Monday, July 21, 2008

Week 6, thing 15: Library 2.0

I read Michael Stephens' article "Into a new world of librarianship" The Librarian 2.0 must promote user access to the library by embracing the latest trends in which our patrons communicate with one another and access information. We must plan for our users so that they have a variety of choices to access libraries. I like his term "technolust" and that he states we should not invest in technology just for the sake of it being tech related. While embracing the Web 2.0 tools, we must select tools that meet the needs of our patrons. And he concludes by stating "...the future of libraries will be guided by how users access, consume and create content."
The second article I read was "Away from Icebergs" by Rick Anderson. Anderson states that there are three "icebergs" that pose threats to success in our profession: The “just in case” collection, reliance on user education, and the “come to us” model of library service. Anderson's argument is that we should expand our resources in libraries that don't limit our patrons to print only materials. We are in the digital age and should make available all forms of resources. We should concentrate on breaking down the barriers that separate patrons from the information they need for learning, teaching when we can but also making it easier to access the information. We have to create ways that patrons can access the library within their preferred living environment and lifestlye.

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