What are the practical applications of Web 2.0 for our library patrons? This is the question that occurred to me way back in December 2006 when I attended an OLC workshop on Web 2.0 at the Westerville Public Library.
I am sure many of you are familiar with the "lightbulb moment" that 1st and 2nd grade teachers see all of the time, when their students finally understand how to read. Picture a lightbulb turning on in a little bubble above your customer's head, like in the comic strips. I have had a few of these illuminating moments with library customers here in Science, Business & News.
My lightbulb moments have occured on two memorable occasions. The first one was when I demonstrated how a group of market researchers could set up a feed reader (I used my MyYahoo! account to demonstrate), then feed in full text trade journal articles from EbscoHost Research Databases, or ProQuest Direct. A feed reader can also help you keep track of news and research developments in your industry. One of the workshop attendees actually said "Aha".
My second lightbulb moment was with a library patron who is starting up a nonprofit organization. He was looking for ways to communicate with other social entrepreneurs in the Columbus Metro area. I demonstrated to him how he could set up a Delicious account, and participate in social bookmarking. He said that a Delicious account would help him keep track of valuable articles that he finds online, and make his search for funding more efficient.
Took Me a Minute... But listen...
1 year ago