Library 2.0 and Web 2.0 (#14)

I read several articles on 2.0 and looked at some relevant websites. Library 2.0 has strong implications for user education, communication and outreach, marketing and pr, research and reference activities, internal collaboration, and just about everything else. It's not a static thing; it will keep evolving, and with it the need to keep assessing tools, applications and opportunities. There's great interest among many patrons in social networking apps, blogging, podcasts, etc, and we can be a resource for them as well as using the technologies to spread information. But there's also a large group that really struggles with very basic technology, from e-mail to simple internet searching to the online catalog, and needs a lot of help with those basic things.
It seems like the catalog is challenging for a lot of users on many levels. They may be used to Google or Amazon or other online search tools which provide hints and suggestions (e.g. 'did you mean') if you misspell or don't know the exact phrase or terms. And the Dewey headings can be pretty unintuitive. Tags could help some. In any case, there's a wide range of user needs when it comes to tools and technology of 2.0

Looking beyond technology (some say technology is an enabler of the 2.0 principles and philosophy, but not the main thing), library design and organization can play a role too. Some libraries are using a bookstore model to present collections, to make it easier for patrons to find categories like cookbooks, health and fitness, travel, etc. It's also interesting to see how layout and space organization can affect use, particularly with so many different uses and functions that need to be accomodated -- technology users, readers and researchers who want quiet, students who need collaboration and discussion, etc, etc.