Assignment-7

Assignment-7

Jennifer's introduction to Assignment -7 caught my attention. “No matter what type of organization you are apart of, the implementation of Web 2.0 tools helps foster a sense of trust and openness with your community by: allowing them direct input into designing and implementing services; providing an opportunity for feedback and; by demonstrating a eagerness to listen and respond to their needs.” I can see where these tools will help foster a sense of trust and openness and for the remaining part of this statement I feel it is only as good as the organization implementing it. Are we, as a library system ready to take this on? Will we have trained staff and the time designated to demonstrate “an eagerness to listen and respond to “their” needs. Or will we be creating a beast “information overload to the employees of our library”. KISS is my motto “Keep It Simple Silly” (I prefer using silly rather than stupid.) Is our library system ready for the change and at what increments will this happen? How does this fit into the big picture? These are some of my thoughts and reflections.

The Article by Meredith Farkas
Some good points are brought out by Farkus, she has introduced some pros and cons, misconceptions and misunderstandings, about Library 2.0. The confusion of what is what, opinions which are different and has led to mayhem in this technology world of discovery. Some took it a step further used it and have not updated for some time and don't follow through with using it. The comments on distance learners interested me and I agree with Farkus, as I just finished my distance courses and whatever I could get online “the better”. I was part of OntarioLearn which is a partnership of 22 Ontario Colleges who design and deliver online courses for their students. Courses are shared by the consortium so that no courses are duplicated. I did use some local libraries to get some of my information, but it was better to get as much as I could online 24/7. Is that the need of our patrons? Probably some and I am sure more will go in the virtual direction in the future, but not all patrons? We will have to look at our clientele and go in the directions according to their needs using whatever Web 2.0 tool we feel works best. My overall perspective is
outlined in the first paragraph on my comments to Jennifer's introduction remarks.

“Power from the People: Assessing the New Online Participatory Tools for Your Organization” has some very good points to consider about whether your organization should blog, provide online videos, RSS feeds and much more. Lots of stuff to consider and ponder. The “Away from the “iceberg”” article has some good points about the progress forward which will have to happen one library at a
time. And “To better bibliographic services” point out a number of significant ways library services can and should change. As you stated it's many things to many people and right now I'm somewhat interested in the direction Web 2.0 will take in the library world. Web 2.0 is BIG and what it means to me is “too much information”.