Thing 2 - Library 2.0

Well, this is both overwhelming and exciting! Where will we find the time? Stephen Abram is right in saying that we find time for things that are important to us, but sometimes that's a bit simplistic. Right now I have a little time to work on this - creating a blog, reading & watching the Library 2.0 info - and last week I didn't. No extra time, no matter how important I might have thought this is. But if we make learning about emerging technologies and envisioning the possibilities a priority, then at some point they will happen. It just can't always be at the "when-I-can-get-around-to-it" part of our to do lists.

I looked at the comments-enabled feature of Hennepin County's catalog. What a great addition! What a way to get people to "buy in" to the importance of libraries. I have no idea if that type of feature is in development for our automation system, but I hope so.

One of these articles talked a lot about staff participation and involvement in these ongoing changes. "We trust our staff and we know that when we expect the best of people that is usually what we get." Again, the "buy in" factor is vital to the success of Library 2.0-like tools. If most, if not all, staff don't believe this kind of change is even desirable, not to mention essential, then a lot of changes are doomed. In my library, we've been dealing with difficult budget situations for so long and the staff is stretched so thin, it's hard to muster up enthusiasm and energy for working out how to implement change. But if we can do so, it *is* invigorating to embark on something new. I don't know how we get beyond cynicism. If the workload were not so overwhelming, then there's more space for contemplating change and service improvements. This is pretty rambling and perhaps more negative than I intend. But it's kinda what I'm thinking about these possibilities.

What I'm looking forward to in the program? Direction. Possibilities. Ideas. 

It *is* exciting.