IT Innovation – Web 2.0

Library and Information Service Staff Conference

Innovation and ImprovementBriefing 4

The World Wide Web has radically changed!

The term Web 2.0 is now widely usedbut just what does it mean?What is “Web 2.0” – we don’t even know how to pronounce it!

Even Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the Web, said:

“…I think Web 2.0 is…a piece of jargon, nobody even knows what it means.”

Web 2.0 is not an application, it is a state of mind.

• “an attitude, not a technology” - Ian DavisThree characteristics of Web 2.0• “Rich user interface”

– It’s attractive, not bland

• “The Web as a platform”– You can do things on it

• “Users add value”– It’s interactive

Web 2.0Includes but is not limited to:

• Blogs• Wikis

– (? Including Engage)

• RSS / Newsreaders• Tags & Social

Bookmarking• Social networks• Podcasts

• Video Blogs• Video Sharing

– (Get it loud)

• Photo Sharing– (Flickr, Slideshare)

• IM / Twitter• Mashups

Blogs

• Short for “web log”• it’s an online diary that users can read• content arranged in reverse date order

– Air your views– List new events– Talk to users and colleagues– Comments can be controlled– Other web 2.0 facets can be embedded or

included

Blog software can be locally or remotely hosted

Some examples of blogs …

Wikis

• A Hawaiian word meaning “quick” – (“the wiki wiki web”)

• A searchable knowledgebase• Collaborative – users can edit it• Shared – less bulk email!

Software can be locally or remotely hosted…

Wikipedia – uses phpwiki

Talis Engage – WiCI lantern ? Lantern WiCI?

RSS

• Short for Really Simple Syndication• Content from Web Sites published as “feeds”

– no need to check many Web Sites daily– subscribe to the “feeds”

• An effective tool for keeping up on news and trends• Spot the icon – think orange!

Newsreaders

• Need a Newsreader for RSS feeds– (RSS Reader, Feed Reader or Aggregator)

• A type of customisable newspaper– pulls content from a variety of sources into

one place

Social bookmarking (tags)

• Access your bookmarks from anywhere with an Internet connection– Not tied to Internet Explorer Favorites, Firefox

Bookmarks, or other browsers

• Stop “Folder” mentality• Categorise sites using TAGS

– Tags are a way to label data with your own words or popular words others have used

• Share them with others

Example social bookmarking networks:

My Del.icio.us …

Podcasts

• 2005 word of the year– Combines the word “iPod” with “broadcast”

• An audio file that is available through RSS– Audio on demand (mp3 popular format)– Usually have option to play file without subscribing

• Play back on computer or portable media players

• An effective way to engage youth and market library services

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast

Example library Podcasts …

Video Blogs • Sometimes shortened to

vlog• A blog whose medium is

video• Use RSS for syndication• Subscribe with aggregator• A fun way to promote

library services• Fastest growing

communication channel on the Web

Video hosting services

• YouTube

• Vimeo

• DailyMotion

• blip.tv

• Google video

• Yahoo! Video

YouTube – Get it loud in Libraries

Web cam

Example - New Darien Library web http://www.darienlibrary.org/ Connecticut

IM

• Short for Instant Messaging

• Real-time communication using typed text !(txt spk)

• Allows for easy collaboration

• Genuine conversation rather than email “letter” format

• Users know availability

Twitter

• A form of IM

• The site states:– “Twitter is a service for friends, family, and

co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing? “

• Micro-blogging

Twitter updates …

Received in the following ways:

• On twitter Website

• IM• SMS (text

messages on cell phone)

• RSS• Email

My twitter …

flickr

• Photo-sharing site

• Online community

• One of earliest Web 2.0 applications

• Many bloggers use as a photo repository

• Allows photos to be tagged and browsed

• Hosts over 2 billion images

Photo sharing sites

Many libraries are now using Web 2.0 photo sharing sites to host their images and allow users to submit their own photos of libraries, events, and contests

In Lancashire we are exploring several image projects –

Lantern Image Archive (iBase)

FLOAT (iBase)

Your View of Lancashire (website)

Social Networking Services

• Communities of people who share interests and activities

• Allow you to create a profile– Picture– Description

• Uses:– Making “friends” – keeping in touch– Making business contacts/networking

• Allow you to create groups• Upload videos, pictures, etc.

Four biggest sites –

• MySpace

• Facebook

• Bebo

• LinkedIn

Libraries using MySpace

Newcastle City Library

Libraries using MySpace

Lancaster Music Library (Get it Loud)

My Facebook …

Libraries using Facebook

US – Iowa public library, Hennepin County

Virtual Reality- Second Life

LibraryThing

• Partnership with Talis• British Library Holdings• Developments in Talis Prism 3.0

A sample LibraryThing mashup

– Los Gatos Public Library, California

An interactive library?

Familiar:• Programs• Catalogues• Websites

Social Networking:• Potential to connect these 3 pillars and take user

interaction to a new dimension• Challenge:

– Convincing the doubters

It’s Not Just MySpace!

• Social web much richer than MySpace alone• It represents a cultural shift towards:

– Expression– Collaboration– Interaction

• Internet users not satisfied with just reading Web pages

• They interact online with bank, shops, and (why not?) their library!

How Do We Get There?

• Education– today is just the start

• Imagination– Apply the social web to the library

• Interaction– Make your library interactive

• Communication– Get key people enthused to integrate social

networking into existing library activities

Why do we need to do it?

Some statistics …• Over 66% of Britons use the Internet

(www.internetworldstats.com)

• A higher percentage of UK population have broadband at home than in the US

• Over 85% of parents with teenagers use the Internet

(www.pewinternet.org)• There were 72,000,000 visitors to MySpace in

October 2007(http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/28/social- site-rankings-

october-2007/)

Challenges to Web 2.0

• Change of culture – affecting staff and users

• Time

• Access – through secure local authority network

• Inward looking policy – (must we hold everything on OUR website?)

Opportunities for Web 2.0

• Engage with users– listen to them and respond

• Provide a richer service

• Reach non-library users– let them know we are here– and what we’ve got to offer

• Put our resources out where THEY are– not wait for them to come to us!