This post is in response to the library website module and the recent discovery I made that my local doesn't have one! They do have a paragraph on the council's website explaining where they are located. This wouldn't be so insane if they hadn't recently began a 1.6 million dollar refurbishment that is only mentioned in two places on the council's website (one of which is a broken link so you can't access that story and the other is how they are at a temporary location during the refurbishment due for completion August this year). I won't mention which library because I don't want this page to be one of the few a search engine returns for people looking for info but they claim to be one of the largest library networks in Sydney and many of the branches are undergoing similar refurbishment.
Sorry, Kevin Costner but "if you build it he will come" coming across the corn field in a hushed ominous voice just won't cut it anymore. You need to market your services to get the crowds and you need to market them where the crowds will see them. So, that is where they should be concentrating their efforts right now: Web 2.0 technologies to market the vastly improved library/libraries in their system to make the 1.6 million money well spent.
Web 2.0 technologies they need? I think they should concentrate on getting some Web 1.0 technologies first! Seriously, who doesn't at least have a fleshed out portal on the council's website in this day and age? A webpage with OPAC access, info on interim library services, a blog to keep the community updated on the progress of the upgrade and while they are at it add all the bells and whistles of modern websites. But they have taken some Web 2.0 strides in the form of social networking though I think it was drunkenly done as a joke by a librarian with a warped sense of humor. Seriously, their facebook page must be a joke (it has pictures of a woman holding her dogs and a dog in a santa hat as its only pictures the comments of which are in spanish and don't even think they were taken near the library). I am not the most savvy facebook user but even I could do better than this. They should take some tips on how to utilise facebook from the strip club that is listed in the places nearby on their page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sefton-Playhouse/150850011621800 - that's how you make facebook tastelessly work for you!). I'm not suggesting sexy librarian pics to spice up the library's page but anything would be an improvement on the lady with her dogs.
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