Can web-based resources provide what libraries do?
Posted September 11, 2007 · by Melissa T. · in social networking, web 2.0
I don’t mean what you think I mean… I know you can get books, journals and wonderful rich resources online. I am looking more at what brings people IN to the library… or BACK to the social network.
Stephen Abram presented on “The Future of Search” a couple of ALA conferences ago… he said that if online searches answer all the questions, people will stay home and search. But they don’t. They come to the library… for learning and community. If that’s true, then the library’s biggest competitor is not Google but Facebook! Sites that allow users to share their interests and find connections, these are the communities that people gravitate to.
Ask anyone between 13 and 20 and odds are good, they are into Facebook. Tags, groups, friends and places important to us… that’s what is shared. But what drives this? I think that they are sharing more than is evident at first glance… view someone’s profile and you see inside their heart and mind, you can “see” their aspirations.
So what does this mean to educators and librarians? I am not sure but I have a few ideas for how to find out.
First, try what they’re trying. Be a participant in the process of creation. I’m making a stab at it…
- I’m in Facebook.
- I’ve got a Catalog on LibraryThing.
- Then there is this blog…
Then, work to apply what we learn to provide context for our audience, whether it is an online class of students or a web-based community of teachers across the state. The more we come from a place of cooperation, collaboration and imagination the more we’ll help our community to BE a community and to make sense of the stuff they need and want to learn. We are the coach, helping people work through their stuff and move forward.
Sort of evolutionary, eh? Adapt or die. But that sounds so negative… change is awesome!
