Well, here I am on Library 2.0. I am not too sure what I am doing on Library 2.0. To me, it is very, very confusing. However, I do not think I am alone in this observation. To me it sounds mainly like a proposed blue print on where Libraries are going, but not really how they are going to get there. I am concerned about patrons who are not able to jump on the band wagon of change. Many of our older patrons are not as resilient; they need to be shown how, even if it is only a click away. This statement doesn’t totally agree with Rick Andersons, reliance on user education. “But if our services can’t be used without training, then it’s the services that need to be fixed—not our patrons. One-button commands, such as Flickr’s “Blog This,” and easy-to-use programs like Google Page Creator, offer promising models for this kind of user-centric service.” If it takes a map to get to the one-button command, then it is still going to be confusing. (I found this to be so on some of our lessons) Many of the older adults rely on the printed materials. Many have a great deal of trouble navigating the web. I personally like the fact that I can verify my source with written materials, some of what I get off the Web is questionable.
I do agree with this statement made by Rick, “No profession can survive if it throws its core principles and values overboard in response to every shift in the zeitgeist.” We need to take our time and not jump on the band wagon with both feet. Think it through, and not “shoot from the hip”. As the population gets older, the computer literate will eventually become the seniors and then maybe the 2.0 will be beneficial. (But then it might be the 3.0 or 4.0) But let’s not run with this quite yet. Baby steps sound good to me. Change is fine, as long as it is necessary, not reinventing the wheel, and implemented slowly, so as not to lose those who aren’t quite as computer savvy as the people leading the 2.0 revolution.
In conclusion, I feel like I have rambled on in a very unorganized manner, however, that is how Web 2.0 made me feel. Rather unorganized, and not sure of where I was heading.
End of the Day
1 comment:
Debbie you're right, something said at a meeting I was at a couple of weeks ago - this IS your grandfathers library, but it's yours too. Technology is changing so fast and so many advanced and changes are being made, it's important to keep up with them to keep in touch with our younger users but it's also important to remember that many of our older users may not be comfortable with them and might never be. We need to be thinking - how do we strike a balance between offering services for the younger generations without alienating the older ones?
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