The document discusses how academic libraries can embrace Web 2.0 technologies like blogs, wikis, and social media to enhance services for patrons through increased interactivity, customization, and participation. Adopting these Web 2.0 approaches provides benefits for both patrons, who have more control over and involvement in their library experience, and librarians, who can engage patrons and adapt services to changing technologies. However, academic librarians also face challenges to Web 2.0 implementation like time constraints and resistance to change.

1. Web 2.0 and Academic Libraries
Xuemei Li
May 26th , 2009 UBC SLAIS

2. What is Web 2.0?
Web 1.0 versus Web 2.0
Britannica Online-->Wikipedia
personal websites-->blogging
publishing -->participation
content management systems-->wikis
directories (taxonomy)-->tagging ("folksonomy")
stickiness-->syndication
Tim O’Reilly in 2004
All about “the People”
The Web is perceived as a platform
Keywords: interactivity and customizability

3. Web 2.0 and Academic Libraries: a Marriage of Heaven
 Library: All about patrons
 Library 2.0 - Coined by Michael Casey in September 2005
 Implications for academic libraries: More means to
enhance library services
 Promotion: RSS feeds, facebook group, blogs, wikis etc
 Communication: IM, social software, second life etc
 Collaboration: blogs, wikis, social bookmarking etc
 Instruction: Podcasting, Screencasting, Wimba etc
 Expensese Reduction: Zotero versus RefWorks, gimp versus
Photoshop etc

4. Benefits for Patrons
 In control of receiving library services
 Be involved in library services creation and
evaluation
 Be organized with their lives
 More productive with their research/studies
 Professional networking opportunities
 Better prepared for future career

5. Benefits for Librarians
 Enhance quality of services
 In patrons’ preferred media
 In their preferred communication tools
 Repurposing their traditional skills
 More means to engage patrons’ participation
 Professional development
 Communicate and collaborate with peers
 Keep up-to-date with technology
 In a better position to negotiate with vendors
 More adaptable to the changing environment

6. Challenges for Academic Librarians?
 Time limitation
 More marketing efforts
 Fear of change
 Beta version = constant updating

7. Approaches Towards Library 2.0
 23 things - August 2006, Helene Blowers
 15 minutes each day
 Team up
 Hands on workshops
 Dedicated wiki to get organized

8. Questions
 What are your Library’s Web 2.0 approaches?
 Any research on patrons’ Web 2.0 requirements?