Emerging Trends,
2.0, and Libraries
David Lee King
Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
davidleeking.com

What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0
has done a similar thing
for the web.

From Wikipedia: “a … second-
generation of Internet-based services
— such as social networking sites,
wikis, communication tools, and
folksonomies — that let people
collaborate and share information
online in ways previously unavailable.”

communication, conversation,
participation...
Community

Web 2.0
Church 2.0 Music 2.0
Law 2.0 Advertising 2.0
Business 2.0
Library 2.0

Tagging
RSS Readers Commenting
RSS
Glue of Web 2.0
User-
Friending
Generated
Mashups
Content
Web as Platform

1. RSS
• Does 2 things:
• subscribe to other websites that
have RSS feeds (aka syndication)
• create content in one place, but display
it in another place
• any content - text, photos, audio, video

RSS

2. RSS Feed Readers

3. Tagging, or
Folksonomies
• Categorizing the web
• Choose personal keywords
• Browseable and searchable
• web 2.0 uses tagging

4. Leaving Comments
• one-on-one in the
past
• maybe a letter?
• Here’s what it can be
now

conversation

29
comments!

On a
Director’s
Blog!!!

5. User-Supplied Content
• web 2.0 doesn’t exist without user generated
content
• most web 2.0 sites feature “my stuff”
• text
• photos
• videos

6. Web as Platform
• web-based software
• a platform that allows people to interact
• not the usual “here’s the info about my
organization”
• email is a good example

7. Mashups
• From Wikipedia: “A mashup is a website or
web application that seamlessly combines
content from more than one source
into an integrated experience.”
• Usually via an API, RSS feed, or JavaScript

8. Friending
• Buddies, friends, contacts,
followers
• Linking to friends or contacts
• sharing content
• trusted buddy list

now, let’s jump right in
• blogs
• social networking sites
• bookmark managers
• wikis
• instant messaging
• podcasting and videocasting
• Library Catalogs???

blogs

what can you
do with blogs?
• communicate with your patrons!
• start conversations...
• new books, videos, what’s new at the library
• internal staff newsletter
• subject guide current awareness
• reaching customers where they are...

Play Time!

Social Networking Sites

What can you do with
Social Networking Sites?
• Reach patrons in THEIR space
• Use contact lists to push events and news
• Direct links to library material
• Share – why should I attend your teen
program?
• Use them as search tools

Bookmark Managers
• AKA Social Bookmarking
• IE favorites is tied to a single PC
• Bookmark managers do the same thing…
• … but are accessible via the web!
• how it works
• add a bookmark, add tags, description, clipping
• Others can add comments, ratings
• Others can subscribe via RSS
• searchable

What can you do with
Bookmark Managers?
• Access your own bookmarks anywhere
• Find an expert and subscribe
• Search
• Share!
• actual links
• expertise

Wiki
• What’s a Wiki?
• A website that allows anyone to add and
edit content
• Great for collaborative authoring
• Tracks changes so you can revert back to
older page if needed
• Monitor changes via RSS
• Searchable
• Comments can be allowed

What can you do
with a Wiki?
• Subject Guides
• Staff Intranet
• Project management
• Committee/Taskforce minutes
• Allowing patrons to interact with you…

Instant Messaging
• AKA IM
• Pretty easy – you type, hit enter, they type, hit
enter, etc.
• Chat history is tracked
• Real time communication
• PCs, cell phones, PDAs all have IM

IM Clients
• Individual clients:
• AOL AIM
• MSN Messenger
• Yahoo! Messenger
• IRC, ICQ, Jabber, GTalk, GroupWise Messenger,
etc.
• Multi-Client services:
• Trillian, Gaim, Meebo

What can you do with
IM?
• IM Reference
• IM library staff
• Can be less hassle than email or phone
• Allowing patrons to reach you!

Podcasting
• Web feed of audio that anyone can subscribe
to
• To listen:
• Need an MP3 player
• Need an RSS feed
• Need a feed reader
• Even better - A podcasting aggregator (ie.,
iTunes and Juice)

Creating a Podcast
1.
• Something to say – most important
• Microphone = can be a Radio Shack cheapie
• Audacity = free
• Place to store the podcast – archive.org,
blip.tv, etc. = free
• RSS feed that will distribute podcasts = free
(FeedBurner does this)
• Free, free, free vs Time, Time, Time!

What can you do with Podcasting?
• Library news/upcoming events
• Booktalks
• Oral histories
• Lectures
• Local music
• Author readings
• Library instruction/guided tours
• Reach patrons where they are…

Videocasting
• same idea as podcasting - but with video
• to watch: need a video player
• rss feed
• feed reader
• even better - a video aggregator (mefeedia,
fireant, itunes)

Creating a VideoCast
• Something to say
• Camcorder – cheapies for $30…
• Digital video editing software
• Place to store the videocast – archive.org = free
• RSS feed that distributes videocasts = free
(feedburner again)
• pricey, Takes Time, Is Very Cool.

what can you do
with video?
• lectures, events, instruction
• virtual tours
• book talks
• something completely original
• reaching those patrons again...

Play Time!

Amazon vs OPAC

Extending the catalog...

Why should
I make time
for Web 2.0?

What are YOU doing at
your library?
here’s what your patrons want to do...

1. relevant to the next generation
• IM & txt messaging
• Creating user-generated content
• Using web 2.0 tools for storage,
bookmarking, current awareness,
entertainment

2. teach the current generation
• information
literacy
• show grandpa how
to use flickr
• small business
owner and vanity
searching
• news junkie, meet
RSS feeds
http://flickr.com/photos/prupert/68375339/

3: Teach them how to
subscribe to your library

4. save time!
• professional reading
• IM vs phone vs email
• bookmarking
• working smarter by using tools...

5. Patrons want
to participate

29
comments!

6. be a community leader
• become a community resource
• we were the only place teaching Word...

7. land a cool job
NextGen Librarian: “We need someone to
manage Web 2.0 tool development to support
member librarian blogging, podcasting, a Moodle
server, Drupal, and other services.”

How do I
make time for
new stuff?

Finding
Time

Changing focus
• Finding time
vs
willingness
and priority
• You have to
want to
change
• change job

Schedule
your
time

Granting time
• give time - for reading, playing,
learning, creating
• send staff to formal training
• practical training for staff - teach
what's relevant to your staff and
library
• buy books for training

Show Admin...
• the numbers - explain your plan, set
goals, project results
• the money - as in $0 spent
• the participation - real customers adding
real value to the library
• the missing piece - show how it fits into
organizational plan

Yikes! My boss says I
need to learn this
• 15 minutes a day
• start with your interests
• find some blogs to read
• leave comments
• Work through a Learning 2.0 plan

Where to start?
• blogs:
• blogger.com or wordpress.com
• what are you going to write about?
• Wikis:
• PB Wiki
• use it for your next committee project

Where to start?
• IM
• sign up for AOL Instant Messenger
• Use Meebo to chat with co-workers (or me!)
• Social Networks
• Get a FaceBook account
• friend other librarians
• Podcasting and Videocasting
• think of a reason and a goal, then go for it!
• Use whatever’s handy - digital camera video is fine

Why?

This is not your library

This is your library

This is your
library

This is your library

Thank you!
davidleeking.com