Review : 2

Library 2.0
Service for the next-generation library

Michael E. Casey and Laura C. Savastinuk’s article ‘Library 2.0: service for the next-generation library’ 2006 is an interesting article on Library 2.0 with some very thought-provoking opinions on library 2.0 being both physical and technical. This is what differentiates it from Web 2.0 (Web 2.0 is online collaboration). Although the article (written in 2006) is old in internet time, the concepts of Web 2.0 are still current and in use today.
Casey and Savastinuk’s article focuses on models that can be or have been introduced as elements of Library 2.0, giving examples of libraries which have used different elements of Library 2.0 in their establishments. For example: Huntington Public Library have created a blog for book reviews, giving book lovers access to reviews on the latest books in the library collection.
This reviewer agrees with Casey and Savastinuk’s point that “libraries are in the habit of providing the same services and the same programs to the same groups”. Despite new technologies, many libraries often keep offering the same old services, year in, year out. In so doing, they are under-servicing a huge number of people who don't use the library or perhaps don’t know what libraries of today have to offer. This is where the technology of web 2.0 with its useful online tools, comes in. It encourages user collaboration in the form of feedback, user reviews, and user-crafted social net works such as blogs, wikis and flickr to mention a few.
“Long tail”, a term coined in 2004 by Chris Anderson from “Wired” is another consideration that Casey and Savastinuk look at in a library context. Mossman (2006) describes long tail in the library context, as a library being able to reach “through their own deep, historical collections and far-reaching services like interlibrary loan and email document delivery, libraries can offer their customers access to an extensive number and variety of materials”. While this means bringing forward inactive items within the collection, it does require a combination of physical and virtual services. This type of service model is being used by online businesses such as: fishpond.com , an online bookshop that encourages readers to purchase more with phrases such as “customers who purchased this product also purchased.....” , Fishpond.com also allows for customer feedback in the form book reviews.

Casey and Savastinuk then discuss how customers are the collaborators in Library 2.0, and how user participation can expand the value of a library. The article states that this is achieved by customers tailoring library services to their own needs and wants. Electronically, this can be achieved through personalization of library web pages, user comments or tags, ratings, and reviews on versatile OPAC (online public access catalogue) interface. Customer privacy is an important issue for libraries to consider in the physical and virtual world, in order to allow customers to remain anonymous. Physically this may be developed by staff feedback, surveying both current and potential customers or reviewing current services. However, they do go on to point out that soliciting regular customer feedback and evaluating and updating services is of paramount importance to both new and existing services.
This article is an excellent read on how web 2.0 technology can be incorporated into libraries, (commonly known by the buzz word “Library 2.0”), with suggestions of service models to be considered. It deserves to be read widely in the library sector, especially by those wishing to enhance their perspective of Library2.0 and implementing it into their library environment, thereby giving readers an understanding of the underlining concepts of user participation, collaborations and contribution of their knowledge and experiences to the library services and programs.


References:

Anderson, C. (2004). The Long Tail. Retrieved July 26, 2008,
from http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/tail_pr.html

Casey, M., & Savastinuk, L. (2006, September 1). Library 2.0: service for the next-generation library. Retrieved July 14, 2008, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html?q=Library+2.0

Mossman, K. (2006). Serving the Niche: Viewing libraries through Chris Anderson’s “Long Tail” lens. Retrieved Aug 14, 2008 from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6349032.html

Wikipedia, viewed 15 August, http://en.wikipedia.org