Why Web 2.0? Challenges and opportunities for the legal sector SLLG Seminar – 20 th June 2008 James Mullan

First a quote… “Legal information professionals must be adapting its potential for their services” Barbara Tearle (BIALL President)

“Legal information professionals must be adapting its potential for their services”

Barbara Tearle (BIALL President)

What I’ll look at… What is Web 2.0? A look at some Web 2.0 tools (Opportunities) Challenges for you Challenges for the Legal Sector

What is Web 2.0?

A look at some Web 2.0 tools (Opportunities)

Challenges for you

Challenges for the Legal Sector

What is Web 2.0? A perceived second generation of web-based communities…such as social networking sites, wikis and blogs…which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration and sharing (of content) between users. Wikipedia entry “Web 2.0”

A perceived second generation of web-based communities…such as social networking sites, wikis and blogs…which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration and sharing (of content) between users.

Wikipedia entry “Web 2.0”

Web 2.0 Technologies Blogs RSS Wikis Social Software Social Networking Social Bookmarking Widgets Mashups & Startpages

Blogs

RSS

Wikis

Social Software

Social Networking

Social Bookmarking

Widgets

Mashups & Startpages

Web 2.0 applications are usually… Collaborative Users can “contribute” content in a non-passive way Interactive Users can view each others content and talk to other users about their content

Collaborative

Users can “contribute” content in a non-passive way

Interactive

Users can view each others content and talk to other users about their content

Blogs and Blogging A Weblog or Blog is a frequently updated Website Dated entries are arranged in reverse chronological order Blogs are easy to create and update Blogging software is free

A Weblog or Blog is a frequently updated Website

Dated entries are arranged in reverse chronological order

Blogs are easy to create and update

Blogging software is free

Law Librarians & Blogging Blogs can be used for a variety of reasons including; To promote Library Services As internal communication tools To avoid Information Overload

Blogs can be used for a variety of reasons including;

To promote Library Services

As internal communication tools

To avoid Information Overload

The future of Blogging? New ways of Blogging have started appearing; “Microblogging” Twitter, Tumblr Collaborative Blogging

New ways of Blogging have started appearing;

“Microblogging” Twitter, Tumblr

Collaborative Blogging

Libraries using Twitter

RSS RS what? Really Simple Syndication Rich Site Summaries Read Some Stories RSS Feeds are simple XML documents which need to be read in an “RSS Reader”

RS what?

Really Simple Syndication

Rich Site Summaries

Read Some Stories

RSS Feeds are simple XML documents which need to be read in an “RSS Reader”

RSS RSS Feeds enable you to; Deliver web content from multiple sites to a single web application Subscribe only to content you want to see Avoid visiting multiple sites Easily see which sites have been updated

RSS Feeds enable you to;

Deliver web content from multiple sites to a single web application

Subscribe only to content you want to see

Avoid visiting multiple sites

Easily see which sites have been updated

Law Librarians & RSS RSS isn’t just for Blogs though: Journals Government Websites Law Firms News Sources Online Databases

RSS isn’t just for Blogs though:

Journals

Government Websites

Law Firms

News Sources

Online Databases

What does it really mean? It’s now much easier for Information Professionals to; Stay on top of what is being published on the Web Make the content available to other users Use RSS as part of a current awareness service

It’s now much easier for Information Professionals to;

Stay on top of what is being published on the Web

Make the content available to other users

Use RSS as part of a current awareness service

No No CUP No No OUP Yes No Kluwer Law No No Justis - Yes Wiley-Blackwells Yes No Hart Publishing No No Hammicks Yes No XPL Publishing Yes No Tottel - Yes Wildys Yes No Westlaw Yes No Lexis Nexis Butterworths Planning Using RSS Publisher

RSS is great but… …don’t I need to be really tech savvy to use it?

…don’t I need to be really tech savvy to use it?

Wikis A Wiki is an application or a piece of software that allows users to create edit and link “web” pages Increasingly Wikis are being used within law firms to: Encourage Knowledge sharing/collaboration Replace or enhance Intranets

A Wiki is an application or a piece of software that allows users to create edit and link “web” pages

Increasingly Wikis are being used within law firms to:

Encourage Knowledge sharing/collaboration

Replace or enhance Intranets

Why are Wikis so wikied? Wikis have been successfully used by Law Firms because: Their focus is on content not authoring tools You don’t need to have any experience to start using a Wiki

Wikis have been successfully used by Law Firms because:

Their focus is on content not authoring tools

You don’t need to have any experience to start using a Wiki

Law Librarians & Wikis There is huge potential for Law Librarians to use Wikis in the following areas: System Documentation (LMS) Subject Guides FAQ’s Best Practice Guides

There is huge potential for Law Librarians to use Wikis in the following areas:

System Documentation (LMS)

Subject Guides

FAQ’s

Best Practice Guides

When using Wikis There needs to be a reason for the Wiki More than one person should be using it as a communication/collaboration tool You must avoid the “empty Wiki” syndrome at all costs

There needs to be a reason for the Wiki

More than one person should be using it as a communication/collaboration tool

You must avoid the “empty Wiki” syndrome at all costs

Social Networking A social networking site allows user to form connections with other people Users post information about themselves which is then available for other people to search Popular Social Networks include; Facebook MySpace LinkedIn

A social networking site allows user to form connections with other people

Users post information about themselves which is then available for other people to search

Popular Social Networks include;

Facebook

MySpace

LinkedIn

Law Librarians & Social Networking Law Librarians can use Social Networks to: Promote useful websites and legal resources Demonstrate their organisations and their own expertise and interests Connect with users in “their spaces”

Law Librarians can use Social Networks to:

Promote useful websites and legal resources

Demonstrate their organisations and their own expertise and interests

Connect with users in “their spaces”

How to start using Social Networks Join a network Create a profile Decide how much or how little information you want to display Find potential connections Invite them to be your friend (connect) Start building on these connections

Join a network

Create a profile

Decide how much or how little information you want to display

Find potential connections

Invite them to be your friend (connect)

Start building on these connections

Social Bookmarking Why use Social Bookmaking? Social Bookmarking tools let you and anyone you want to access your saved sites. You can discover sites being used by other people without having to visit the site yourself The sites can be easily organised using categories (tags)

Why use Social Bookmaking?

Social Bookmarking tools let you and anyone you want to access your saved sites.

You can discover sites being used by other people without having to visit the site yourself

The sites can be easily organised using categories (tags)

Social Bookmarking One of the most popular sites is del.icio.us Other sites include; Digg Furl StumbleUpon

One of the most popular sites is del.icio.us

Other sites include;

Digg

Furl

StumbleUpon

Widgets (Gadgets) Widgets are “mini” desktop applications that deliver content from the web. Widgets are usually; Embedded within blogs Social networking pages or websites Their application could go beyond this though

Widgets are “mini” desktop applications that deliver content from the web.

Widgets are usually;

Embedded within blogs

Social networking pages or websites

Their application could go beyond this though

Widgets There is some potential for using Widgets in Law Firms to display content available on the Web. Widgets could also be used to display content from other systems on Portals or Intranets Lots of Libraries are using Widgets to display content from their Library Catalogue

There is some potential for using Widgets in Law Firms to display content available on the Web.

Widgets could also be used to display content from other systems on Portals or Intranets

Lots of Libraries are using Widgets to display content from their Library Catalogue

Mashups and Start pages A “mashup” is a Web application that uses content from more than one source to create a new service Usually RSS feeds/content Yahoo Pipes/RSS Mixer

A “mashup” is a Web application that uses content from more than one source to create a new service

Usually RSS feeds/content

Yahoo Pipes/RSS Mixer

Start Pages Start Pages are user created “sites” which contain many different elements The sites are usually divided into tabs which contain “elements” RSS Feeds Calendars Notes Bookmarks

Start Pages are user created “sites” which contain many different elements

The sites are usually divided into tabs which contain “elements”

RSS Feeds

Calendars

Notes

Bookmarks

Challenges for you Keeping up with the pace of change! Deciding what to start using first Having “rights” to use the technology Knowing what the best sites to use are Convincing your organisation that you should be using Web 2.0 Identifying the skills and knowledge that you need

Keeping up with the pace of change!

Deciding what to start using first

Having “rights” to use the technology

Knowing what the best sites to use are

Convincing your organisation that you should be using Web 2.0

Identifying the skills and knowledge that you need

Challenges for you Avoiding Information Overload…again Web 2.0 is increasing being described as a “disruptive” technology RSS Reading blog posts Applications are available that can now filter the information you receive; Feed Rinse Yahoo Pipes

Avoiding Information Overload…again

Web 2.0 is increasing being described as a “disruptive” technology

RSS

Reading blog posts

Applications are available that can now filter the information you receive;

Feed Rinse

Yahoo Pipes

Challenges for you Ethical Social Networking sites and Virtual Worlds Legal Your anonymity Defamation Downloading of documents/images

Ethical

Social Networking sites and Virtual Worlds

Legal

Your anonymity

Defamation

Downloading of documents/images

Challenges for the Legal Sector Associating your organisation with a product Allen & Overy and Facebook Encouraging collaboration Not renowned for collaboration Existing systems don’t encourage What role should Law Librarians play?

Associating your organisation with a product

Allen & Overy and Facebook

Encouraging collaboration

Not renowned for collaboration

Existing systems don’t encourage

What role should Law Librarians play?

Challenges for the Legal Sector If your organisation does want to do “Web 2.0” then you need to think about; Your priority application areas Whether you are replacing or an improving an existing service What the benefits are going to be

If your organisation does want to do “Web 2.0” then you need to think about;

Your priority application areas

Whether you are replacing or an improving an existing service

What the benefits are going to be

Challenges for the Legal Sector What about MOSS? Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server or Sharepoint Likely to be implemented by a number of firms in 2008 Blogs RSS Feeds Wikis

What about MOSS?

Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server or Sharepoint

Likely to be implemented by a number of firms in 2008

Blogs

RSS Feeds

Wikis

Conclusion Web 2.0 provides Information Professionals with new methods by which to disseminate and create information and can provide real benefit to users, however; A Web 2.0 application cant be applied to every situation Don’t do Web 2.0 just because it’s “cool” The take-up of Web 2.0 is growing but many applications are still blocked

Web 2.0 provides Information Professionals with new methods by which to disseminate and create information and can provide real benefit to users, however;

A Web 2.0 application cant be applied to every situation

Don’t do Web 2.0 just because it’s “cool”

The take-up of Web 2.0 is growing but many applications are still blocked

Questions

Questions