Week 6: Continued...Does the Library Have a Future?

To avoid rambling I will stick to the directions on this Thing #15...
1. Read two or three of the perspectives on Library 2.0 from the list below. Create a blog post about your thoughts on any one of these.

• Rick Anderson: Away from the “icebergs”
• Obviously, referring to public libraries. Interesting concept...how to keep up with new multi-media with dropping budgets. Interesting discussion: "Just in Case"....what a dilemma when it comes to magazines. Stop printed magazine subscriptions? Hurt the publishers? Who may stop publications that would be normally added to periodical databases. Seems like that magazine industry should have addressed this a few years ago. "Come to Us" mentality....Yep....we need a web presence more than we probably need books on the shelves. ....But students seem to be so much more productive in books....far less distractions.
  
• Michael Stephens: Into a New World of Leadership
• Good Fast decisions? No doubt librarians who want to offer exceptional services must think "out of the box/library". Knowing what people need, want, and how they are using the information they find is very important to the future of libraries. Understanding today's technology literate patron needs requires hands-on knowledge. Just knowing about it is not enough you gotta try it to really understand its use and potential.
• Chip Nilges (OCLC): To More Powerful Ways to Cooperate
  
• WorldCat.....AccessPA world wide ...pretty cool concept. How did this OPAC know to place local libraries on list. I will have to check out my cookies.
  
• John J. Reimer: Expose, Expand, Expand Metadata using Web 2.0
  
• Obviously knows much more than me about metadata. Looks like another keyword discussion. Yes, bibliographic databases are NOT what our patrons want. Bibliographic databases must find a way to link directly into the information. Patrons just don't have any respect for good cataloging. They just want information and want it fast. I am for better relevance ranking but would prefer clear ranking statements or patron choice rankings.
• Dr. Wendy Schultz: To a Temporary Place in Time...
  
• Knowledge Spa....Sign me up. Who takes time to smell the roses (think) anymore?
• Wikipedia: Library 2.0
• Nice to know origin of term on same day as learning about TechCrunch blog. The following graphics at the top of the article speaks volumes about this article despite the fact that Wikipedia always seem to have references to great and authoritative websites on the topic.
  

• Final Comment
• I wrote my response to Question #2 before I read the aforementioned articles. I haven't changed my mind but I found it interesting that according to the Wikipedia article that my view point on the Library 2.0 reference is under debate. I haven't changed my mind. Information (no matter the medium) is not changing, only its delivery is. The library provides the access and the librarian guides the patrons in the accessibility.
  

2. Library 2.0 - It's many things to many people. What does it mean to you? What does it mean for school libraries?

• If the term "Library 2.0" makes librarians add another list of services to their repertoire the term is OK with me but if it means a new Library it is not. To me a Library (despite the reference to books in the word) is a place that a patron can access whether in person or electronically and be guided through the world of information to the part that they need (with some insurance that the information is reliable). Thus, the services "good" librarians have always offered are not changing only the tools they need to provide these services have.
  
• I have seen so many different interpretations of this 2.0 reference that I now go with the flow. Frankly, early on, I hoped that the Internet 2.0 reference meant that we were going to get rid of the junk and concentrate only on the good stuff. I then attached the same meaning to "Library 2.0" references. I have now learned to explore what is meant each time the term is used. Since I believe at this time in history we are trying to make sense of this information and technology explosion, I do not expect anyone to have a concrete definition of this 2.0 reference and what it means to libraries.
• The special thing about librarians and libraries is the diversity of what they have to offer and how it is being offered. Every library has its own special uniqueness. In reference to this Library 2.0 course structure and topics it is more than apparent that this uniqueness will continue to be seen due to the diversity of the web tools made available to us over the Internet. How the librarian chooses to use these tools for the benefit of his or her patrons will vary between library and librarian vision of their use. Unfortunately, the (perhaps limited) vision of other (non-librarians) will ultimately determine the future of libraries.
  
• It is amazing to me that at the time when research guidance and literacy skills are needed more than ever before, we seem to be seeing more and more librarians and libraries moving toward placement on "endangered species" lists.
  
• Interestingly, the Lancaster Public Library's annual used-book sale sold more books than ever before giving us the impression that the love of the printed book is really not going away any time soon.