Monday, February 05, 2007
New technologies and libraries
Roy Tennant recently wrote an interesting article in Library Journal entitled Facing The Not Knowing. In it, he writes that we need to come up with strategies for coping with constant change (both on the technological front and in what our users expect us to be able to provide). One of the things he says really struck home with me: Learn a new technology only well enough to do what you must.
We've been hearing a lot about Web 2.0 technology lately, and how you can use it in your library. Use Flickr to post pictures about your library! Create a library wiki! Set up RSS feeds so people can be alerted when you get new materials in!
I don't know about you, but I work in a small library and I don't have time to do all this, not if I want to also have time to sleep and keep up with my recreational reading -- both of which are very important to me. What with the day-to-day running of the library, I can't sit down and create (and then maintain) a wiki and I don't even have time to take pictures of the people who use our library (much less track them down and have them sign a photo release and then post the pix on Flickr).
BUT -- I don't have to do all these things in order for our library to be hospitable to new technologies. I don't have to be a Web 2.0 guru! I just have to understand that there are people out there who are doing really neat things with Web 2.0 technologies -- people who might want to update their MySpace profile or play SecondLife or RuneScape from library computers. Your library can be accomodating to new technologies without you having to actually use the technologies.
Of course, if you're a larger library or you have someone in your library who's a tech-guru and who loves fooling around with this stuff, then by all means charge them with the task of doing cool library-related things with technology. And please don't forget to share what you've learned with the rest of us, so we can CASE you (copy and steal everything). ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 7:03 PM
We've been hearing a lot about Web 2.0 technology lately, and how you can use it in your library. Use Flickr to post pictures about your library! Create a library wiki! Set up RSS feeds so people can be alerted when you get new materials in!
I don't know about you, but I work in a small library and I don't have time to do all this, not if I want to also have time to sleep and keep up with my recreational reading -- both of which are very important to me. What with the day-to-day running of the library, I can't sit down and create (and then maintain) a wiki and I don't even have time to take pictures of the people who use our library (much less track them down and have them sign a photo release and then post the pix on Flickr).
BUT -- I don't have to do all these things in order for our library to be hospitable to new technologies. I don't have to be a Web 2.0 guru! I just have to understand that there are people out there who are doing really neat things with Web 2.0 technologies -- people who might want to update their MySpace profile or play SecondLife or RuneScape from library computers. Your library can be accomodating to new technologies without you having to actually use the technologies.
Of course, if you're a larger library or you have someone in your library who's a tech-guru and who loves fooling around with this stuff, then by all means charge them with the task of doing cool library-related things with technology. And please don't forget to share what you've learned with the rest of us, so we can CASE you (copy and steal everything). ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 7:03 PM
