I had the great delight of being able to attend a talk in Melbourne, given by Stephen Abrams on Friday just gone, entitled Web 2.0 and Library 2.0: competing in a Google World - hosted by CAVAL. Although it was over 3 hours long, I took even more copious notes than I usually do, so this will be long. As they are notes relating to where I am at, I apologise if they don’t make a lot of sense out of my context. As this post will also be a combination of what Stephen said and a little of what I am thinking, I will differentiate it by putting my thoughts into italics. Here goes:

Broadband is becoming more widespread - in Toronto, Canada, it is available for free through their power lines! As this spreads even further, it raises a threat to libraries as destinations. What are we doing about that?

Google is great for the who, what, where and when questions. Libraries are better for the how and why questions. Our quality of information and our intervention through the reference interview, helping the user to better define their information need, beats a general internet search every time. How do we communicate that to our users and potential users?

Video games, which are contentious in libraries world wide, are important to libraries, not only to attract young users, but because that type of interface is how we will interact with computers in the future. If people aren’t learning to use them now, they will have to do a lot of catching up later. Add the strategy, information and research that goes into some of these games and it becomes more than a mindless distraction.

Be smart in how you do information literacy. One library did a session “Pimp my MySpace account” and in the midst of glamming up the graphics, adding plugins etc, subtly taught on privacy (ie. do you really want that photo to come up when you are running for Supreme Court justice?)

There were more changes in the mid 20th century, than there have been in the last 15 years - electricity, refrigeration, commercial flight, television, moon landing, computers started, etc. However, although the last 15 years has been relatively slow in terms of change, its now going to get a lot faster.

SHIFT happens! :)

Libraries have been cataloguing websites, but can’t keep up with the changes. Should we be doing that? (Stephen thinks not)

We need to move forward, success in the past does not guarantee success in the future.

Virtual services from a library need to work as a branch, with branch staff etc, meeting the needs of the virtual users. What are their demographics, their languages etc. Toronto’s website is now available in 27 languages!

Books are not at risk - publishing and book sales are still increasing. Libraries may be.

Changed priorities ahead - no stopping at any time - we need to keep moving, keep innovating.
When we study something to death, death is not our goal! Experiment by doing!

Why should people use a library when there’s Google? We are not information professionals, but knowledge professionals. We help to link the user to the information, thereby assisting the process of making knowledge. We have to teach how to find, not to search. Libraries have to put themselves at the point that users come in (ie. lesson level on a uni website).

Isn’t this just the best time to be in libraries?
What do we do best? - create an experience, improve the quality of the question and support community and learning. Librarians like to answer questions, unfortunately for us to be approached means that the user has to admit that they don’t know something and that is hard!

Questions to consider:
1. How will libraries address the localisation of search?
With the introduction of Google Maps, Google Scholar and Msn near me, that local advantage that libraries have is being threatened.
2. How will libraries address the need for scholarly search?
MS Academic has 120 databases. Need to be focusing on tools, toolbars, virtual reference, connecting through social networks, OPEN URL compliancy etc.
3. How will libraries inter-operate with blended learning alternatives?
Live Meeting, Web CT and Blackboard are beginning to aim at public libraries. We can use them to help users upskill - continuous learning - facts are changing!
4. How will libraries evolve to include next generation communication devices?
Wireless through powerlines. Mobile phones becoming even more prominent. XML is important as it senses the device it is being sent to and reformats appropriately. Portals and portlets.
5. When will libraries deal with Millenials and post Millenials?
They have bigger brains and IQs. Characteristics are as much about upbringing as environment. Eyes move differently around a screen than boomers and xers. Use Jakob Neilsens rules on websites, will meet both needs. Websites can use more info density, don’t need lots of white space. Boys read more than girls if you count games. Up to 18, girls do more literature reading, whilst boys do more episodic reading (ie. games), after 18 it reverses. There have been changes to all age groups - young adults, seniors, working class/poor - the general public is not so general anymore. As there are different intelligence and learning styles (7), interfaces have to support the widest range of these.
6. When will libraries focus more on the user experiences and less on what staff needs?
Whose pain is being assuaged? Use products to free staff to do other things that support this goal. Tools include: federated and targeted search, Open URL, Portals, blogs and RSS, virtual ref etc.
7. When will real questions of governance and productivity be addressed?
Its about relationships - IT, web design, HR systems, registrations systems,
Its about sharing information - knowledge management
Its about cooperating - instant messaging, texting
There are more millenials now than Boomers - need to get them now!
8. Where will we find risk takers, innovators, etc?
Social networking sites such as FaceBook and MySpace. Need to have a presence there. Growth in Australia on MySpace and Bebo rivals that in the US.
9. What are the benefits of Web 2.0 for libraries?
Need to help invent the future by being a part of it or it will just roll over the top of us and leave us behind. Use the technologies as a tool for what we want to achieve, not as end in itself.
10. Where we find the vision?
Focus. Great expectations, the future is already here, its just not widespread enough. Librarian 2.0 plays!

So that’s what I noted. The even greater benefit was the ideas, thoughts and inspirations it generated, which will hopefully outwork to things that will be of benefit to my library service and our users.