Web 2.0 Services for Smaller, Underfunded Libraries
Sarah Houghton-Jan
Senior Librarian for Digital Futures, San Jose Public Library
http://www.librarianinblack.net
1. Talk with your customers
Instant messaging is free and easy to set up, so it is being adopted relatively quickly by small libraries. Plus, you can put meebo or plugoo widgets on any page where people are likely to need help, even in the catalog.
2. Don’t pay for images
There are a lot of public domain image resources - Wikipedia has a list of many of them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources
3. Tools & mash-ups
Make free widgets available, such as catalog search toolbars, RSS feeds, etc. LibraryLookup is great for the collection development team - it adds an icon to the browser toolbar. When you are on any page that contains an ISBN (such as Amazon.com), it will check your catalog to see if you already own it.
http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/stories/2002/12/11/librarylookup.html
4. Dynamic lists
Utilize free blogging technology to blog recommended books, new books, etc. - RSS feeds are generated automatically. See http://www.aadl.org for good examples.
5. Give your library a face
Create simple library photo tours with Flickr. Decatur Public Library used it to promote their new computer lab by showing photos of their new computers. Once photos are on Flickr, you can create swag (bookmarks, stickers, etc. - need to look up something called Moo?) Nashville Public Library made avatars for all of their teen librarians to use throughout their teen site.
http://www.flickr.com
6. Audio
Audacity - free and easy sound editing. If you post your audio content in a blog, you have an automatic RSS feed.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
7. Video
Avidemux - free simple editing software. If you post your video content in a blog, you have an automatic RSS feed.
http://fixounet.free.fr/avidemux/
8. Exploit the blog format, but don’t call it a blog
Some people have preconceived notions about what a blog is, and aren’t interested in reading them, and some people don’t know what blogs are. However, you can use free blog technologies to create things like News pages and just not call them blogs.
9. RSS Feeds
See Mcmaster University Libraries for good examples.
* Post feeds through FeedSubmitter
http://www.feedsubmitter.com/
10. Help your catalog
Improve the catalog with overlays (like Aquabrowser), added content (LibraryThing for Libraries), etc.
http://www.medialab.nl/
http://www.librarything.com/forlibraries/
11. Advertise on social networks
You can purchase 5000 Facebook “flyers” for $10.00.
12. Use wiki technology for collaborative projects
13. Use free online tools
For image editing, creating surveys, recommending websites (del.icio.us, furl), etc.
http://del.icio.us
http://www.furl.net
http://www.picnik.com/
Reaction: No real surprises here, and I came away with the impression that she understood the technology more than she understood the needs of small libraries and small library patrons. A little too ‘technology for technology’s sake’ for me, but still some good ideas.
