Thing #2

These are my thought on the readings for Thing #2:
I like Sarah Houghton’s definition of Library 2.0: "The basic drive is to get people back into the library by making the library relevant to what they want and need in their daily lives…to make the library a destination and not an afterthought.” This really sums up well what we are trying to do with Guitar Hero in the library this week and last. The staff and I were flabbergasted to get comments (from the Administration, and supposedly from a student) ranging from "How much did THAT cost? Where did you get money for that?" to "It's too noisy. Maybe the library isn't the best place for that."



John Blyberg says "the old fiefdoms need to disappear...": Our small staff has always been adept at picking things up that need to be done, whether it's covering the front desk, making student IDs or whatever. Community college libraries in FL have been doing more with less for several years now and we have been thinking about moving tech services staff to public services and other work flow changes for quite a while.



"Coffee shops are opening up in libraries...": Coffee shops are L2? That makes our Starbooks Internet Cafe and Patio L2! I knew we were cool! (And state award-winning!)


"More than anything else, the ideas that comprise L2 stand to bring revolutionary change to libraries, not simply adaptation to changing demands. Not even the initial introduction of ILSs compares to the conceptual, programmatic, cultural and physical changes that are bound to come about as a result of L2. Library 2.0 marks historical change.
L2 is essential for survival/pertinence. L2 is not an option. ...We will become the functional equivalent of back-room storage full of green hanging-file-folder boxes."

I've got to think about the revolutionary thing some more...maybe it's a s-l-o-w revolution that we're already in the middle of? ...I found a file case full of my files from the 80's a couple of months ago. I guess that's what we used to do--make files. (I tossed them all.)

More on the other articles later....