Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Listen Up!

Manager's Listen Up! Why Social Networking and Web 2.0 is Important for your Library presented by David Lee King, Wednesay 2:45 pm.
Trendwatcher or hiding in your shell? At the head of the track or sleeping on the job? Who are all these people wearing Bluetooth devices and talking to themselves in the airports? iPodding through life? Showing up on YouTube? The rest of the world is already there and they aren't all geeks. What sites are on the web are using Web 2.0 (community-driven-participatory tools) and you don't even know it. Amazon.com, eBay, USATodayand most major newspapers. Check it out! Millie Garfield, age 82, has her own blog, YouTube account,video blog and Twitter account. Thoroughly Modern Millie or Lester Public Library. Check out Topeka and Shawnee Public Library's 'Digital Branch.' David thinks that the 'digital branch' of the library might make up 50% of his patrons. Scan your library community and stay with the trends. It's important to check the community pulse at all times especially and stay relevant as a manager who is setting the pace for the library.
How do we watch these trends? By reading, watching and listening as much as we can. RSS feeds, blogs, iGoogle Reader and other subscription readers. David suggested the metaphor of RSS feeds as a constantly flowing river. Jump in and jump out as you have time. Hit the delete key. Read what you like but make it a priority to connect and keep up-to-date. Be ready for change, read, stay on top, check the pulse, stay relevant.
Best practices for committing to a Web 2.0 library? Communication with the library; gauge your staff finding their strengths and interests; find champions in your library who will start Web 2.0n projects, get stuff done and finish them.
"With great power comes great responsibility" Stan Lee. Train your staff and and trust them. Assign Web 2.0 responsibilities to your staff.
Your library is digital, it is mobile, it is changing quickly. It is anywhere with WiFi access.

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