#15 Library 2.0 and Web 2.0

Hmmm.

This is very interesting. Its also exciting, weird, confusing, scary, silly and fun! I love the ideas about the future of Libraries. Im just glad I'm not a Librarian. They may need to be not only information experts but technology experts as well. Its hard enough keeping up with so much information that is available now but trying to keep up with the ever changing technology will be difficult. It would be great to see all these technologies available for the public to use and in an easily accesible way but you would need many staff to be continuously updating their skills to keep up with this. I do believe this needs to be done.

I think Library courses need to change NOW to reflect what future libraries need to be. Potential library workers need to be informed of what skills will be needed.

I think this involves GREAT customer service. Without this people will not come in no matter the great technology on offer. Staff need to be open to continual change, we must be willing to make lifelong learning a part of our life (Oh so thats what this is about. I thought it was about the prizes. Just kidding! I get it now!).

This will be harder than it sounds. I myself thought I was always open to change because I get bored pretty easily, but when those changes happen it can throw you a bit. Our first instinct is to reject it because it is not the way things were done in the past. All it takes is some getting used to I guess then it becomes normal. But our initial reaction is to reject it. Things are changing so quickly that I believe libraries must keep up in order to remain significant. By that I don't mean just a few bits of technology here and there but complete availability of all new technologies. This is where staff will need to have their finger on the pulse, daily, weekly, monthly to attract patrons and to keep them interested.

That said I still believe books have a place in there but this must be one aspect of what the library of the future must be.

So now there's 3d and web 4.0. This could happen faster than we realise. It could all turn around pretty quickly. I can't wait for web 4.0, back to enjoying a good book without all the gadgets. Technology is fun but it makes my head spin. As I'm pretty new to the library industry I am curious to know what others who have been around longer think (Librarians, Technicians, Officers) I'll be asking my co-workers where they think we're headed as I can only speculate. I know that bringing in more cd's and especially dvd's has brought in more people that otherwise would not use the library( I have had patrons tell me this.) and while there they have been educated on the other services on offer which has surprised and interested them. I wonder what else will bring in more new users.

So again I am excited, confused, scared, intrigued and can't wait for the fun to begin! Bring it on!