Overview

By way of an introduction here is a video outlining the philosophy behind Library 2.0





All of the articles recognize the dynamic nature of Web 2.0 and agree that libraries must adapt and become a part of the Web 2.0 world. They see many of the goals and principles of Web 2.0 as matching those in KM and libraries. Just how much libraries need to shift there thinking paradigms seems to be generally underestimated. Although most are enthusiastic about embracing Web 2.0 blogs, podcasts, wikis and the like to promote libraries they may end up succumbing to the democratization of information by default. “Adopting a culture of active user participation means libraries would increasingly be able to tailor, respond and interact to the needs of their library (and local) community through a participatory cycle of feedback, service development and reevaluation.”[Macaskill, 2008, p.7]

Web 2.0 offers many opportunities for libraries to develop different relationships with users with-in their communities. There are fantastic examples cited in the articles of library blogs, podcasts, cloud tags, digitalization of collections etc. In addition one can see reciprocal information exchange with patrons only increasing in the future. Currently many libraries offer the ability to review books or journal articles in its collection or the ability to comment on blog entries. Perhaps in the future patrons can help each other find information. The new era of real-time web information embodied by the likes of Twitter, and applications that recognize content as discussed in O’Reily and Battelle’s (2009) update on Web 2.0 will have to be incorporated into libraries. Twitter can be harnessed by libraries and in the area of Knowledge Management as a valuable research tool into what people really think of them.

Our roles as facilitators of information gathering and as repositories for our history come to the forefront the emphasis is a shift that will have to embrace to egalitarian nature of Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. Yet the digital divide will need to be addressed before true democratization of information can take place.