Exploring Web 2.0

There has been a lot of hype recently about Web 2.0 and social networking sites. As a librarian, you can't escape it; every professional journal has at least one monthly article on the subject. Facebook, MySpace, RSS, podcasts, blogs... what do they entail and how can they affect us? Is Web 2.0 a fad or is it the next evolution of the internet?

To better answer these questions, we need to explore and discover for ourselves what exactly Web 2.0 is, and if this technology would be an effective tool to reach our patrons and visitors. Along these lines, we have devised a 9-week program based on a similar program, Learning 2.0, created by Helene Blowers of the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County in August of 2006.

Blowers credits Stephen Abram's article 43 things I (or you) might want to do this year (Information Outlook -- February 2006) and the website 43 Things with the spark that ignited the idea for establishing Learning 2.0 and her list of 23 Things. Since her program began, over 250 libraries have duplicated or adapted the program under licensing by Creative Commons.

Our program will seek to accomplish 23 things over a nine-week period. Each week a new set of tasks will be posted. No more than three tasks will be assigned for any one-week period; although, some weeks may have optional challenges for overachievers. With each week, participants should post a blog (the task for Week 1 is to sign up for a blogger.com account) and describe which sites they visited, what they liked or didn't like, and if the VHS could benefit from the site.

Staff members who participate (by completing all the exercises) will be eligible to enter a drawing for an iPod. The only means we will have to base eligibility will be your blog posts. At the very least, you should have one post for each week detailing your thoughts on all the exercises.

Staff who participate in this program are encouraged to take fifteen to thirty minutes a week to complete the tasks. This program is an opportunity for self-directed learning. We will not be offering workshops or classes, rather we are providing you with a weekly nudge to explore new web sites at your own pace. It is acceptable to work in pairs or small groups, but each individual must post in his/her own blog.