Thing 15

Library 2.0--Oh my goodness, isn't this true!!

One job I had in graduate school was working in the library. I never would have guessed, but it was such an eye-opening experience. I learned great skills for navigating in a library, but I also saw the deficits that older library systems have (and I only finished grad school two years ago). I can remember trying to help one woman find a book she was looking for. The computer said the book was on the shelf, but we could not find it anywhere. Having worked in the library for several months, this didn't really surprise (or actually) bother me too much because books had gone missing before. This woman, however, was completely in awe that the book wasn't there. She kept asking me about it and no matter how many different ways or times I told her, she just didn't understand. Later, it sort of made me laugh, but looking back now sort of illuminates some problems with Library 1.0.

Michael Stephens writes about the Librarian 2.0 who plans based on "user needs and wants" and I think this more important than ever before. As information and resources become easier to use and access, the librarian now has to service the "customer" much more than the days of if the one library in town didn't have what you needed, too bad for the customer. He further describes this librarian as one who,"does not create policies and procedures that impede users’ access to the library" and who discusses decisions and plans in open forums and answers comments. What an important figure to guide Library 2.0. I feel lucky to work with just such a Librarian 2.0 at my school. She is open to user needs and is one of the driving forces behind many of us participating in 23 Things. Just like Stephens mentions, she realized how important Web 2.0 tools are and actively seeks how to use them in our media center and school. We are lucky that she can see toward the future!

Another point I identified with was John Reimer's (Head, UCLA Library Cataloging and Metadata Center) about adopting web features. He suggests that libraries use tools that Amazon and Google implore such as welcoming, "the submission of reviews, assignment of keywords (“tagging”), addition of scholarly commentary, and other forms of user participation." These seem like basic ways that libraries could really improve services.

My favorite quote came from Dr. Wendy Schultz article. She says, "libraries are not just collections of documents and books, they are conversations, they are convocations of people, ideas, and artifacts in dynamic exchange." What a perfect way to think about libraries of the new! Growing up and even until recently, I certainly thought of libraries as dusty collections of documents and books. These articles helped to open my eyes to the new demands of libraries, particularly school libraries.