Web 2.0 Tools and the Implications

Reading several articles about the newest line of web 2.0 technology is fascinating. One of the main areas of concern for most of the articles is the lack of training for staff and patrons alike. Many patrons and staff are unfamiliar with the latest technology and with the economy down there is little or no funding to train staff. The article about blogging Chen, S. (2009) gives a prime example of how we need to keep up with emerging technology so that libraries can keep patrons and in this changing venue they can know what they are doing. Provide links to training material for Nooks and Kindles, e-mails and computer training.

One of the comments in the article from the Library in New Hampshire Harland, P. (2009) was the great increase in customer service when they spent the time and money in educating their staff and patrons about how to use the 2.0 Tools. When staff can help patrons understand the new services they feel “intelligent and useful” and the patrons get a much better service. The students that come into the libraries today are very technology savvy and when they do have questions they need to feel that the staff understands the process and can help them. Advertising to the patrons of the future also needs to be on the level of today’s technology, fliers and posters without QR codes are a thing of the past, utilize the e-mails, and blogs and make sure the website and library facebook are up to date and exciting.

The social implications of the emerging technology has a wide array of challenges, one of the concerns is that libraries will cease to be useful and that they will disappear. Many of the articles I read said just the opposite and that if libraries keep up with the technology then their roles may change, but the need for books, research, E-Books and public computers and a general gathering place will still be required. Books may change appearance and the number of hard copies may decrease as more and more E-Books and devices appear but some copies of books will always be useful.

Economically, the library is a general meeting place and a resource for learning, as the economy changes I believe that libraries will need to collaborate more and more with schools and the community and be an integral part of their lives.

Chen, S. (2009). Can Blogging Help Cataloging? Using a Blog and Other Web 2.0 Tools to

            Enhance Cataloging Section Activities. Library Resources & Technical Services, 53(4),

             251-60. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database

Harland, P. (2009). Library 2.0 in Plymouth, New Hampshire: How One Library Uses

            Web 2.0 Tools to Enhance Services to Students & Staff. Library Media

            Connection, 27(5), 57-8. Retrieved from Library Lit & Inf   Full Text database

Xu, C., Ouyang, F., & Chu, H. (2009). The Academic Library Meets Web 2.0: Applications and

             Implications. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 35(4), 324-31. doi:

            0.1016/j.acalib.2009.04.003