Content & Commons: library 2.0 organizational strategies

Terry Huwe

Many interpretations = opportunity
Some questions for all organizations:

• can you foretell what classroom or library will look like in five years?
• Offices?
• Org charts?

Some challenges to face:

• we need to do more of the same, only better
• we need new roles as well

“Technologies of collaboration” are now mainstream

• it’s now vital to view technology as an enabler of community and respond accordingly
• good news: most professionals have embraced web 2.0
• but it’s crucial to build a strategy
• physical space has a new life

The 2.0 tools go well with legacy systems and are also driving space planning

Library commons is powerful

• how students work today is different from even a few years ago
• multitasking
• leverage technology

IRLE

• grand old building
• manage listservs, web presence, desktop publishing
• parley service into new space

Know the organizational setting

• disciplines collapsing
• multi-disciplinary research

Our community in context

• organized research unit at UCB
• support faculty research and doctoral-level study

Volunteered to

• run web, intranet and extranets
• become publishers of print & digital publications
• manage online conversations
• take the lead in introducing many new technologies

But 2.0 stretched imaginations

• blogging, webcasting, webconferencing, wikis
• webzine of enews (evolved from email newsletter)
• News blog – subscribes to topical news and posts it on blog for research
• from webcasts to podcasts – conference presentations are online
  • podcasts more popular than webcasts (80/20)
  • odeo – cheap alternative before committing resources

Stuff on our radar

• social bookmarking
• instant messaging
• facebook and second life
  • but only when these 2.0 tools become relevant to the organization are they implemented

The Library commons

• in academic settings, it’s a major feature for design
• fits well with 2.0 technologies
• integrated projectors
• wifi
• easy furniture
• cozy setting, good light, good place to hang out and read or work
• surprised by getting more money for print materials because of new space
• integrated environment
• information gateway – 5 PCS and 1 imac, sheet feeding scanner – anyone can come in and use the equipment
• commons helped calm a fractious environment

What we’ve learned about organizations and library 2.0

• infopros have an edge in understanding how content “feeds” communities
• IT depts. Don’t always see potential
• direct oversight of networked information and programming skill is very important
• recreational and business computing are merging, but not as fast as some think
• the larger the (academic) library, the slower the implementation process, so be a self-starter
• given that situation, individuals need to take big steps, even risks
• emphasizes individual voices

Trends to watch:

• How much authoring is going on where you work?
• What are they saying in the disciplienes
• create focus groups
• implement an interactive feature
• understand the organizational culture