Week 6, Thing 15

I read two articles about Library 2.0 – Rick Anderson’s “Away from the Icebergs: Rowing Your Library Boat into the Web 2.0 Environment” and Michael Stephens’s “Into the New World of Librarianship: Sharpen these Skills for Librarian 2.0.” Both cover what we need to do to become a Library 2.0. Anderson takes the approach of what needs to be changed for this to happen. We need to stay away from the “just in case” collection, reliance on user education (we do not need to teach research skills but to help eliminate barriers that keep patrons from what they need), and the “come to us model.” I agree with Anderson that we need to stay away from the “just in case” collection and the “come to us model. With the internet and Web 2.0 tools, we do not need to spend valuable funds on obtaining items for our collections that may never be used and we need to allow user access to our libraries from anywhere they may be. I still think we need to help students develop research skills as well as help eliminate barriers that keep users from what they need.



Stephens approach is to provide a list of qualities that a librarian needs for a 2.0 library. He states that the Librarian 2.0 is a “strategy guide” that will help users “find information, gather knowledge, and create content.” Some of the traits he includes are being able to make good decisions quickly, knowing what technology is needed and not just getting technology because it is there, and welcomes Web 2.0 tools. I agree with what Stephens covers in his article. We need to be enhancing and developing these skills for our 2.0 Libraries.



Hmm…what does Library 2.0 mean to me? It means that it is user centered (in some ways aren’t school libraries already user-centered???), information flows both ways from the library to the user and to the user to the library, feedback and participation comes from the user, and Web 2.0 tools are being taught and used. Many school libraries, when supported by the district and principal, are in a situation that they can move forward into becoming a Library 2.0. Feedback and participation can easily be obtained through students, staff, and parents from surveys, blogs, and meetings. In addition, Web 2.0 tools can be taught and recommended through school libraries. We are in the right place to move forward.