LIS 9763

This week’s readings and video highlight that social software can be used as a method of encouraging transparency, approachability, inclusivity, innovation, and participation among both library staff and users. Therefore, as I see it, one of the greatest lessons derived from Web 2.0 is that as librarians and information professionals, we can explore, play with, implement and evaluate these technologies as a means of learning about and fostering exemplary service provision and staff relations both online and off.
 
As Shirky points out, Web 2.0 is likely here to stay, which is great, for it offers a variety of practical, social functions in cyberspace that have been heavily embraced by many libraries, and library users (e.g., to make connections, ask for feedback, and share information). Meanwhile, the practice of offering in-person library service is also likely going to stick around for a long time to come. In this realm too there is an on-going need to implement and maintain means of connecting with staff and users and foster discussion and information sharing. The great thing is that Web 2.0 and the use of social networks, blogs, wikis, and so on, has got a lot of librarians thinking about ways we might engage more with one another and our users. And perhaps this creative and conscientious energy can, will, and currently does influence innovations and the experiences of library staff and users in real life as well as online. In other words, it gets us thinking and it gets us talking, which is (almost) always a good thing. ;)
 
The other thing I wanted to touch on briefly this week having reflected on the readings is the topic of risk and lessons I have learned about “risk 2.0” over the last few months. When the topic of Web 2.0 in libraries was raised last summer in a co-op interview I had, I remember saying that I was “skeptically optimistic” about developments that had been made, as concerns for instance, Second Life reference, library news blogs, reference librarian Facebook pages, and research guides on wikis. At that time, I feared that many of these methods were unproven, had a tendency to garner little interest among users, and often went without updates or input from staff once created (or alternately, ate into staff time and resources that could potentially be used more effectively in other areas).
 
I remain skeptically optimistic having taken this course, but less so. I say this because I now more fully realize most social software technologies are inexpensive if not altogether free, and most can be relatively easy to set up, use, monitor and promote in a time effective manner. Furthermore, as the popularity of things like Delicious , Facebook, Second Life, and Twitter increase among mainstream audiences, so will the potential popularity of “risky” library 2.0 initiatives. Meanwhile, librarians are in a prime position to teach users about the merits of these tools further increasing potential buy-in. In effect, while needs assessments, more traditional services, and strategic planning are all important, sometimes you don’t know if something "new" is going to gel until you try. And, final lesson learned: As new librarians, we should be willing and eager to try. ;)