upon our commitment to a combination of customer service and relevant technologies.
Goldstein Library: http://ci.fsu.edu/go/goldstein/
Sarah de Crescenzo
Sarah de Crescenzo, this summer's Library Connect marketing intern, served as section editor for these two pages. Thanks go to Sarah for her contributions to this issue. And best wishes go to her, as she returns to her undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego and continues her career development.
— The Editor
