Response: Meredith Farkas Lecture

The video of Meredith Farkas’ lecture really got me excited about the future of libraries because she addressed so many ways to achieve what she calls Library 2.0, or this idea of a collaborative library system. I got a lot out of this lecture because these are things I think about everyday in my job. I could compare what she was talking about with a real, functioning library system while at the same time evaluate what we’ve done in our library system to make us more 2.0 and, more specifically, what I’ve done personally in my position to make the library more 2.0 (without knowing that this was a buzzword or that these concepts were significant).

Since I’ve worked in the library system, we’ve made several advances in making our library more user-friendly and more tech. savvy. We’ve implemented an online eBook and audiobook service so people can download from home. I started a Facebook page and blogs for the library as ways to get our name out there and become more interactive with our community. I also ran an in-house “librarian recommendations” display to make us seem more friendly, which admittedly was stolen directly from bookstore marketing techniques. Our eBooks are now IPhone compatible.

But there are things we still can’t quite manage. We may have material patrons can use on their IPhone, but I don’t think any staff members could actually help if a patron had issues. We can’t quite manage to open an hour earlier on Saturdays to accommodate the hundreds of people just across the street from us at the farmer’s market. We have had the workings of placing online holds ready for almost a year and still haven’t managed to get it out to the public.

But I think that the more we can push forward to accomplish these things, the more it puts the library into focus and not only will more people use it more often, more people will use the library in different ways. This seems to be where we, as a profession, are headed. Perhaps some day we will be able to put into place more collaborative concepts like visible comments, catalog tagging, and what have you. I think some people will embrace this and some people will never quite get there.

Farkas does mention the fact that not all library users will appreciate these technologically advanced services. I think she is absolutely right. I don’t often work on the service floors, but when I do I am amazed at how many patrons are resistant to and almost fearful of something as simple as learning to use our online catalog computer stations to see if we have what they’re looking for. The replacement of a physical card catalog to a digital one took place many, many years ago, and yet, daily we have people who come in and prefer not to use it. So, in ways, I think the gap in what all patrons want widens further as we progress with Library 2.0 services. Trying to navigate on which party to focus your services, or how to find a balance between the two will be of utmost importance.