Last week, some of us went to the Bridging Worlds conference. And TNL’s take on it ? Lots of interesting stuff happening in Web 2.0 or Library 2.0, learnt that I have to cope with being a new 8th Age of librarian on top of all the other Ages, etc, etc. Anything inspiring? Not really. Anything insightful? Let me see… nope. Not quite. All right – anything TNL can use to apply? Well, yah, I guess.
At the risk of my boss saying, “Why we send you to conferences, ah?”, I would like to quickly say there is one little nugget TNL thinks worth mining. Our Rambling Librarian (He draws. Did you know that? What do you draw, RL?) and one of our participants asked this question – How do we get people to participate in Web 2.0? RL had one slide that says it all – get people to leave comments on blogs. They don’t need to start blogs, etc. Just leave their comments. Huh. Quite a little gem, don’t you think? Out of the slew of all the fancy stuff, this stood out.
But what would motivate librarians to leave comments or to participate in any way? I would participate if it is something I feel strongly about (either really lurvvve it or want to kill it and put myself out of the misery). So to me, TNL, it is a matter of wanting to experience it. I guess that is what Web 2.o is all about – participating, collaborating, sharing, experiencing.
Now, the trick is how do you get librarians to feel strongly enough to want to post a comment?
Well, bosses send us to conferences not just to learn but also to network…:) As for the web/library 2.0, I think alot is about experimenting and finding out whether it suits the needs of your library. And whether we have the time to do so. Also, some of us may have to shed this inherent nature of being overly cautious and start trying out new technologies, me included 🙂
Conference is a good place and opportunity for people of the same interest, profession and passion to network, share and learn from each other. In terms of new technolgies, there must be enough of resources, both human resource and capital, before it can be rolled out to the community at large. Also, one must dare to try out as Dale Carnegie quote “All life is a chance. The person who goes farthest is the one who is willing to do and dare.”
Thanks!
Aiya, networking is a given and a done deal. Being cautious and experimenting? I believe librarians are innately curious and insatiable when it comes to trying out new stuff. The question is how this desire to learn and experiment drive them in this 8th new age of librarianship. Or not? Has experimentation become a luxury of time or an worse still, an indulgence? So the Rambling Librarian may have hit the nail on the spot – start small.
Hi TNL, this is what I draw!
You’re right you know. About how it’s about people wanting to experience it. Cos blogging is an experience rather than publishing (well it can be the latter, but that’s just using a blog tool rather than blogging).
I don’t have answers to your last question. Perhaps the only answer is “when they feel the time is right”. 🙂