Web 2.0 and it’s potential impact for information professionals Jenny Evans 12 th February 2008 del.icio.us URL: http://del.icio.us/imperiallibrary/2008presentation

What is web 2.0? Web 2.0…a definition RSS Wikis Blogs Podcasts and webcasts Social bookmarking and tagging Social networking Instant messaging Mobile phones Other developments

Web 2.0…a definition

RSS

Wikis

Blogs

Podcasts and webcasts

Social bookmarking and tagging

Social networking

Instant messaging

Mobile phones

Other developments

Web 2.0…a definition a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services (such as social-networking sites , wikis , blogs , and folksonomies ) which aim to facilitate creativity , collaboration, and sharing among users Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 (accessed 11 February 2008) Term coined by Dale Dougherty (O’Reilly Media) http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web20.html

a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services (such as social-networking sites , wikis , blogs , and folksonomies ) which aim to facilitate creativity , collaboration, and sharing among users

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0 (accessed 11 February 2008)

Term coined by Dale Dougherty (O’Reilly Media)

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web20.html

“ An alternative means of accessing the vast amount of information that now exists on the Internet. Instead of the user browsing websites for information of interest, the information is sent directly to the user” ( http://www.whatisrss3w.com/ ) Allows you to customize the way information comes to you – you don’t have to go out and check websites/new pages You need an RSS Reader RSS (Really simple syndication)

“ An alternative means of accessing the vast amount of information that now exists on the Internet. Instead of the user browsing websites for information of interest, the information is sent directly to the user” ( http://www.whatisrss3w.com/ )

Allows you to customize the way information comes to you – you don’t have to go out and check websites/new pages

You need an RSS Reader

How does RSS work? Your RSS reader automatically checks feeds Web based Bloglines, Google Reader Browser based versions IE7, Firefox Standalone applications RSS Reader

Your RSS reader automatically checks feeds

Web based

Bloglines, Google Reader

Browser based versions

IE7, Firefox

Standalone applications

RSS Reader

Adding and searching for feeds Depends on your feed reader Very easy! Specific search engines (e.g. Google Blog search, Technorati) Search using ‘tags’ – terms added to describe a weblog entry or news item Directly from a source, e.g. Google News, a database, an online journal, a library catalogue

Depends on your feed reader

Very easy!

Specific search engines (e.g. Google Blog search, Technorati)

Search using ‘tags’ – terms added to describe a weblog entry or news item

Directly from a source, e.g. Google News, a database, an online journal, a library catalogue

Weblogs – why read/write them? Professional development & communication Learn of new developments and ideas Many students and academics now blogging Examples of well known library bloggers – Stephen Abram @ Sirsi Dynix, Lorcan Dempsey @ OCLC, Phil Bradley Marketing tool Reflective tool Flexible

Professional development & communication

Learn of new developments and ideas

Many students and academics now blogging

Examples of well known library bloggers – Stephen Abram @ Sirsi Dynix, Lorcan Dempsey @ OCLC, Phil Bradley

Marketing tool

Reflective tool

Flexible

Explanation of a weblog Main items usually appear down the centre of the screen ‘ Feeds’ are created from the main posts Additional links, items and previous posts may appear to the sides of the screen

Main items usually appear down the centre of the screen

‘ Feeds’ are created from the main posts

Additional links, items and previous posts may appear to the sides of the screen

Wikis A website where everyone has full access to edit every page Allows people to work collaboratively Comes from the Hawaiian word for rapid or quick Starts as a blank page and people add to them

A website where everyone has full access to edit every page

Allows people to work collaboratively

Comes from the Hawaiian word for rapid or quick

Starts as a blank page and people add to them

Wikis – what can they be used for? Group projects Subject guides Training guides Procedures manuals Work in progress so can be updated regularly

Group projects

Subject guides

Training guides

Procedures manuals

Work in progress so can be updated regularly

Explanation of a wiki Navigation/menu History Links to other pages Attachments

Navigation/menu

History

Links to other pages

Attachments

Podcasts / Webcasts No need for MP3 player, podcasts can be played on any PC Often used by lecturers, some libraries arrange content – highly popular where available Conference speeches & discussions often available EveryZing makes audio content of podcasts searchable Webcasts tend to include video of presentation in addition to audio Can be used for people who cannot make it to a lecture/seminar – so they can see the person talking/their slides as well as hear the audio

No need for MP3 player, podcasts can be played on any PC

Often used by lecturers, some libraries arrange content – highly popular where available

Conference speeches & discussions often available

EveryZing makes audio content of podcasts searchable

Webcasts tend to include video of presentation in addition to audio

Can be used for people who cannot make it to a lecture/seminar – so they can see the person talking/their slides as well as hear the audio

Success with Podcasts “ Physics department lectures at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth made available online as podcasts have proved so successful that the library is now creating a pool of recording devices to enable other departments to follow suit…it became clear that almost all students on his course were downloading the files” (http://web.archive.org/web/20060924000438/http://www.aber.ac.uk/physics/news/news.shtml )

“ Physics department lectures at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth made available online as podcasts have proved so successful that the library is now creating a pool of recording devices to enable other departments to follow suit…it became clear that almost all students on his course were downloading the files”

(http://web.archive.org/web/20060924000438/http://www.aber.ac.uk/physics/news/news.shtml )

Social bookmarking and ‘tagging’ Sites let people easily share information Used with photos, news items, bookmarks, books on a library catalogue – simple form of classification Tagging uses ‘natural language’ theoretically making it easy to find things Well known sites include Flickr, del.icio.us & Connotea

Sites let people easily share information

Used with photos, news items, bookmarks, books on a library catalogue – simple form of classification

Tagging uses ‘natural language’ theoretically making it easy to find things

Well known sites include Flickr, del.icio.us & Connotea

Social networking Popular sites include Facebook MySpace Bebo Build a profile then link to friends (usually requires verification) Have a variety of features – photos, message boards, instant messaging facilities Other examples Youtube Second Life Imperial College participating with Second Health

Popular sites include

Facebook

MySpace

Bebo

Build a profile then link to friends (usually requires verification)

Have a variety of features – photos, message boards, instant messaging facilities

Other examples

Youtube

Second Life

Imperial College participating with Second Health

Instant messaging Can be traditional ‘chat’ facility Skype Inserting chat facility into blog/web page e.g. Plugoo, Meebo

Can be traditional ‘chat’ facility

Skype

Inserting chat facility into blog/web page e.g. Plugoo, Meebo

Mobile phones Broadband becoming more affordable and more mobile Every student / staff member has a mobile Redesigning content for mobile access

Broadband becoming more affordable and more mobile

Every student / staff member has a mobile

Redesigning content for mobile access

Other developments Toolbars “… often add additional functionality to browsers (additional search fields, form-fill, links back to popular sites. etc)” Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toolbar (Accessed 12 February 2008) Example: MyAthens toolbar Widgets “… covers a multitude of new technologies based around JavaScript, HTML, and plugin architectures…typically work within some other application platform.” Library Success wiki http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Widgets (Accessed 12 February 2008) Example: Meebome Mashups “ a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool” Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_%28web_application_hybrid%29 (Accessed 12 February 2008) Example: Google Maps applications

Toolbars

“… often add additional functionality to browsers (additional search fields, form-fill, links back to

popular sites. etc)”

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toolbar (Accessed 12 February 2008)

Example: MyAthens toolbar

Widgets

“… covers a multitude of new technologies based around JavaScript, HTML, and plugin architectures…typically work within some other application platform.”

Library Success wiki http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Widgets (Accessed 12 February 2008)

Example: Meebome

Mashups

“ a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool”

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashup_%28web_application_hybrid%29 (Accessed 12 February 2008)

Example: Google Maps applications

Two perspectives How we can use these new technologies as staff? How can we use these new technologies to interact/better serve our users?

How we can use these new technologies as staff?

How can we use these new technologies to interact/better serve our users?

Why? Expecting users to come to us -> going to where our users are Many of our users are millennials, digital natives Use their phones more than their pcs Don’t have to do everything/use everything – but be aware of all of it Just try it – some of it will work – some of it won’t

Expecting users to come to us -> going to where our users are

Many of our users are millennials, digital natives

Use their phones more than their pcs

Don’t have to do everything/use everything – but be aware of all of it

Just try it – some of it will work – some of it won’t

The down side… Possibly short lived and difficult to predict what will or won’t be popular Relying on third party providers Not controlled/branded The up side… No technical ability needed Flexible & quick “ Do it yourself” Going to where the user is

Possibly short lived and difficult to predict what will or won’t be popular

Relying on third party providers

Not controlled/branded

No technical ability needed

Flexible & quick

“ Do it yourself”

Going to where the user is

Summary Benefits for us and users Increased awareness of trends and developments Possible new ways of promoting library services to users? Way of flexible/collaborative working?

Benefits for us and users

Increased awareness of trends and developments

Possible new ways of promoting library services to users?

Way of flexible/collaborative working?