Library 2.0

As I was discussing this with some coworkers recently, I thought about how much the library has changed since I was a kid (not back in the dark ages, but long enough ago). Back then, my friends and I waited for the bookmobile to come visit us in our neighborhood, and we couldn't wait to climb the steps into the cool, air-conditioned room and choose some new books to read. If we did travel to the library, we had to be quiet (!) and there were no computers.

I'd say things have definitely changed. And things will still change in the library, because the world is changing. How many of us see kids text-messaging each other, when we ourselves wonder, "why don't they just talk into the phone, isn't that what it's for?" Those of us who have worked in libraries for a long time sometimes forget that what we are used to, is not always what is the best. Maybe there's a better way to get information out to people. I, for one, know that even people in my family, who should know better, are not aware of what the library has to offer. They may travel to the library to check out books, and possibly renew their books from home on-line, but other than that, I don't think they know much about what's available to them from home, in the library, or where they work.

We need to think of new ways to get the information out there. And I do think that libraries need to stay on top of technology, offer customers ways of tagging and giving more input on library catalogs, and be able to write reviews for books they've read, as they can on amazon.com, for example.