Library 2.0 conference

I went to a conference at UC Berkeley yesterday on library 2.0. Some ideas stand out:

1. If you create a blog or a wiki in order for people to be able to see what you have to offer, you may be disappointed that nobody comes and finds you. You have to market your blog and get your name "out there" in the social networking groups or you'll be spending a lot of time for no purpose. People won't just stumble onto your blog.

2. Introverts who don't like to spend a lot of time face to face with folks often really enjoy being "out there" with lots of rather personal information and people. They become extroverts online.

3. Blogs are great for creating an online archive of information that would otherwise get buried in someone's computer files or email. I think we should start a blog for library facilities - where we can discuss the "why" behind policies and best practices during emergencies, and resolution to facility concerns. A suggestion blog might be great as well. People who are interested could subscribe, then when new items get posted, they'll be notified.

4. I like the idea of putting photos from our Special Collections on FLICKR.

5. To begin with, the Internet was for easy access to information. Now, the web is for participating in creating the world of information. Web 2.0 is about easy, intuitive editing and publishing as a natural part of daily life. We all want access to all information and we think we can get what we need in an hour on the web to make all of the decisions that we face.

6. I think that "screencasts" - creating a video of what someone is doing on their screen would be a great training tool for learning how to use new PeopleSoft modules, etc. Then I could watch someone walk through how to do e-recruit without having to spend hours in the usual online training. Watching someone navigate the screens and a good guideline for questions that might arise, and I'd be good to go.

7. Who are the people we should be looking for to join our library staff? James Neal at Columbia University is looking for people with a commitment to rigor, to research and development, to assessment and evaluation. People with the ability to write and pitch a story -- people with marketing and communication skills. People who will engage in the campus community and get involved in the politics. People who are able to be innovative and take their idea from conception through to final evaluation -- people with project development and management skills. He is looking for entrepreneurial skills, resource development, leadership, and people with inspirational capacity. Oh, and of course, people with deep subject and technical expertise. Wow!