it’s all about the user

It’s All About the User: Libraries, Technology, and the

FutureCliff Landis

Technology LibrarianValdosta State University

• Mandi & Jer

© Amanda Landis-Hanna

© Amanda Landis-Hanna

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanc/311882431/

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Where’s all this “2.0” stuff going?

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Just a little theory…

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1.0 2.0

3.0 4.0

A little history…http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanan_cohen/455243239/

1.0

http://flickr.com/photos/steffe/154686864/

• Connects Information– Web sites– Databases– FTP– Search Engines

• Built on the author/reader model

2.0• Connects People– Email– Social networking

sites– Gaming– IM– RSS– Wikis

http://flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/389360490/

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/habibmi/222280353/

The Machine is Us/ing Us

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

Some Principles of Library 2.0• The library is everywhere.• The library has no barriers.• The library invites participation.• The library uses flexible, best-of-breed systems.• The library encourages the heart.• The library is human.• The library recognizes that its users are human too.• Harness the library user in both design and implementation of

services• Library users should be able to craft and modify library

provided services

http://tametheweb.com/2005/12/the_collected_principles_of_li.html

It is NEVER a mistake to give the user more options

http://flickr.com/photos/bunchofpants/36924662/

In the past librarians have…

• Provided services without asking users what they want

• Made changes without consulting users• Handed over services (such as the OPAC) to

for-profit businesses• Made users jump through the hoops we

created for them

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But Now…

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So What’s on the Horizon?

3.0• Connects

Knowledge• Reannotation

of the Web• Top-Down– Agents

• Bottom-Up– Subjects– Tagging

http://flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/303503677/

Order + Chaos =

• A place for everything, and everything in its place

http://www.flickr.com/photos/materialboy/52523850/

Moving Beyond Text

• Looks Like:– Etsy– Like–Riya

• Sounds Like:–Pandora–Midomi

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7573579@N08/438287251/

4.0• Connects Intelligence• Group/Enterprise

minds (tribes)• Information + people

+ technology = intelligence

• Automated Serendipity

http://flickr.com/photos/burnblue/937198180/

So what should we do?

• As library workers, how will we respond to these changes?• How do we keep

up?

Librarian Stereotype

http://www.flickr.com/photos/librarianavengers/269737140/

We must find out what users

•WANT– Social space– Help at the point of need– Collaboration– A voice in how things are

done– It NOW– It fixed YESTERDAY– Options

•NEED– High quality information– Assistance finding/using that

information– Lifelong learning skills– Information evaluation skills– Technology skills– A quiet place to study

We must provide BOTH

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Have a CONVERSATION(and not just with other library workers!!!)

• Blogs• Focus

Groups

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tychay/513712600/

• Social Networking

• Polls

Please, think of the users…

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/redvers/532076662/

http://flickr.com/photos/fensterbme/275447170/

http://flickr.com/photos/stevedave/388341774/

http://flickr.com/photos/kt/62172891/

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http://blaugh.com/cartoons/060705_oldman_myspace_a.gif

http://www.flickr.com/photos/inertiacreeps/407007831/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nirak/2035550177/

http://flickr.com/photos/misshaley/515045131/

http://flickr.com/photos/cgc/21744958/

http://flickr.com/photos/sukisuki/218038756/

http://flickr.com/photos/bre/228920128/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/278227213/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/omaromar/21831833/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/redspotted/272109/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davitru/1621601690/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/larskflem/37639798/

What the future holds…

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How to not be left behind…

• talk to your users & find out what they want

• use the tools that they are using

• broadcast what you're doing

• "earn your audience"

http://flickr.com/photos/vermininc/2337307518/

Fear Not!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amigadave/350299827/

Baby Steps

• 10-15 minutes a day to learn new things

• One tool at a time• Limit your information

intake• People are your best

source for information• Share what you learn

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959864706/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthandeden/498037026/

Best jumping off point?

TameTheWeb.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drachmann/327122302/