Librarian's web 2.0 manifesto

I went trawling You Tube for database tutorial inspiration and came across the following video Called the librarian's 2.0 manifesto. It raised some interesting points about the implications of web 2.0 for librarians and libraries and how we deliver our services.

Flickr

This is fun finding such interesting images! The real fun is arranging them on the page!

Week 13 Finale

web20, socialmedia, usergeneratedmedia, consumergeneratedmedia

The thing I have learned is that Web2.0 is huge. The phenomenon has taken off world wide. It is not just a Western movement but has trancended culture and language. Web use has gone from the static information delivery of the Information Society to the information collaboration of Social Networking Technologies and this trend is gaining momentum. People like to share ideas, and businesses that understand that 'users add value', are changing their websites from sites that deliver information to sites that invite comment, feedback, and interaction.

Obviously, while there are many benefits to both people and business through Web 2.0, there are risks as well. People are always willing to exploit others or engage in socially unacceptable behaviour. However, I do not think this should be enough to deter the Library from engaging in Web2.0 technologies, just as the fact that some people are computer hackers does not deter most of us from using computers.

As for the type of social networking technologies we should be involved in, I think we should begin by making our catalogue as interactive as is practically possible. Blogs for various subject aeas and RSS feeds are obvious technologies for the library to adopt. I am sure if we put our collective minds together, we will come up with other ideas.

For me, this exercise has been a valuable learning experience. I will have to be careful that I don't become addicted to YouTube.

Week 12 Podcasts and YouTube

YouTube has been a great resource for alomost anything I wanted to find from Rondo Alla Turka played by two Polish super musicians on one guitar to Arsenic and Old lace in 12 parts and everything in between, including the two library videos I selected: Library Fines and Library Rap. Searching YouTube is easy and viewing the results is fun, there were a few pitfalls to be negotiated. Not all the library video results were good clean fun and I had to negotiate my way past some very questionable content.
Unfortunately, copying or embedding the videos into my blog has also been a cause of frustration. Following the simple instructions included for our enlightenment gave no joy. I tried placing the video inside my blog using the copy and paste code for the for "Embeddable Player.” I even noted that I'd need to use Blogger's Edit HTML tab when pasting this code. I even conferred with a colleague who was having similar problems, all to no avail. Then, finally, without rhyme or reason, success! That's technology for you, I guess.
Library Fines


Library Rap

Social Tagging 2

I struggled a bit with the concept of social tagging so typed 'social tagging' into the Technorati search box and found a wealth of links to blogs, sites and videos all eager to expound on the nature and use of social tagging.

What was even more surprising was the fact of how easy it was to find material on my topic of choice. To someonw who has staunchly championed the importance of controlled lists such as theLibrary of Congress Subject Headings as a means of ensuring targeted searches, I am surprised at how effective social tagging is. It is a far more targeted system than I gave it credit for. I have searched through Flickr, YouTube and and Technorati, using 'natural language', and I have been amazed at the relevance of the material that turned up. I can only conclude that my prejudice against 'unofficial lists' of terms is not altogether warranted. People seem to be instinctively tagging their work with keywords that other people use to search with. When I searched for 'word cloud' in Flickr, hoping to find a picture of one, I had several to choose from. The one I chose was a library word cloud containing Web 2.0 words.

Social tagging 1

I was rather fascinated by the Word Cloud from SHUSH! the Information Services Library blog:

academic access articles available book books browser business choose click company data database databases find first give good google help http information journal journals know library list login metalib might most news next online only other over page resources search select site terms than them think time useful using work

I then realised that the tags can be organised in different ways:
tag options
» view as cloud list
» sort by alpha freq
» use minimum: 1, 2, 5
» show hide bundles

This gives people a choice of how to view their search terms. That choice appeals to me.

Second life libraries and librarians

Libraries and librarians in second life: images from Flickr.

This is Jana Super Hero librarian. Ready to fend of the mind stultifying forces of ignorance:
At the reference desk: able to answer complicated reference questions in a single session!
Super Librarian: figting illiteracy.
Readers advisory: able to recommend another awesome novel for your reading pleasure!

More Flickr images about libraries from second life

Why are librarians in second life?


Hero librarian

Academic Avatar librarians
School library journal. Meet the new you. Alliance Library system

Another Academic Avatar Librarians Poster

Frankly, I am not sure quite why anyone would want to buy into Second Life. The concept seems like fun on the surface, but I think it requires a lot of unwarranted time and effort to keep up a meaningful presence. Besides, the technology is all a little clumsy at the moment and relies heavily on keyboard skills to communicate. Also, with the realities of our own campus consolidation and the demands of our real life personas as librarians, I am not sure where the time effort or inclination will come from to embark on such an endeavour.

I was also disconcerted by the idea that a second life library could be as easily sabotaged by a cloud of flying penises as a press conference. Part of my library tasks at the moment is to consolidate the Churchlands and Joondalup WA Acts of parliament. There are a lot of Acts. It reminded me that in a real world, people need legislation to regulate the behaviour of society and to ensure the protection and safety of all. Just because it is a fantasy world is no reason to believe that people will only behave well. The real worry for me is that Second Life has little or no regulation and lays itself open to abuse as a result. The flying penises might have been funny on one level, but the fact that such inappropriate behaviour was allowed opens the door for even more outrageous, or abusive behaviour. It provides a challenge for others to behave in even more extreme ways. Second life is a world where any sort of behaviour is possible, either for good or for bad and that is not a reassuring thought.