Library 2.0
I read the blog post on blyberg.net and my reaction is - Library 2.0 is here, whether we like it or not. I used to be a reporter, and I worry about the friends I have still in the business because newspapers haven't evolved like they should have. They waited until technologies were already adopted and in wide use before they decided, "Hey, let's hop on the gravy train." Libraries shouldn't be afraid to use new technology - they don't have to be first-adopters, but they shouldn't wait until the next big thing comes out to decide to use the old one.

My library has game nights for teens. We teach adults basic computer skills, and we're about to start a program to teach adults what all this newfangled stuff is, like Twitter. We just started using Encore to make it easier to search for items - create tags, let users write reviews. We text-message notices, and let patrons text us reference questions. This is a great start, but we need to do more, and that includes ADVERTISING OUR SERVICES. Honestly, I don't think most of our patrons know we have a blog, or an e-mail newsletter. It's not enough to have all these wonderful new things. We have to tell people about them and make them easy to use.

Web 2.0
I'll say first that I'm a big fan of O'Reilly (the publisher, not Bill). I'm using one of their books to teach myself HTML, and according to the husband, who is the resident Technical Guru, O'Reilly's books are the ones to go by. Therefore, I'd say if you want a comprehensive explanation of Web 2.0, you can't go wrong with O'Reilly's article. I grew up online. I had AOL's dial-up service way back when everyone had it. I've seen how things have gotten so much ... cooler. I seriously love Google. Part of it is the "cloud." Everything I need is online, and I can access it from anywhere. What am I doing the third day of my vacation? Google Calendar to the rescue! Part of it is how they're still making it better. Adding apps, not keeping the ones that just don't work or that people just don't want. (Ever notice that Gmail is always in beta? Read Ars Technica's interview with Todd Jackson, Gmail Product Manager).

Web 2.0 has given us sites that we interact with and not just read. Back in the day, if I went to the Web site for a band, I could read their bios, see their pictures, maybe get their tour schedule. Now I can listen to their music, either on their site or with a link to Myspace Music or last.fm. I can download songs, buy merch, leave comments. Most, if not all, of my favorite Web sites have this interactivity, and whether I contribute to it or not, it's still extremely useful. There are a lot of things that I don't buy without finding reviews for them first, from books to headphones to - I kid you not - socks (but just ones for hiking).

And then the article goes on to blogs and RSS. I admit this is my first time writing a blog (if you don't count Livejournal which I stopped using years ago), but I'm a big fan of RSS. I realized that each day I was going to several different sites to read what was new, and it was taking a LOT of time (plus I'd forget a site and once I remembered, I'd have a ton to read). I knew about RSS but hadn't used it, but it was Really Simple to use Google Reader (surprise, surprise).


Libraries have to get on this. We have to use these Web 2.0 concepts in how we present information to our patrons. It's not enough anymore to say "Oh Shakespeare? He's over there in the 820's."