Just Quickly.....more on Library 2.0

Similar to LibraryThing but for music..
http://www.last.fm/dashboard/

An interactive music radio - "THE SOCIAL MUSIC REVOLUTION"
Create your own profile
Recommend music
Rate music
listen to music of choice
Edit artist bios
Add friends
Gateway to online music vendors
Create widgets and add-ons

There is also PANDORA http://www.pandora.com/restricted
But due to legal restraints, access to this site is limited to USA residents only

Library 2.0

In order to understand and define the term ‘Library 2.0’, one has to have an understanding of what is meant by Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is primarily concerned with online communication, collaboration and sharing content, with particular focus on creating an interactive environment (Maness 2006, Balas 2007). Due to web 2’s socially interactive nature, which allows for group participation, the lines between consumer and creator are blurred (Maness 2006, Grossman 2006). Web 2.0 initiatives, and indeed the term itself, are often defined by the technologies that enable collaborative participation, such as social software networking sites, blogs, wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds etc (Coombs 2007). Therefore, those online applications that allow for the creation and sharing of information, collaboration, interaction, and communication fall under the banner of web 2.

From here it is not difficult to see what web refer to when we talk about Library 2.0. Library 2.0 attempts to incorporate those communicative aspects of web applications into library websites, creating a more interactive and participative environment for online users. Casey, who is credited with originally coining the term Library 2.0 on his blog, and Savastinuk, claim that any service, whether physical or virtual, that is constantly evaluated, successfully reaches out appealing to users, and utilises user input is a Library 2.0 service (2006).

Clearly libraries could not be presumed to be the only entity to take advantage of the benefits afforded by 2.0 technologies. Grossman discusses ‘2.0’ today being applied to a range of organisations that provide information and services such as Travel 2.0 and eLearning 2.0. He sees 2.0 as “representing a new set of development tools or platforms that facilitate an interactive environment” which allows interaction and participation (2006).

Maness (2006) and Balas (2007) both stress the importance of services like Library 2.0 as they not only provide library users with an interactive space, but also bring the library to a wider community. This creates an environment where the user can engage with the library community even beyond the physical confines of the library walls.

Library 2.0 strives to provide:

• Communication in such forms as instant messaging, wikis, blogs
• A more user centered service, allowing participation in creation of content. Outlets for feedback, harnessing of customer knowledge, and allowing user reviews, comments, tags and ratings to catalogue items
• Communally innovative
• A multimedia experience
• A socially rich environment
• A service and environment which is constantly evaluated and changed
• A virtual community, a virtual reality for libraries and their users

So what will all this mean for the physical libraries of the future? Grossman reports that libraries that have open websites allowing for Library 2.0 type applications involved in a study actually have more foot traffic (2006).

This Posting is based on the article:
‘Library 2.0 Theory: Web 2.0 and its implications for libraries’ by Jack M Maness, Webology, vol.3, no.2 2006, available at http://www.webology.ir/2006/v3n2/a25.html

References:
Balas, JL 2007, ‘eLearning about Library 2.0’, Computers in Libraries, vol.27, no.1, pp39-42

Casey, ME & Savastinuk, LC 2006, ‘Library 2.0’, Library Journal, vol.131, no.14, pp40-42

Coombs, KA 2007, ‘Building a library web site on the pillars of Web 2.0’, Computers in Libraries, vol.27, no.1, pp.216-19

Grossman, D 2007, ‘Internet librarian 2006: 10 years old and going strong’, Searcher, vol.15, no.2, pp45-50

Maness, JM 2006, ‘Library 2.0 Theory: Web 2.0 and its implications for libraries’, Webology, vol.3, no.2, available at http://www.webology.ir/2006/v3n2/a25.html

Further reading:
Article:
‘Web 2.0: Building the New Library’ http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue45/miller

Networks discussing Library 2.0:
http://library20.ning.com
http://library2.0.alablog.org
http://www.librarycrunch.com

The Information Age Mindset

Millennials, Generation Y, Net Generation and Nextsters are all terms used to describe the generation that has grown up with computers and the internet (Frand 2000, Thomas & McDonald 2005, Oblinger 2003, Zemke 2001). The ‘Information Age Mindset’ is a set of characteristics and beliefs that define this generation of students, employees, and library users.

The basic elements of these mindsets were originally postulated by Frand (2000) as:

• Computers aren’t technology
• Internet is better than TV
• Reality is no longer real
• Doing rather than knowing
• Trial and Error problem solving
• Multitasking as way of life
• Typing over handwriting
• Staying connected
• Zero tolerance for delays
• Consumer and Creator blurring

‘Millennials’ therefore view computer and technology use as standard operating procedure, and will generally seek answers from the internet rather than traditional media (Thomas & McDonald 2005). Out of this strong familiarity with and heavy use of computers, the internet, and multi media come greater expectations in regards to service delivery and adoption of newly evolving technologies in all areas (Thomas & McDonald 2005, Zemke 2001). Given their upbringing with the internet, the line between creator and consumer is blurring. Web publishing, communication, file sharing, and the ‘cut and past’ nature of the internet has developed lack of understanding of the issue of copyright and intellectual property rights within this demographic. Consumers can publish on the web.

Moreover, due to the ability to alter digital images to create ‘unreal’ images, and the ability to falsify information on or sent over the internet by a variety of means, what you see, and indeed reality can no longer be accepted unquestionably as real. One of the problems with this is that despite their fluency in internet use, ‘millennials’ often don’t have the skills to find reliable and trustworthy information on the internet (Thomas & McDonald 2005). This leads into the next point of their problem solving strategies. Given the preference for independent and trial and error problem solving, they are less likely to take the time to learn how to use finding tools on the internet, nor wish to learn from a ‘manual’.

The mindset of ‘doing rather than knowing’ can be seen as similar to trial and error problem solving. Frand (2000) discusses the short life span of information today, itself a product of the internet and instant publishing, as creating a mentality of its not what you know, but what you can do.

Collaboration is a big issue for millennials (Zemke 2001), who stay connected to peers via internet services such as email, chat facilities, online social networks and blogs, in addition to telephones. Team work and sharing, and a team mentality also play a big part in the mindset millennials, and is facilitated by collaboration and communication (Zemke 2001, Oblinger 2003).

Multitasking is pretty much the norm in most aspects of our lives today. For everyone in the workforce multitasking has become a way of life. Indeed it is expected of us in today’s environment. The literature discusses the multitasking of ‘millennials’ primarily as using multiple forms of communication at once (Frand 2000).

This posting is based on the paper:
‘Millennial Net Value(s): Disconnects between Libraries and the Information Age Mindset’ by Chuck Thomas and Robert H.McDonald, 2005, available at http://dscholarship.lib.fsu.edu/general/4

References:
Frand, JL 2000, ‘The Information Age Mindset: Changes in students and implications for higher education’, Educause Review, Sep-Oct 2000, available at http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm00/articles005/erm0051.pdf

Oblinger, D 2003, ‘Boomers, Gen-Xers and Millennials: Understanding the New students’, Educause Review, July-August 2003, available at http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0342.pdf

Thomas, C, & McDonald, RH 2005, ‘Millennial Net Value(s): Disconnects between Libraries and the Information Age Mindset’, available at http://dscholarship.lib.fsu.edu/general/4

Zemke, R 2001 ‘Here come the Millennials’, Training, Vol.38, no.7, pp44-49
Article Comments: This article is more focused on ‘Millenials’ in the workplace, though it is still relevant for general characteristics of the Information age Mindset in broad terms.

Other related articles:
Lippincott, JK 2005, ‘Net generation students and Libraries’, Educause Review, Vol.40, available at http://www.educause.edu/apps/er/erm0523.asp