Library 2.0

Having read the assigned articles, I have to say that it is pretty clear that Library 2.0 means different things depending on what type of library you use or with which you are affiliated. Most of the libraries provide an academic perspective--be it university or k-12. Public libraries have a slightly different mission, as much as we would like to think that we are purveyors of information, the reality is that many of our clients view us as providers of Entertainment--be it written or audiovisual. Our challenge is in working with the users of Web 2.0 and providing good quality information and entertainment in an electronic environment, and yet still maintain a positive relationship with our clientele who have no need/use for the library as a provider of electronic services.

One separate observation. Although I found many thought provoking statements in all of the articles, one that struck me quite forcibly (and no doubt as a reaction to my years in academe, wherein I did "Bibliographic Instruction") Rick Anderson notes, "...if our services can’t be used without training, then it’s the services that need to be fixed—not our patrons." And that is a very telling observation. Until recently, patrons have had to conform to our expectations of how to search and retrieve data. The Internet, Google, Web 2.0 have taught them otherwise and we as librarians need to adjust our thinking accordingly.