The biggest obstacle to any new technology/service is the resistance to change. Then add the component that those who are resistant to change make up the majority of our society (as in the ‘long tailers’ of the library). Then add another layer that a lot of change happens just for the sake of change; it is implemented and then forgotten with little follow through. Casey & Savastinuk refer to this as the “plan, implement, forget” process our textbook for this class.
As a result of this premise in our society, adaptation and the “buy-in” phase is a very slow process. But, I feel Library 2.0 is designed to overcome some of these obstacles by providing faster, more self-sufficient users while enticing the non-users all as a gateway to purposeful change for our libraries today. I was trying to come up with an analogy with another change that has taken place in our society as it relates to service and I thought of the restaurant industry. Look how long it took consumers to embrace fast food restaurants and self-service salad bars vs. family sit-down dinners and sit-down dining at restaurants. Now fast food is the norm and there is no going back to the dining that I grew up on in the 60’s & 70’s. Ironically, a sidebar to this is that I read an article for my last Library/Literacy class with John Berry and it talked about the importance of the family sit down meal as it relates to literacy. Literacy is improved in families where they make the effort to have meals together.
"Can we Super-size" our Library Service?
Photo from Google Images http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=fast+food+restaurants&gbv=2 and www.cartoonstock.com
Well, we can’t download our dinner, but those embracing social technology are downloading everything else that is available, as well as communicating, consuming, and creating online. I have a hard time with the skeptics for 2.0 for I think it is a viable approach to make today’s library ‘relevant’ to its’ users. I came to this understanding after reading Sarah Houghton’s definition of Library 2.0:
“Library 2.0 simply means making your library’s space (virtual and physical) more interactive, collaborative, and driven by community needs. Examples of where to start include blogs, gaming nights for teens, and collaborative photo sites. The basic drive is to get people back into the library by making the library relevant to what they want and need in their daily lives…to make the library a destination and not an afterthought.”
Sarah Houghton’s definition of blogging: Retrieved from http://www.blyberg.net/2006/01/09/11-reasons-why-library-20-exists-and-matters/
And as J. Blyberg concludes in the above link “So, finally, what is Library 2.0? Is it just a collection of ideas? Is it a movement? A revolution? Maybe a little bit of all those things, and more. It may not be the right label, but whatever IT is, it IS.” Wow! IT is not going away and you can talk about pre- and post-Google, but I think 2.0 is a librarian’s way of taking on the tumultuous task of managing online information. I’m on board and this class will help me learn how to navigate through this exciting new information gateway.
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