When I first created an account with Pandora Internet Radio, I sent an email to the generic “contact us” email link. Tim (the founder) wrote back - we exchanged a few emails about the service, and he ultimately sent me a T-shirt to wear as an ambassador for Pandora. When the Internet radio was first threatened by increased royalty fees (waaaaaay more than satellite radio pays), Tim sent out a mass email with steps users could take to support the industry. And I, for the first time in my life, called and emailed my representatives in Congress.
Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 means to me that we can engage patrons in a meaningful way - by now, so much of our business is conducted online, and we have the opportunity to add a human touch, a face, to remote library services. (Watching the Stephen Abram video made me realize that I had heard his name before, and had seen evidence of his leadership in the library world, but I had never seen him.) I like Sarah’s definition of Library 2.0, too, because it doesn’t emphasize the technical. Yes, the technical is important and priority should be given to a strong web presence. The 2.0 mindset, which includes trusting our patrons, is the important part for me. The tools simply provide a way for the library to remain relevant, for for us to engage patrons in a way that could lead to a feeling ownership (read: connectedness) with their library.
Just like Tim from Pandora did with me.
So far, my use of 2.0 tools in my work include the following: I provide IM reference and have contributed to HCL’s online reader’s community - Bookspace. I have a facebook group for my library with 23 members, and hold gaming programs (that my teen volunteers lead, bringing me back to trust in others). And I have embraced ‘non-authoritative data’ particularly in Reader’s Advisory tools. So, I’m looking forward to Thing 14 - LibraryThing.
justkatherine