Web 2.0 and Special Libraries
It’s been buzzing around conferences, articles, and the Internet: Web 2.0. But what is Web 2.0? Perhaps more importantly, how does it apply to library and information science? This paper provides an introductory overview to Web 2.0 and discusses its impact on library and information science, what has become known as Library 2.0.
Web
2.0
As with many buzzwords and new concepts, Web 2.0 means many different things to many different people. In his oft-cited piece “What is Web 2.0,” O’Reilly attempts to clarify the meaning by identifying features of Web 2.0, such as the web as platform, harnessing collective intelligence, and rich user experiences (2005). Web 2.0 is the development and implementation of tools and platforms focused on the user. Web 2.0 “is about empowering people to become participants and interact with one another online (Grossman, 2007).” There are a number of technologies which have immerged that empower the user and encourage participation by employing the features identified by O’Reilly. The core literature available on Web 2.0 is currently focused on these technologies, which include, but are not limited to:
- RSS
- Wikis
- Blogs
- Social Bookmarking
- Mash-ups
- Personalized Toolbars
- Social Networking Software
- Podcasting
- Photo Sharing
- User Reviews/Ratings/Commentary
Some
of these technologies are self-explanatory (e.g.,
user reviews/ratings/comments) while others are discussed in more
detail below.
RSS
RSS can
refer to a number of abbreviations: Real-Time Simple
Syndication, RDF (Resource Description Framework) Site Summary, Rich
Site
Summary, or the most seen Really Simple Syndication (Stephens, 2006). RSS allows users to republish (syndicate)
content from other sites on their own site or through aggregates. RSS is popular because it allows automated
web surfing – updating a user’s feed when content on the other sites is
updated. It also enables the user to
personalize
information retrieval and content to an extreme level (Stephens, 2006).
Wikis
Meredith
Farkas, LibSuccess Wiki-master and creator of the
2006 ALA Annual Conference wiki, defines a wiki as an application that
“enables
a group of people to collaboratively develop a Web site with no Web
design
experience. Any member of the community
can add to or edit the work of others, so essentially, a wiki is a
perpetual
work in progress. Wiki, meaning quick in Hawaiian, was designed specifically
for easy and quick collaboration online” (Stephens, 2006, p. 52). Many people are familiar with Wikipedia, a
collaborative, online encyclopedia that any registered user can edit.
Blogs
A weblog,
or blog, is the Web 2.0 progeny of personal web
pages. Stephens details the features
that make a website a blog: chronological
organization, self-archived by date,
regularly updated,
hyperlinking, a unique URL for each individual posting, and the
provision of an
RSS feed to syndicate the content (2006). Blogging
software is freely available, allowing the medium
to be
flexible for personal and professional use, internal or external
communication. Maness goes so far as to
claim, “Blogs may indeed be an even greater milestone in the history of
publishing than web-pages. They enable
the rapid production and consumption of Web-based publications. In some ways, the copying of printed
materials is to web-pages as the printing press is to blogs (2006).” Even beyond their publication abilities, by
utilizing RSS and commentary software, blogs are much more interactive
and
participatory than static web pages.
Social Bookmarking
Many of us are familiar with bookmarking, both literally in a physical book and virtually with our favorite websites. Social bookmarking takes this practice to the next, participatory level. Rethlefsen notes that “social bookmarking tools serve two general purposes: helping you keep track of what you’ve seen and showing you what you may have missed” (2006). These tools allow you to do this by bookmarking websites in the “traditional” virtual sense, but then combine value-added content such as keywords or tags and the ability to share bookmarks. Public and private sharing groups can be created with some programs, ideal for reaching large groups or specific groups, such as project teams (Rethlefsen, 2006).
Mash-ups
Mash-ups are very much as they sound: information is pulled from different sources and “mashed-up” to create more value. Many mash-up services involving mapping, allowing users to import or add information to a pre-existing map, such as those available from Google Maps. For example, office location information can be pulled from a company website and superimposed on a map allowing for an interactive experience that could vary from simple location to extensive value-add-ons such as contact information, photos, description, and comment features.
Web 2.0 and Special Libraries
As Stephen Abram noted, “The Web 2.0 movement is laying
the
groundwork for exponential business growth and another major shift in
the way
our users live, work, and play. We have
the ability, insight, and knowledge to influence the creation of this
new dynamic
– and guarantee the future of our profession (2005, p. 46).” The implementation of Web 2.0 technologies
and theories in libraries and other information centers has led to the
idea of
Library 2.0. So how does Web 2.0
translate into libraries, particularly special libraries, and how can
this
positively change the state of our information centers?
Library 2.0
Library
2.0 utilizes Web 2.0 technologies, such as those
discussed above, to create user-centered change (Casey, 2006). New library services are created and
pre-existing services are modified to embrace concepts such as
harnessing
collective intelligence and rich user experiences that define Web 2.0. Casey believes that any service, old or new,
physical or virtual, can be a Library 2.0 service if it successfully
reaches
users, utilizes customer feedback, and is evaluated frequently (2006). This definition of a Library 2.0 service
makes two important points.
For
one, a library service is not 2.0 simply because it is new. The value-added features of the service, such
as user comments, community participation, and continual re-evaluation,
define
that service as Library 2.0. If the
service has been offered for years, but embraces these concepts, it can
be
considered a Library 2.0 service.
The
second significant point of Casey’s definition is that any library
service, physical or virtual, can be a Library 2.0
service. Web 2.0 is eponymously
virtual. The very first feature of Web
2.0 described by O’Reilly is “the web as platform (2005).”
But when translated into the library setting,
the user-centric aspects are the core of 2.0, not specifically the web. In fact, Casey argues that technology is not
required to create a 2.0 environment (2006). Technology
may make implementing Library 2.0 services
easier and faster,
but the concepts of Library 2.0 can be applied to services without use
the Web
or the computer.
Why Library 2.0?
The
“Web 2.0” section of this paper introduced a large bite of new
technologies,
some of which the reader may never have heard of. A
deeper look into Web 2.0 literature reveals
even more Web 2.0 technologies that could be implemented in Library 2.0. Suddenly, the idea of transitioning to
Library 2.0 appears overwhelming; all those technologies to learn, to
train
others on, to implement, to update, and all because “everyone else is
doing
it”? There are, however, manageable ways
to become Library 2.0 and very good reasons for doing so.
One
can certainly debate the merits of Library 2.0, just as librarians
debated the
merits of Beta, CD-ROMs, and the Internet. One
could easily become locked into a philosophical
argument over
personalization and the perils of adapting policy based on trendiness,
and
remain static while the world of the users changes.
Or the librarian can explore the Web 2.0 and
Library 2.0 territory, learn the techniques, and try examples of these
concepts, and find applications that will benefit his or her workplace
(Notess,
2006) because some of these technologies will be useful in a special
library
setting, including corporate, and can be successfully introduced by the
special
library (Abram, 2005).
Library
2.0 can be important to libraries and information centers because it
breaks the
cycle of “plan, implement, and forget” that many services and plans
suffer
(Casey, 2006). The concepts of Library
2.0 require feedback and regularly reevaluation that utilizes said
feedback. This means that even if a new
service is started that invites user participation and solicits
feedback, if
the librarian never uses that feedback to evaluate and update the
service, that
service is not 2.0. By reexamining
services on a scheduled basis, librarians continually improve these
services,
providing better user experiences and increasing the value of these
services. Library 2.0 should not be
implemented because it is trendy or as a last-ditch effort to save the
library,
but rather because it provides unique, high-value services (Balas,
2007) that
better serve the users. This
relationship with the user is at the core of the library’s mission and
it is
the librarian’s mandate to continually strive to improve and better
that
relationship. Library 2.0 concepts do
just that.
How
can Library 2.0 aid information centers in meeting their
missions?
“Library 2.0 mainstreams marketing, socializing,
networking, jumping in without permission, finding links and
connections others
can’t see, and so on (Huwe, 2007).” Essentially,
Library 2.0 takes the needs of the user, the information center, and
the
company and offers a way for all three to help the other. As
Abram noted, the users of special
libraries are easy to identify and target and are usually more tech
savvy than
the general population. By introducing
these users to Web 2.0 technologies through Library 2.0 services,
special
libraries can help users employ these technologies to reach the user’s
individual goals and translate these into the goals of the
company/institution
(2005). Thus the user is better able to
do his or her job, making the company able to achieve its goals, and
the
information center fulfills its mission.
Implementing Library 2.0
One
of the most important steps for any manager starting a new program or
service
in a library is to have staff support. Library
2.0 requires librarians to interact with the
users, to actively
participate with the users to increase their experience and the value
of the
services. Stephens (2006) offers ten
steps for getting the support of your staff on new projects:
1.
Listen
to your
staff
2.
Involve
staff
in planning
3.
Tell
stories –
demonstrate why and how
4.
Be
transparent
5.
Report
and
debrief
6.
Do your
research
7.
Manage
projects efficiently and effectively
8.
Formally
convene the Emerging Technology Group
9.
Training
2.0:
Let everyone play and experience
10.
Celebrate
success
Conclusion
Web 2.0 offers ease and convenience to users in a personalized, information-rich environment. In libraries and information centers, this translates into Library 2.0, user-center services that are participatory and continually improved. These increase use and value of library services, bettering users, the company or institution as a whole, and demonstrating once again the value of a library or information center. So explore. Play. But most importantly, implement. Web 2.0 has become the standard for today’s Internet, and Library 2.0 will be a part of the future of libraries and information centers. You can quickly and easily begin implementing Library 2.0 in your own environment and adding value to your services – today.
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References
Abram, S. (2005). Web
2.0 – Huh?! Library 2.0, Librarian 2.0 [Electronic
version]. Information
Outlook, 9(12), 44-46.
Balas, J.L. (2007).
eLearning about Library 2.0. Computers
in Libraries, 27(1), 39-42. Retrieved
April 12, 2007, from Library
Literature & Information Science Full Text database.
Casey, M. & Savastinuk, L. (2006)
Library
2.0. Library
Journal, 131(14), 40-42. Retrieved
April 12, 2007, from the Academic Search Premier database.
Grossman, D. (2007).
Internet Librarian 2006: 10 years old and going
strong. Searcher, 15(2),
45-50. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from the
Academic Search Premier
database.
Huwe, T. (2007). Surfing
the Library 2.0 wave.
Computers in Libraries, 27(1), 36-38. Retrieved
April 12, 2007, from the Academic Search Premier
database.
Maness, J.M. (2006).
Library 2.0 theory: Web 2.0 and its
implications for libraries. Webology 3(2). Retrieved April 12, 2007, from http://www.webology.ir/2006/v3n2/a25.html
Notess, G.R. (2006). The terrible twos:
Web 2.0,
Library 2.0, and more. Online (
O’Reilly, T. (2005). What is Web 2.0:
Design
patterns and business models for the next generation of software. Retrieved April 12, 2007, from www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/new/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html
Rethlefsen, M.L. (2006). Product
pipeline. Library
Journal, Net Connect 16-17 Summer 2006 Supplement.
Retrieved April 12, 2007, from Library
Literature & Information Science Full Text database.
Stephens, M. (2006).
Web 2.0 & libraries: Best practices for
social software. In Library
Technology Reports, 42(4). Chicago:
ALA TechSource.
Appendix - 2.0 on the Web
| Amazon | Online shopping. “Amazon.com is committed to being Earth's most customer-centric company.” |
| Backpack | “Backpack is a simple web-based service that allows you to make pages with to-do lists, notes, files, and images. Backpack also features a Calendar and Reminders that can be sent via email or to your cell phone at predefined times.” |
| Basecamp | “Basecamp takes a fresh, novel approach to project collaboration. Projects don't fail from a lack of charts, graphs, stats, or reports, they fail from a lack of clear communication. Basecamp solves this problem by providing tools tailored to improve the communication between people working together on a project.” |
| Bloglines | “Bloglines is a FREE online service for searching, subscribing, creating and sharing news feeds, blogs and rich web content. With Bloglines, there is no software to download or install -- simply register as a new user and you can instantly begin accessing your account any time, from any computer or mobile device. And it's FREE!” |
| del.icio.us | “del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website -- the primary use of del.icio.us is to store your bookmarks online, which allows you to access the same bookmarks from any computer and add bookmarks from anywhere, too. On del.icio.us, you can use tags to organize and remember your bookmarks, which is a much more flexible system than folders.You can also use del.icio.us to see the interesting links that your friends and other people bookmark, and share links with them in return. You can even browse and search del.icio.us to discover the cool and useful bookmarks that everyone else has saved -- which is made easy with tags.” |
| “Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you. Facebook is made up of many networks, each based around a workplace, region, high school or college. You can use Facebook to: Share information with people you know, See what's going on with your friends, Look up people around you.” | |
| Flickr | “Flickr - almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world - has two main goals: 1. We want to help people make their photos available to the people who matter to them. 2. We want to enable new ways of organizing photos.” |
| LibraryThing | “LibraryThing is an online service to help people catalog their books easily. You can access your catalog from anywhere—even on your mobile phone. Because everyone catalogs together, LibraryThing also connects people with the same books, comes up with suggestions for what to read next, and so forth.” |
| My Space | “MySpace is an online community that lets you meet your friends' friends. Create a private community on MySpace and you can share photos, journals and interests with your growing network of mutual friends! See who knows who, or how you are connected. Find out if you really are six people away from Kevin Bacon.” |
| Ta-da Lists | “Ta-da makes it easy to:Keep track of all the little things you need to get done, Make lists for other people (co-workers, friends, family), Share lists with the world ("My favorite movies of 2004"), Subscribe to your lists in RSS so you're always on track...and more!” |
| Unalog | “You can look at what various people and groups of people are reading on the web here. You can get an account and add your own links, and create and join groups here too. If you get an account, or create a group, either one can be made private, so nobody but you (if a private account) or your fellow group members (if a private group) can see your links.” |
| Wikipedia | “Wikipedia is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project. Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers from all around the world. With rare exceptions, its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the Internet.” |
| Writeboard | “Writeboards are sharable, web-based text documents that let you save every edit, roll back to any version, and easily compare changes. Use Writeboard to write solo or collaborate with others.” |
| Writely | “If you've ever struggled to keep track of different versions of spreadsheet or word processor files sent over email, Google Docs & Spreadsheets may be right for you. Google Docs & Spreadsheets is a free web-based word processing and spreadsheet program that keeps documents current and lets the people you choose update files from their own computers. You can, for example, coordinate your student group's homework assignments, access your family to-do list from work or home, or collaborate with remote colleagues on a new business plan.” |
| You Tube | “Founded in February 2005, YouTube is the leader in online video, and the premier destination to watch and share original videos worldwide through a Web experience. YouTube allows people to easily upload and share video clips on www.YouTube.com and across the Internet through websites, mobile devices, blogs, and email.” |
| Zoho Office Suite |
Solo and collaborative word-processing, spreadsheets, presentations, wikis, notebooks, projects and more. |
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Last updated on May 9, 2007
Email: andrea_setters@yahoo.com
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