Thing #2

I've read several of the articles on Web 2.0 and its pertinence to libraries. My perspective on Library 2.0 comes from being a front-line reference librarian in a large public library system. These are my observations.

Customers want physical things: Books, (lots of books!), CDs, and DVDs for entertainment. K-12 students are required by their teachers to go to the library and get two books for their reports; teachers do not count electronic reference books as these sources, they demand print copies.

Customers also want computers with high-speed Internet access and they want to stay on them for several hours at a time. Computers are used for various purposes but primarily e-mailing and gaming. Customers need librarians to help with logging onto the computers, word processing, saving work onto CDs, uploading resumes into electronic job apps, scanning documents and images, and explaining the printing process.

Users are also in serious need of Baby Storytimes, Toddler Storytimes, Preschool Storytimes and Family Storytimes. When storytimes decrease (such as in summer), parents and grandparents become unhappy and complain. Caregivers with young children check out huge stacks of picture books. Toddlers playact with puppets. They also listen to stories on our preschool computers.

During the tax season (now), customers want print copies of the standard federal and state forms. They also ask for many more obscure forms. They will access forms from the government websites but do so reluctantly. Many customers need to find free AARP tax preparation sessions.

Most of what I describe above are traditional services, "products," according to one writer. These are the requests I speak to every day, many times a day. In contrast, I've never been asked for assistance with Flickr, YouTube or MySpace. I'm going through the 23 Things in case I am asked someday.

So how do I use Web 2.0? I'm presently going along for the ride since it's the I.T. geniuses who figured out how to connect our libary with all its users and each other. The enhanced content on our library website and catalog helps me do my job. The pictures of book covers help kids identify the titles they want to request. The reading lists for all ages with hot links are a lifesaver for Reader's Advisory. We're meeting remote users in cyberspace, in "their" space, and delivering to them our catalog, databases and subject pages. We offer Reference I.M. but that service hasn't attracted many users yet.

So I'm seeing the participatory future. It's potentially how public libaries will stay viable post-Google and I will keep my job. I can't buy the whole concept, though, that 24/7 connectivity is an absolute social good. I see people hunkered down at computers at the library, communicating with those in their social networks, but ignoring or aggravating those sitting next to them; their presentation in the virtual world being the more powerful pull. Web 2.0 may increase social options but it seems to also create disburbing (to me) behavior. Several kids will gather at library computers, Runescapeing together for 5-6 hours on a beautiful summer day. I can't act "In Loco Parentis" and tell them to go play outside, so they can stay as long as there are computers available. I see this and the next day I read an article on childhood obesity. Yes, there are DDR programs that we offer but many more kids sit for several hours at computers than dance at the programs.

You're right if you figured out that this a Baby Boomer Librarian ranting. I'm also an Introvert who thinks people already communicate too much and this Library 2.0 emphasis on sharing, connecting and participating is exhausting. I'd like to just keep helping customers find good books which they can enjoy reading alone.