Part II Web 2.0 and Beyond Marshall Breeding Director for Innovative Technologies and Research Vanderbilt University

Part II Web 2.0 and Part II Web 2.0 and BeyondBeyond

Marshall BreedingMarshall BreedingDirector for Innovative Technologies and Director for Innovative Technologies and ResearchResearchVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt Universityhttp://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breedinghttp://staffweb.library.vanderbilt.edu/breeding

Redefining Libraries:Web 2.0 and other Challenges

May 2007 Xiamen, China

Evolution and Evolution and advancementadvancement We live in a time of much change:We live in a time of much change:

– TechnologyTechnology– SocietySociety– Generational shiftsGenerational shifts

Boomer > gen X > MillennialsBoomer > gen X > Millennials

Heightened User Heightened User ExpectationsExpectations Library users come with expectations set by their Library users come with expectations set by their

experiences of the Webexperiences of the Web Conventions for navigating and exploring Web-Conventions for navigating and exploring Web-

based resources well establishedbased resources well established Dealing with large and complex bodies of Dealing with large and complex bodies of

information nothing new to incoming library information nothing new to incoming library users.users.

Sophisticated Web skills Sophisticated Web skills Low tolerance for clunky and ineffective Web Low tolerance for clunky and ineffective Web

sitessites Confident in their ability – reluctant to ask for Confident in their ability – reluctant to ask for

helphelp

Problems with the Problems with the Status QuoStatus Quo A look and feel that may not meet the A look and feel that may not meet the

expectations of the current generation of Web-expectations of the current generation of Web-savvy users.savvy users.

The conventional library environment requires The conventional library environment requires users to interact with many different interfaces, users to interact with many different interfaces, and search many different resources.and search many different resources.

Overly complex Overly complex Not always intuitiveNot always intuitive Users have to go to different places to find Users have to go to different places to find

different kinds of information on a given topic: different kinds of information on a given topic: Library OPAC for books, Article and E-journal Library OPAC for books, Article and E-journal locators for articles.locators for articles.

An urgent needAn urgent need Baby boomers and Gen X’rs are happier with Baby boomers and Gen X’rs are happier with

traditional forms of content and existing traditional forms of content and existing modes of servicemodes of service

Millennials will move on to non-library provided Millennials will move on to non-library provided information sources and services if not readily information sources and services if not readily satisfiedsatisfied

There is a lot at stake for the future of libraries There is a lot at stake for the future of libraries in adapting to generational transitions.in adapting to generational transitions.

Web 2.0 provides a metaphor and model for Web 2.0 provides a metaphor and model for adapting library services to today’s Web-savvy adapting library services to today’s Web-savvy users.users.

Web 1.0Web 1.0 Static WebStatic Web Information silosInformation silos One-way communicationOne-way communication

Web 2.0Web 2.0 Coined by O’Rielly Media in 2004Coined by O’Rielly Media in 2004 Web + Social ComputingWeb + Social Computing Dynamic ContentDynamic Content Highly interactiveHighly interactive CollaborativeCollaborative Focus on the userFocus on the user Focus on communitiesFocus on communities

Web 2.0 examplesWeb 2.0 examples RSS delivery of contentRSS delivery of content Blogs – Web logs + commentsBlogs – Web logs + comments Wikis – content created in communityWikis – content created in community Instant Messaging, SMS, Instant Messaging, SMS, Voice over IP – SkypeVoice over IP – Skype PodcastingPodcasting vlogsvlogs

Web 2.0 supporting Web 2.0 supporting technologiestechnologies Web servicesWeb services XML APIsXML APIs AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript

and XML)and XML) MicroformatsMicroformats OpenSearch vs SRU/SRWOpenSearch vs SRU/SRW

Web 2.0 media Web 2.0 media Rich media – beyond textRich media – beyond text Music and audioMusic and audio

– Well experienced: File swapping, p2p, iPod, Well experienced: File swapping, p2p, iPod, MP3MP3

VideoVideo– Recreational and academic: youtube.com, Recreational and academic: youtube.com,

myspace.com/video, yahoo! Video, bittorrent myspace.com/video, yahoo! Video, bittorrent Opportunities to remix. Usually Opportunities to remix. Usually

recreational, but explore ways to tap this recreational, but explore ways to tap this interest with an academic slant.interest with an academic slant.

The sprit of Web 2.0The sprit of Web 2.0 YouTubeYouTube FacebookFacebook MySpaceMySpace FlickrFlickr

Web 3.0Web 3.0 Web 2.0 + artificial intelligenceWeb 2.0 + artificial intelligence Semantic WebSemantic Web Web 2.0 + enterprise computingWeb 2.0 + enterprise computing

Library 2.0Library 2.0 First mentioned by Michael CaseyFirst mentioned by Michael Casey Web 2.0 + Library = Library 2.0Web 2.0 + Library = Library 2.0 Apply Web 2.0 concepts to library Apply Web 2.0 concepts to library

applicationsapplications

ExamplesExamples Library BlogsLibrary Blogs New book lists through RSSNew book lists through RSS WikisWikis

– Intranets for staff documentationIntranets for staff documentation– Collaborative resources for library usersCollaborative resources for library users

Enriched library catalogsEnriched library catalogs User participation in library resourcesUser participation in library resources

– User tagging in catalogUser tagging in catalog– ReviewsReviews– RatingsRatings

EvolutionEvolution The Web has been evolving since its The Web has been evolving since its

very beginningvery beginning Web 2.0 didn’t happen all at onceWeb 2.0 didn’t happen all at once Many of the concepts behind Web 2.0 Many of the concepts behind Web 2.0

trace back to its inceptiontrace back to its inception Eg: Amazon embraced user Eg: Amazon embraced user

participation, open API’s, etc long before participation, open API’s, etc long before Web 2.0 brand.Web 2.0 brand.

Evolution and maturation of Web Evolution and maturation of Web technologies continuestechnologies continues

CaveatsCaveats Apply when appropriateApply when appropriate Not a plateauNot a plateau Evolution continuesEvolution continues Web 2.0 can create isolated silos of Web 2.0 can create isolated silos of

informationinformation Must evolve into an organized fabric of Must evolve into an organized fabric of

interrelated Web services.interrelated Web services. Too many dead blogs and wikis already Too many dead blogs and wikis already

Web 2.0 a good startWeb 2.0 a good start A more social and collaborative A more social and collaborative

approachapproach Web Tools and technology that Web Tools and technology that

foster collaborationfoster collaboration Blogs, wiki, blogs, tagging, social Blogs, wiki, blogs, tagging, social

bookmarking, user rating, user bookmarking, user rating, user reviewsreviews

Interface expectationsInterface expectations

Increasingly library users are well Increasingly library users are well acclimated to current Web technologies acclimated to current Web technologies and like it.and like it.

Used to relevancy rankingUsed to relevancy ranking– The “good stuff” should be listed firstThe “good stuff” should be listed first– Users tend not to delve deep into a result listUsers tend not to delve deep into a result list– Good relevancy requires a sophisticated Good relevancy requires a sophisticated

approach, including objective matching approach, including objective matching criteria supplemented by popularity and criteria supplemented by popularity and relatedness factors.relatedness factors.

Interface expectations Interface expectations (cont…)(cont…) Very rapid response. Users have a low Very rapid response. Users have a low

tolerance for slow systemstolerance for slow systems Rich visual information: book jacket images, Rich visual information: book jacket images,

rating scores, etc.rating scores, etc. Let users drill down through the result set Let users drill down through the result set

incrementally narrowing the fieldincrementally narrowing the field Faceted BrowsingFaceted Browsing

– Drill-down vs up-front Boolean or “Advanced Search”Drill-down vs up-front Boolean or “Advanced Search”– gives the users clues about the number of hits in gives the users clues about the number of hits in

each sub topic.each sub topic. Navigational Bread crumbs Navigational Bread crumbs Ratings and rankingsRatings and rankings

Library OPAC 1.0Library OPAC 1.0 Feature rich, but complexFeature rich, but complex Advanced Boolean SearchAdvanced Boolean Search Textual displaysTextual displays Results in alphabetical or catalog Results in alphabetical or catalog

key orderkey order Slow, cumbersomeSlow, cumbersome Focused on the physical inventoryFocused on the physical inventory

The best Library The best Library OPAC?OPAC?

Change underwayChange underway Widespread dissatisfaction with most of Widespread dissatisfaction with most of

the current OPACs. Many efforts toward the current OPACs. Many efforts toward next-generation catalogs and interfaces.next-generation catalogs and interfaces.

Movement among libraries to break out of Movement among libraries to break out of the current mold of library catalogs and the current mold of library catalogs and offer new interfaces better suited to the offer new interfaces better suited to the expectations of library users. expectations of library users.

Decoupling of the front-end interface from Decoupling of the front-end interface from the back-end library automation system.the back-end library automation system.

Working toward next Working toward next generation library generation library interfacesinterfaces Redefinition of the library catalogRedefinition of the library catalog More comprehensive information More comprehensive information

discovery environmentsdiscovery environments Better information delivery toolsBetter information delivery tools More powerful search capabilitiesMore powerful search capabilities More elegant presentationMore elegant presentation

Redefinition of library Redefinition of library catalogscatalogs Traditional notions of the library catalog Traditional notions of the library catalog

are being questionedare being questioned It’s no longer enough to provide a catalog It’s no longer enough to provide a catalog

limited to print resourceslimited to print resources Digital resources cannot be an afterthoughtDigital resources cannot be an afterthought Forcing users to use different interfaces Forcing users to use different interfaces

depending on type of content becoming depending on type of content becoming less tenableless tenable

Libraries working toward consolidated Libraries working toward consolidated search environments that give equal search environments that give equal footing to digital and print resourcesfooting to digital and print resources

Library OPAC 2.0Library OPAC 2.0 Satisfying to the Web-savvy userSatisfying to the Web-savvy user Faceted browsing – drill-down model Faceted browsing – drill-down model

of searchof search Graphical displays – cover art imagesGraphical displays – cover art images Enriched content – TOC, summariesEnriched content – TOC, summaries User tagging, folksonomies, ratings, User tagging, folksonomies, ratings,

reviewsreviews Federated search as a separate Federated search as a separate

serviceservice

Library OPAC 3.0Library OPAC 3.0 Comprehensive search environment:Comprehensive search environment:

– Digital on equal footing with printDigital on equal footing with print– Federated search as an integrated service: access Federated search as an integrated service: access

to full-text of subscribed contentto full-text of subscribed content Beyond MARC metadata: Dublin Core XML, Beyond MARC metadata: Dublin Core XML,

Onix, etc: full-text searchingOnix, etc: full-text searching Searching “inside the book”Searching “inside the book” Fully integrated with other community and Fully integrated with other community and

campus resourcescampus resources ILS fully integrated with other information ILS fully integrated with other information

and business systemsand business systems

Collections evolvingCollections evolving E-journals, e-books (we’re doing E-journals, e-books (we’re doing

that already)that already) Podcasts of lecturesPodcasts of lectures video libraries of stock footagevideo libraries of stock footage News archivesNews archives Data sets: census, GISData sets: census, GIS

Moving beyond…Moving beyond… Web 2.0 is already a 3-year-old Web 2.0 is already a 3-year-old

modelmodel Keep focus on strategic use of Keep focus on strategic use of

technologytechnology

Challenges and Challenges and Opportunities aboundOpportunities abound An exciting time for librariesAn exciting time for libraries Web 2.0 fuels new excitement for Web 2.0 fuels new excitement for

modernizing library services and modernizing library services and supporting technologiessupporting technologies

Opportunities presented by explosive Opportunities presented by explosive growth of digital content.growth of digital content.

Hard work is required to draw the new Hard work is required to draw the new generation to library content and services generation to library content and services without breaking what works well for without breaking what works well for those from previous generations. those from previous generations.