Public Library 2.0: Emerging Technologies and Changing Roles
Michael Stephens
Jenny Levine
This is the first session of the public libraries track. Even though it’s for public libraries, there are a lot of academic librarians in the room. Public libraries are doing some really cool things that can serve as a model for academic libraries.
Jenny reflects about where we are with Library 2.0:
did a word count on the program
RSS appears nine times in the sessions
podcasting appears a bunch
lost count on the wikis
lots of cool stuff in the program
Michael Stephens
Library 2.0: On the Culture of Trust
Michael refers to the April issue of Newsweek
The web is where we live
Web 2.0 produces offspring
Library 2.0, Media 2.0
Librarian 2.0
Harnesses the power of L2 and
Librarian 2.0 needs to plan with the users
Library 2.0 is a trendspotter
Technology is a tool—it is only a tool
we are not worshipping the great altar of tech
Six things for library 2.0
1.Let’s expand the brand
Starbucks example: want to be known as a comfortable place, doing book disucssion, place for wifi
Maketing: our libraries, our profession, ourselves
find ways to put yourselves out there
2.Break down barriers
cell phones, limit use of tables
how do you present the library to others
Michael references his 5 factors post and the user is not broken post (Karen Schneider)
3.Adopt a 2.0 philosophy
–It’s about experience and play
–Learn from the gamers
–try Second Life
4. Create a culture of trust
5 phrases to never hear
1. We’ve always done it this way
2. He or she is a roadblock to anything new
3. The IT department won’t let us
4. I don’t have time for ________________
5. Our director doesn’t like technology
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Helene Blowers
PLCMC: Publice Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County
Technology Director
Learning 2.0
Expanding Minds, Empowering Individuals, Enriching the Community (libary mission statement)
Library 2.0 is all about empowering the users
Learning 2.0
–introduce staff to new technologies on the web
–encourage staff to take responsibility for their learning
–remard staff for taking the initiative to complete 23 self-discovery exercises
–the program is not a training program. It is a learning program
references 43 things article by Stephen Abram.
–rewards include mp3 players and other gadgets for drawing if the program was completed.
the program is 8.5 weeks
Week 1. Introduction
Week 2. Blogging
Week 3. Photos
Week 4. RSS
Week 5. Play week
Week 6. Tagging and Folksonomies
Week 7. Wikis
Week 8. Online applications in tools
Week 9. Podcasts, Videoss, and Downloadbable audio
Plus one month of extra exploration time
Everything was completely free, cost the library nothing, since they used free services
If libraries are to be places of lifelong learng, then the staff need to be lifelong learners as well.
Tags of employee posts are in Helene’s del.ici.ous account. hblowers
Other libraries are doing similar stuff.
Helene blogs at Library Techbytes