Librarian 2.0

To be an information professional in a web 2.0 world it is necessary to be proficient in the web 2.0 applications such as facebook, twitter, social bookmarking sites, blogs and other relevant sites. This is necessary so that information can be disseminated to users using these sites which are familiar and regularly accessed by patrons. By providing information in this manner a wider range of patrons can be reached as formats that are familiar to a wider range of users are utilised and so the knowledge of library happenings are known.

The librarian needs to know how to use the different applications so that the platforms which are used in the library are able to be kept up to date without mistakes being made. If the Librarian does not know how to use the particular application and then attempts to make updates using the platform it is quite possible that the information will not appear in a way that means the message will be reached by users. It is also possible that if a staff member is asked to do something and they do not know how the task will not get done at all.

It is also important that staff members are able to use these platforms so that if users are having trouble using a particular platform they can ask and a library staff member can come and help. If necessary the library can also run classes lead by the staff members so that users who may need it can learn how to use such applications.

Social bookmarking/tagging

My existing account on delicious helped me to understand how this type of social networking site works. By bookmarking and tagging different sites using this service I am not only able to easily find sites that are of interest to me but by interacting and perusing the bookmarks of other users with similar interests, in this way I can find new sites to bookmark and tag. In using this ability I can also share my bookmarks with others who have similar interests through tagging. In this way other people can also find new sites that may be of interest to them.

I have used my account to store links to other social networking sites so that I can access them from wherever I am. I have also used it to save sites to do with interests of mine such as cooking and craft as well as shopping and sites for other purposes. I have tagged them with relevant tags so that if I am looking for a particular type of site this will be easy to do. It also means that other users can view my tags to see something which they are looking for.

An information agency can use this type of site to share information with their users such as links to sites on different school subjects to assist with the education of the users. As well as this they can be used to let people know about other sites that may be relevant such as book reviews and sites where you can find read alikes.

Podcasts

Podcasts can be used by libraries to share information on different topics with their users. These can range from simple educational talks for children to more advanced topics to educate the adult population. They can include information on topics to do with science or other everyday educational interests as well as more thought provoking topics. These podcasts can be made in house or can be provided by another organisation. In this way users have access to information on a wide variety of different topics and can assist in the lifelong learning of the users.

Podcasts can also be used by libraries to assist staff in learning about the different aspects of the library processes. Podcasts can be created which the staff can listen too. This is particularly important for new staff and for when procedures change or when things such as the library management system is changed. The staff can listen to the podcast whenever they feel that they need a reminder about how to do certain tasks.

Wikis

Wikis can be used in libraries for staff to share information among themselves so that they can learn about new developments in library services such as new technologies that can be utilised to enhance the service that is provided. Staff members can share information with each other and other members of staff can add to the information that is there with corrections or updates. When new developments take place the staff can add new articles about these developments and continue to ensure that the information provided is relevant. When technologies become superseded the article on the particular technologies can be archived so that there is a history of what has transpired and future members of staff can see what happened in the past.

Wikis can also be used with members of the public to provide information on a particular topic such as Local history. People can add articles on different aspects of the local area and other people can add information that may help users to better understand what is happening in the area. This can be continually updated and added to so that future generations can see the past of the area. This also gives users a sense of ownership as they have helped to add to the information.

Blogging and Microblogging

Blogging is a good way for the everyday person to express their views on things around them. Libraries can use this technology to share with their users about upcoming events and to share what has happened in previous events. It is also a good way to share information on a specific topic such as local history or genealogy. This is a good way to share this information as all information on a particular topic can be disseminated in the one place and users interested in this topic can return to the same place to find more information on the same topic. This is also a good way to share information with users as more than one blog can be set up with a different focus for each blog.

Micro blogging such as twitter is a good way of sharing information with the general public as many people can follow and information can be disseminated, this can be used to share information such as upcoming events and even links to catalogue records which have the ability to remind users of different materials that are available and which they might like to borrow.

Other sorts of Micro blogging can be used to disseminate information to other staff members within the library so that information that needs to be known can be shared. This is useful as people using the service do not need to see information about the running of the service and so providing in this way information can be seen by only those who need to know.