Library 2.0 Articles
One of the articles I read was the wikipedia post and it discussed what Library 2.0 was all about, how it was coined after Business 2.0 and Web 2.0, sharing some of the same philosophies. What I found interesting was the short section about the debate about Library 2.0. Some argue, as I read in some articles, that libraries have already been doing some of the things they listed Library 2.0 to be today. What some authors wanted to emphasize with the new Library 2.0 is that it goes beyond what libraries were before in a sense of having "users add value" (To More Powerful Ways to Cooperate). It is said that the focus has become more user-centered and users can participate "in the creation of content and community" (Wikipedia). It is more than a place that treasures books and librarians with an extensive knowledge about compiling and catologing.
I personally have seen a change in our public libraries. Long ago I use to sit in front of a tv screen with headphones and watch a video in the library or books on tape. Now libraries are beginning to have digital downloads of books! Although I find it amazing, I do hope digital books will never replace books physically; there is something nice about having a book you can read in your hands than sitting and reading it on a computer screen. I can see the library making efforts to become a Library 2.0. I might not have ever paid attention before, but it seemed like this is the first summer I remember the local library having a summer reading program for adults and have adults write reviews on books. I wonder if the library will be using this review for something.
What I would love to see in school libraries is for it to be similar to Amazon.com where users can review and rate a book. How great would it be to have students write reviews? Document their thoughts and opinions about books? See what books are popular or recommended by their peers? As a teacher, I think it would be great to know what kids thought about books they've read or have listened to. Kindergartners are capable of rating books by stars based on whether they liked the book.
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Just want to comment on your very last paragraph. Our district is upgrading our elementary libraries' circulation software to a product which called Destiny which will allow students (and staff) to do just that..rate books AND write reviews. It is exciting to see the software vendors embracing and incorporating some of these tools into their products.
ReplyDeleteAnd, please consider a suggestion I heard in a conference session introducing LibraryThing. The presenter said to imagine what it would be like if parents would set up a accounts for children so they could use LibraryThing to track every book they read. One of the features of both LibraryThing and Shelfari (a similar product) is to rate the books. Another is to write reviews. How easy it would be to use these tools as a format and simultaneously allow the student to be creating and maintaining a lifelong log of their reading. Wow!