Library 2.0 - ASU - OLJ

Adopters of Web 2.0 technologies can be judged of their effectiveness against the philosophical 4C principles that underlie: collaboration, conversation, community and content creation. The Arizona State University (ASU) Library could be argued to be an example of a library that aspires to successfully leverage Web 2.0 technologies but have they realised this when measured against the philosophical underlying 4C’s?

Collaboration – to collaborate, as defined in its broadest sense, is to “Work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort” (Farlex, 2013). By this definition, ASU makes attempts to collaborate with its users to build better library services. The video Library Minute: The Social Connection (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohyqXAhLgsM) is about library seeking to collaborate with its users through the various channels it has for communication. Though in a Web 2.0 sense this is not what is meant by collaboration, it is still admirable.

Conversation – to converse, as it would be most appropriate in Web 2.0 usage, is “interchange of thoughts and feelings; conversation” (Farlex, 2013). The Library Minute: The Social Connection is all about trying to engage the users in conversation to improve library service. Furthermore, the channels they provide on their website (http://lib.asu.edu/librarychannel/) to facilitate this conversation are numerous: facebook, twitter and ask-a-librarian. Moreover, they offer other one way channels of communication (YouTube, flickr, vimeo and the online suggestion box) for those who prefer this type of communication to achieve similar ends.

Community – in the Web 2.0 sense encourages “Sharing, participation and fellowship” (Farlex, 2013). I would argue that videos posted on Fun Things to Do at the Library (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOsiYx9orK8) and Exhibits (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJAPIimv6MY) are an attempt by ASU to create a sense of community. Furthermore, ASU’s social networking platforms keep their community informed of events of interest held by the library that would serve to strengthen the bonds of community between the library and its users. Though, these are not community in the Web 2.0 sense they are still good library practice.

Content Creation – this is where ASU truly stumbles in meeting the 4C’s in the slightest. ASU does not offer a way for its users to be content creators. Though they do encourage open access through the ASU Digital Repository (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO38zHPhNQI&list=PLCA6A813AA9C9A574).

However, the success of a library should not be measured against Web 2.0 criteria: Library 2.0 criteria provide a much better measure. Casey and Savastinuk (2006) ask “What makes a service Library 2.0?” (para.20). It is any service that: successfully reaches users, is frequently evaluated, makes use of customer input and perhaps most importantly is physical or virtual (Casey and Savastinuk, 2006).  By that standard ASU may not be flawlessly Web 2.0 yet but they are a good example of a Library 2.0 institution. They are where their users want and need them like being available 24/7 on mobile devices (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ1ZjStKny0), inviting study spaces (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi_SGY8niCY) and they offer a range of technologies that improve the catalogue (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4Row35FdVA&list=PLCA6A813AA9C9A574 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNe6yBSaORc). And isn’t all that improvement more important in the end?

Bibliography

Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2006). Library 2.0: Service for the next-generation library. Library Journal. Retrieved April 2013, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html

Farlex. (2013). Collaborate. Retrieved April 2013, from The Free Online Dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/collaborate

Farlex. (2013). Community. Retrieved April 2013, from The Free Online Dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/community

Farlex. (2013). Converse. Retrieved April 2013, from The Free Online Dictionary: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/converse