2.0 blots

I feel hopelessly behind when I look at all I need to learn about 2.0! Thanks to the Texas Two-Step, I'll learn to use some of them.

Web 2.0 is exciting – there are so many ways to do so many different things. How do I find time to learn to use all those new techniques? Once I learn to use them, how can I put them to practice in my library? I see other libraries using YOU tube in many different ways to promote programs and libraries in general, and I’m impressed. But I wonder, who is actually looking at library entries on YOU tube other than other librarians? Can it be measured? What studies have been completed? Are there any statistics out there that show our patrons are being helped by these new methods?

I looked at the job seeker information page on Houston Public Library’s website and I was impressed. I liked the practical information available to job seekers. I looked at how they promoted the use of Linked-In and the fact they had online training for beginners on how to use it. I liked it; I sent the URL for the site to my son who has been unemployed in the housing construction industry for 9 months. That job seeker site IS an effective use of 2.0 practices!

How do small staffs in small libraries find time to construct such useful sites? Do we all need to re-invent the wheel, or can we piggy back off some other library’s creation? Can Plink-It provide such connections built into its template?

At this point, I see 2.0 as one step at a time for a small library. Learn one technique and put it into practice. See where the steps lead.