Libraries Join the Web 2.0 Revolution

Michael Stephens recently presented a webinar titled Ten Top Technologies for Librarians in 2006 |Powerpoint| through Online Programming for All Libraries (OPAL).

Stephens suggests that libraries should adopt Web 2.0 software to engage patrons with interactive services that are more like a conversation than top-down delivery of services.

Stephens' top ten list of Web 2.0 trends includes Blogs, RSS, Wikis, Instant Messaging, Podcasts, Text Messaging, Social Software (such as MySpace), Mashups, Open Source Software, and interactive catalogs.

One example of an interactive catalog that combines many of these technologies is Plymouth State University's catalog which has been ported as a blog called WPOPAC using WordPress. The top entry is the most recent item added to the collection.

The blog format allows patrons and staff to comment on the catalog entries and it gives each item a unique URL so they can add the entries to del.icio.us through an embedded hyperlink.

The blog gives them a Find More Like This button which then gives them dozens of ways to search the catalog.

For this entry, they've added a search box to search within the book on Amazon and they even added Technorati tags!

Another innovative application of these technologies is St. Joseph County Public Library's wiki oriented towards the public to help patrons find materials by subject.

After the presentation, Michael Stephens posted some links related to his talk at his blog.

Neal R. Axton, Reference Librarian, William Mitchell College of Law