A few months back we needed information about a car part and I used the "ask a librarian" feature of CML's homepage. What I got was a scanned image from one of the car repair publications delivered into my e-mail. I was thrilled.
Technological innovations that allow information to be accessible through the Internet are important because having to drive to a library, search the available publications on site, or wait in line to get help is often too time consuming and tedious for our purposes. Patrons need to feel not only comfortable, but pleased with their library experiences and proud to say "I just went to the library homepage....".
Michael Stephen's "Into a New World of Librarianship" points out many of the important traits necessary to support the above mentioned experience between a patron and librarian.
In addition, Tim Burners-Lee describes web 2.0 technology components as "the idea of the proliferation of inter connectivity and interactivity of web-delivered content" see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0.
There are libraries currently connected to Twitter so that content announcing upcoming events automatically posts to Twitter. The use of Twitter among other social networking tools allows for much greater interaction that is on par with how our world is using the Internet to stay informed and collaborate.
I do feel that the library is afraid of a load it can't carry well, though. For example, if there are many patrons in need of assistance and not enough staff to fulfill their needs, it really doesn't matter what technology you have in place. People will be frustrated. We have had computer failures before when not as catastrophic conditions as those we have experienced in the aftermath of Ike occurred and patrons who were interested in books expected staff to be able to take them to materials. Another example of us being unable to carry our load well is when an announcement has been made that we are unaware of which alerts customers to materials we don't know about or services we lack knowledge of or ability to deliver well. If 2.0 means communication and collaboration, it must be well done internally first and thus will be reflected in our ablility to better serve the public.
No comments:
Post a Comment