Task 3 'Emerging technologies changing our service delivery models'

Task 3 'Emerging technologies changing our service delivery models' by Mary Ann Kajewski. In a posting of about 600 words can you briefly describe some of these emerging technologies?

Kajewski gives an overview of emerging Web 2.0 technologies, with examples, that libraries can use to create an accessible online community for its users. It is important for library services to embrace and use new technologies for fear of becoming redundant, especially for the youth market, who, according to Stevens are much more tech-fluent than most librarians (2006 cited in Kajewski 2006).

Blogs

Blogs are a good example of a user centred technology that enables the library service to communicate information with the user. The delivery of the service is enhanced by the user’s ability to interact with the library and communicate with other users in an online environment. Libraries use blogs to promote their services and using an RSS feed, the user is able to keep up to date with current events and comment on them. A useful listing of library blogs can be found at Libraries Interact (2008).

Other examples of using blogs for communication in the library is the blogs, books and buddies blog (Library Lady 2008) that was created collaboratively between the Conway Public Library in New Hampshire and Moreland City Libraries in Victoria. The Youth Services Librarians created this blog together for their respective junior reading groups as a way to promote reading and communication between a group of Australian and American children. Another example of using a blog for youth services is Inside a Dog, which is an initiative of the Centre of Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria (insideadog 2008).

Wikis

A wiki is an online tool that enables users tow contribute to a body of knowledge in an organised fashion. It is described as a democratic use of the web (Kajewski, 2006) and similar to a blog requires no technical expertise to utilise. Wikinorthia, which is primarily a local history wiki is an example of a collaborative project between three Melbourne library services, Moreland, Darebin and Yarra Plenty. The Wikinorthia project invites participants to contribute their stories as a means of documenting life in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne (Wikinorthia 2008). Public libraries have always held local history collections and the service delivery model in this case is completely online and available at all times to users and contributors.

An excellent example on an online community is Kidstrategies, a wiki created by and for Youth Services Librarians. This wiki is proving to be a great professional resource (kidstrategies 2008). Youth Service Librarians meet and share ideas to serve their users, but this element of a library 2.0 model enables professional research at any time.

Podcasts and Vodcasts

Library service delivery is greatly enhanced by audio files or podcasts and video files or vodcasts. Podcasts are added to a feed reader such as NewsGator, and are then able to be accessed immediately or downloaded to an MP3 player. An interesting set of podcasts is to be found at the State Library of Victoria (2008). Instructional vodcasts are to be found on the Southern Cross University website (2008).

RSS feeds and aggregators

RSS, or really simple syndication enables the efficient delivery of website content. Web 2.0 environments encourage content change, and using an RSS aggregator to deliver these changes means the user is able to browse many sites in a more efficient way. Newsgator (2008) alerts new content to blogs, wikis and news sites. Organisations such as ALIA use RSS capability to deliver the latest news in the professional realm, Eastern Regional Library has book reviews and events, the State Library of Victoria can send you its latest news.

Kajewski highlights the importance of library staff educating themselves in Web 2.0 applications in order to address the information needs of clients and future patrons by providing simple access to ‘what they want, when they want it and how they want it’ (Kajewski 2008).

References

Inside a dog 2008, Your Say, 26 August 2008, blog, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, Viewed 1 September 2008, <http://www.insideadog.com.au/yoursay/indexphp>.

Kajewski, M 2007, ‘Emerging technologies changing our service delivery models’, The Electronic Library, Vol. 25, No. 4.

Libraries Interact 2008, Aussie Library Blogs, 27 August 2008, blog, Wordpress, Viewed 1 September 2008,
<http://librariesinteract.info/australian-library-blogs/>.

Library Lady 2008, Blogs, Books and Buddies, September 1 2008, Blog, Blogger.com, viewed 1 September 2008, <http://auus4321.blogspot.com/>.

Newsgator 2008, home page, Newsgator Technologies, viewed 1 September 2008, <http://www.newsgator.com/>.

Southern Cross University Library 2008, Library Catalogue, 1 July 2008, Southern Cross University, viewed 1 September 2008, <http://www.scu.edu.au/library/index.php/129/>.

State Library of Victoria 2008, State Library of Victoria RSS feeds and Podcasts, 25 January 2008, State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 1 September 2008<http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/about/site/feeds/index.html>.

Stephens, M 2006, Weblogs and Libraries, SirsiDynix Institute Video, <www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/viewvideo.php?vid=20060215>.

Wikinorthia 2008, Wikinorthia: Documenting life in Melbourne’s North, Wiki, Mediawiki, Melbourne, viewed 1 September 2008, <http://www.wikinorthia.net.au/>.