Week 13: Evaluating social software for libraries

Wow! We're almost finished! This has been a quick term - and I have learned so much in such a short time about social software and how it can be incorporated into libraries for and by librarians. I wanted to focus this week on the two questions from the course syllabus and discuss my personal experiences with social software this term.

Does social software have a place in library service provision?

Absolutely! Certain social software tools can fit so seamlessly into our services as librarians that it would be an oversight for organizations not to examine them. Before taking this course I have to admit that I was wary. I think I had seen the term "web 2.0" so many times in my readings for other courses that I thought it was just another buzzword that might not have much substance to it. What I realize now is that I was missing a discussion of real, practical applications of social software tools in libraries. I have benefited more from using the tools and learning about them, than thinking about the 2.0 concept theoretically and not being able to examine it practically. Social software does have a place in library service provision - I think that information organizations need to examine the idea theoretically as well as explore individual tools to determine which ones will fit best into their organizations.

What social software applications can be harnessed by information organizations?

There are a couple of social software applications that I think could be easily incorporated into services for most information organizations. These also happen to be my two personal favorites, and they both compete for first place for me for different reasons.

1. RSS: I love it! We can use RSS everywhere from library catalogues and databases to blogs to having del.icio.us bookmark feeds. RSS helps us to personalize, customize, and have information sent directly to us. We can organize feeds to view in an aggregator and syndicate external feeds for viewing on our own websites. Its easy to learn and relatively easy to manipulate for slightly more complicated uses. It is the one social software application that I think is central to all others. We find RSS feeds for blogs, wikis, and for social bookmarking/tagging sites. For me personally, RSS has become a part of my daily routine through the use of Bloglines. I am easily able to keep up with dozens of my favorite websites and feeds now and I can access them from anywhere.
2. Wikis: I have found wikis to have exceptional potential for use in libraries as well. I think they can be used both for helping library staff organize and communicate information as well as for communicating and collaborating on information development for (and by) users. I particularly like them as intranet-types of websites, since they are so easy to use and develop. I also like them as collaborative subject guides, since they provide an opportunity for many people to contribute their knowledge and favorite resources for the benefit of a group of users. I developed a wiki prototype for my final project and I was impressed by how easy it was to use and how easy it is to incorporate other social software (RSS, photos, videos) into it as well.

I feel that there are valid uses for the other social software applications as well. Blogging, media-sharing, folksonomies, gaming, and online social networks each have interesting uses in libraries, as we've explored in the past several weeks. The one application that I am most unsure of is virtual worlds. They might be useful in very particular circumstances, but the technical requirements and expertise required to use them could be a hindrance for libraries, which usually operate on tight budgets.

Well, that's all for this week...best practices and thoughts on the course next week...