Assignment #7 - part 1

Well, I was hoping to be caught up by now. However, as life will have it, I'm still playing catch-up.

Library 2.0 is a new concept to me. And yet, when I took a look at my own library, I found it complete with a blog: www2.cambridgelibraries.ca/blog. I particularly liked this Halloween pic. Is the librarian standing in the Sci/Fi stacks?

I'm not sure I followed everything that was discussed in the article The essence of Library 2.0 by Meredith Farkas. Perhaps it's because I didn't take/have the time to read John Blyberg’s post, Library 2.0 Debased. (One of these days.) However, I can fully appreciate the concept of losing one's way with technology. Starting a project where the resources and the will-power are not available to continue. There are too many "ghost-towns" of websites that were abandoned or ignored by their creators. Many businesses and non-profits grabbed hold of the internet not knowing what they were getting into. The cost of maintaining and developing a web site can be overwhelming - especially for those who need a web site to communicate a complex message.

I also like Farkas' assertion that libraries should be, "Believing in our users - trusting them, listening to them, giving them a role in helping to define library services for the future." This is what all public services should aim for. Using technology - or not - should be determined by public's need. I wonder how my library decides what services to offer? Hmmm... something to research.

I also particularly liked a comment from this post:

Dale Says: January 25th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I think the Library 2.0 name, in retrospect, has been helpful in getting people to talk about looking at public (mostly) library service in a new way..... At a library in which I worked in the early 1980s, the director (in her 70s at that time) had for years assessed the community, formally and informally. We bought popular materials. We assigned our own call numbers, not blindly using those assigned by another library (including, to respond to local demand, a system of classifying classic fiction in the literature section, along with criticism of the author and biographies of the author–with one copy in fiction). Imagine–2 copies of a book with 2 different call numbers to make things easier for customers! We also clipped reviews and glued them in books (which customers loved) and encouraged customers to write brief reviews on a page tipped into the book. None of that involves technology, but it all encourages a feeling of community at the library and responded to real need and interest of the library users.

These are great ideas about bringing together people and books with technology playing little or no role. Technology has a place ... but it's not the answer to all our problems. Thanks Dale.