Along with Mimi Bolotin and Carol Legarreta, I attended this session sponsored by Solinet and OCLC Eastern at the Arlington County Public Library on March 20, 2008. This day long session focused on Web 2.0, what it means, how libraries are using new technologies, and why libraries should be involved with 2.0. The coordinator from Solinet described Web 2.0 as being an attitude, rather than a technology. You do not have to be a techie to get into Web 2.0.
Emerging Technologies and Trends that Make Your Online Life Easier by Jenny Levine
I was very excited to see that Jenny was going to be a presenter because I have been a longtime reader of her blog, The Shifted Librarian. Throughout much of her presentation, Jenny shared some Web 2.0 technologies, like RSS, wikis, blogs, flickr, etc., and she showed examples of how libraries are using them. According to Jenny, the future is in RSS because it is the easiest and most efficient way for users to use your data and information off of your website. She also commented that the Web is going to be the operating system of the future - it will not matter if you have a PC or Mac. I found this to be a very solid presentation on 2.0, and I learned of quite a few new sites that I need to go explore.
LibraryThing for Libraries by Kate Sheehan
This was another presentation that I was very interested in hearing because I wanted to find out more details about how this all works and connects to the opac from someone who has done the implementation already. Kate demonstrated the product at work in Darrien Public Library's catalog; it adds tags and readalikes to the opac display by javascript. It does not touch the MARC record at all. You can see it in action here. Kate described as a very nice add-on feature that is possible without a lot of staff time or expense. This is not the next generation catalog, but it is one step closer for customers being able to interact with the collection. It brings readers' advisory right into the catalog.
Changing Content for Metadata Management by Kate Calhoun
Much of this presentation focused on getting libraries to webscale via OCLC's WorldCat, bringing library catalogs to where people are, google, facebook, youtube, etc. Calhoun said the story of the catalog is not over, and we have to work together and in partnership with other organizations (create a culture of participation to take the library to a wider audience) so that no matter where the user starts, he ends up at the library.
JMO, HTH! Social Networking in Academic Libraries by Jamie W. Coniglio
Coniglio described how George Mason University reference staff and other academic libraries are using Web 2.0 tools to connect to their users. Examples include Meebo widgets for IM, blogs, wikis, Second Life, flock, etc. As a profession, she said we do not experiment much at all because it makes us uncomfortable. However, it is her feeling that discomfort can be healthy. We need to form a knowledge practice with a reorientation toward user-centered services, value risk taking, and create a zone of experimentation.
Playing to Learn in the Summer of ’07: How 23 Things Opened the Door to Web 2.0 for Maryland Public Library Staff by Jennifer Howell
Howell's presentation gave an overview of the 23 Things program begun in Charlotte and now being used by the state of Maryland. She described her own experiences as a staff coordinator rolling out the program, her librarians' assessment of the program, and plans for the future.
Overall, this conference was a good overview of what people are currently doing in the profession, and areas to follow for future trends and ideas. I came away from the conference with many ideas that might be used at MCPL - LibraryThing for Libraries, Meebo IM widget, MCPL's rollout of the 23 Things, exploring API development, and a number of particular websites to explore. Most of all, I like the thinking that Web 2.0 is an attitude or mindset and that there is the need for experimentation and risk taking.
Friday, March 28, 2008
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