Library Futures: Library 2.0 and beyond Iain Wallace Spoken Word Services Blackpool, January 2007 .

Library Futures:Library 2.0 and beyond

Iain Wallace

Spoken Word Serviceswww.spokenword.ac.uk

Blackpool, January 2007

What is Web 2.0?

‘Web 2.0 is the network as platform, spanning all connected devices; Web 2.0 applications are those that make the most of the intrinsic advantages of that platform: delivering software as a continually-updated service that gets better the more people use it, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources, including individual users, while providing their own data and services in a form that allows remixing by others, creating network effects through an "architecture of participation," and going beyond the page metaphor of Web 1.0 to deliver rich user experiences.' Tim O’Reilly

What is Library 2.0?An attitude NOT a technologyIdeas are not new but tools are now much easier to use

- disconnecting our library services from being locked away in proprietary silos that users have to come to our web sites to use

- getting ourselves out into the major search engines – no point in trying to compete with Google

- adding interactive features that let users contribute and collaborate with us

- using the tools and protocols the rest of the world uses so that we can be integrated into their environments, not forcing them to conform to ours

Library 2.0

A changing landscape

Functionality

Questions for existing library Opac and web pages

- Can you see pictures and profiles of staff? Is there a personal connection? (Facebook/MySpace)

- Can users easily contact the library in mode of their choice (IM, email, phone, Skype, mail, etc)?

- Is information up to date and constantly changing to reflect activities?

- Is there any audio/visual content?- Can information be easily shared with other

web services?

What you can do – no. 1**** Create a blog to keep users informed of

library news and developments ****

Advantages over traditional web site:-- Very easy to set up and maintain (no

additional software required)- RSS pushes updates to users- Comments functionality encourages

interactivity- Syndication encourages collaboration and

generates publicity- Can have different blogs for different purposes

Blogs

All information stored in a database – simple web based content management system

Can be integrated with existing web pages OPAC ands/or VLE pages (WPopac)

Once you have a blog you can add in lots of different kinds of extra features

e.g. RSS feeds for different categories like new books. Talk to ILS vendor and others – this may already be available

Examples of library blogsGlasgow Metropolitan Collegehttp://metlibrarynews.blogspot.com/

Univ of Bath Library Science Newshttp://bathsciencenews.blogspot.com/

Edinburgh University Library Update for the School of Informatics

http://informaticslibrary.blogspot.com/

Blogs for staff to share information, both internally, with users and with a wider audience

What you can do – no. 2**** Create a library podcast ****All you need is simple audio/video recording

facility and some free software

Advantages over traditional FAQ- Can be easily incorporated into blog

environment – uses same RSS technology- Can be accessed via browser or downloaded

to portable device (music player/phone)- Sound and video bring subject to life- Screencasts can capture screen behaviour

too

Examples of lib podcastsGlasgow Metropolitan College Podcast –

Introduction to Library Serviceshttp://www.gcbp.ac.uk/libre_podcast.aspx

Glasgow University Library Podcastshttp://www.lib.gla.ac.uk/podcasts/index_podcasts.html

Spoken Word Video Podcast examplehttp://www.spokenword.ac.uk/

record_view.php?pbd=gcu-a0a3m5-a

Podcasts

Great for prospective/new students and for remote users

Some key factors:-- a good voice, a reasonable recording

that's easily downloadable, a well-written script - and time to produce them.

Podcasts

Useful Sources

Talking with TALIS Library 2.0 Podcastshttp://talk.talis.com/

SirsiDynix Institute Presentationshttp://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/

iTunes Store and iTunes Uhttp://www.apple.com/education/products/ipod/itunes_u.html

What you can do – no.3**** Rethink the Library Catalogue ****

- Put the user at the centre – what are their expectations? Amazon, Google, iTunes, etc.

‘For the past ten years online searching has become simpler and more effective everywhere, except in library catalogs,…. "Users want immediate satisfaction.’

Rethinking how we provide bibliographic services for the University of California, Report published Dec 2005

New kinds of OPACs

Example – WPOpac, developed by Casey Bisson

- Built on WordPress blogging platform – open source so anyone can modify and customise

- Designed to work on top of any vendor ILS- Every record has its own page – each record

has a static, permanent link - can be indexed by non-library search engines such as Google + new items can be tracked in blog search engines like Technorati

- Each record also offers comments, trackbacks, and tags

WPOpac

Some features- a "recent searches" sidebar- using AJAX to display the book jacket,

review, and holdings data- automatic identification of related items

based on author and subject data- a box to "search inside the book" that uses

Amazon's API (which also means the ability to integrate pretty much any other site's APIs to add in their services e.g. LibraryThing)

- relevancy ranking of results.

WPopac

‘Imagine a student comes to the reference desk and mentions that her class is working on a project and has to look for resources about 'x.' X may not be a good search term, and the catalog certainly won't return any results for that class (pretend it's 'en3610'), but after blogging about it (which should happen with all reference questions), the reference librarian could tag them, including a tag for the course number. Or perhaps the URL could be formatted in such a way that the search hits are tracked. Either way, the record becomes more relevant for a search that is just now important.’

Library 2.0 OPACs

- Plymouth State University (WPopac) http://www.plymouth.edu/library/opac/

- Ann Arbor District Library – another blog based site with excellent functionality http://www.aadl.org/catalog

- University of Huddersfield Library – tag clouds, recommenders, Amazon and much morehttp://library.hud.ac.uk

- Westmont Public Library - publicises new books using Flickr http://www.westmontlibrary.org/

- Birkbeck College Library - RSS feed of library news http://www.bbk.ac.uk/lib

What you can do – no. 4**** Tagging ****

- Allow users to comment on, review and tag items in your catalogue

- Users can see what others in their ‘community of practice’ think of particular resources

- Tagging and Formal subject Classification complimentary rather than competing

- Tag clouds are an excellent visualisation tool for large collections with varied subjects

Examples

Delicious http://del.icio.us/tag/

Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/

Library Thing http://www.librarything.com/tagcloud.php

Penn Tags http://tags.library.upenn.edu/

University of Huddersfield (test) http://www.daveyp.com/blog/stuff/subjects.html

What you can do – no. 5**** Learn from others ****- Set up a library ‘watch group’ to monitor

emerging technologies and see how other libraries are using stuff

- Someone with more resources and experience may have already done what you want to do

e.g. Dave Pattern, University of Huddersfield Runs Dynix UK User Group bloghttp://library.hud.ac.uk/blogs/dug/ - Ask if any of his customisations can be

easily re-used

What you can do – no. 6**** Lobby your ILS vendor ****

- For more web 2.0 functionality- For open APIs- To implement OpenSearch- To follow the lead of TALIS! They must

respond to user requests – opening up their systems are good for their business too

Other Library 2.0 examples- University of Connecticut – library staff

documentation & info stored in a wiki http://wiki.lib.uconn.edu/wiki/Main_Page

- Ball State University - recruiting students via weblogs http://www.bsu.edu/reallife/

- Many libraries now use IM technology for virtual reference enquiries

- Libraries in Second Life http://infoisland.org/

What makes it Library 2.0?• Openness - A willingness to share information and content, e.g.

Libraries can use blogs to create conversations.• Ease of use - Systems are intuitive and users can easily learn to

manipulate them. e.g. Libraries can use instant messaging to perform virtual reference instead of difficult-to-use proprietary platforms.

• Innovation - Disruptive thinking and evolutionary systems promote new systems and new ways of delivering our services. e.g. Libraries can create subject-based wikis, in which users can suggest resources and ask questions.

• Social Interaction - People can have conversations and create together. e.g. A blog with the comments feature enabled allows library users to discuss plans and programs.

• Creation of Content - New information is created via collaboration. e.g. A library can create a podcast that features students discussing course content.

• Sharing - Content is freely available for use and reuse. e.g. By using RSS, a library syndicates content from various sources to other Web sites within its community.

Michael Stephens, 2005

Conclusions

• Flexible services which put the learner at the centre

• Recognition that learning is an (inter)active process

• Learning begins with conversation – social dimension to effective learning

• Importance of innovation and inspiration

More Information

All references to sites, articles and blogs will be added to my new blog, along with copies of all the presentations

http://libraryfutures.wordpress.com/