Module Discussion – Web 2.0/Library 2.0
Saying that Web 2.0 has changed our lives is an understatement. Many people today use Facebook, MySpace and other social networks to connect to one another. As a new Facebook user (and former graduate of MySpace), I am mesmerized by how much this website has become part of some many of my friends’ daily lives. True, the primary lure might be reconnecting with old high school and college friends, but I believe there is another stronger lure. As with many of these sites, the user is no longer an outsider looking in, but instead a major contributor and when you are a contributor you get the sense that you are a vital member of a community.
Library 2.0 is basically an extension of Web 2.0. Library 2.0 is user-centric in that it enables the library patron to have access to library databases without entering a library, consulting with a librarian via instant messenger and other services that facilitate library access for the patron. Despite the benefits of Library 2.0, it faces many challenges that are not ordinarily addressed with Web 2.0. The users of websites such as Facebook, MySpace and Flickr are primarily people in their 20s and 30s. Libraries, on the other hand, service patrons of all ages, especially those who are much older (Baby Boomers and Senior Citizens). For some of these patrons, Library 2.0 can make them feel alienated from the community, instead of being an integral part of it. So if Library 2.0 is supposed to make information access easier for everyone, does everyone only include those individuals who are familiar with the internet? On the other hand, how about the younger generation who has grown up believing that a library is only a building that houses books? Will they stop (or for that matter start) using the library resources and librarians? How can a library handle the growing change in library technology while addressing the “traditional” roles of the library and its librarians without alienating anyone in the community?