Library 2.0

Library 2.0 seems to mean 2 different things. Firstly is the use of Web 2.0 technology by libraries. The other meaning is making the library service more user centric and community driven. This 2nd meaning lends seems to me to be an old idea in new clothing.

Use of Web 2.0 technology by libraries has interesting possibilities.

A common theme of Web 2.0 sites is simplicity and ease of use. This is something that library web catalogues are often very bad at. Library vendors do not seem to spend much time on usability testing.

A another trait of Web 2.0 sites is user created contentor customization. What springs to mind here is a "My Library" portal page for patrons. The patron would signup at the library web site and create a personal page. This would be a customizable page for a personal information portal ("PIP").
This PIP could contain
-library catalogue search box
-a rss box that the patron could add feeds
(some of these feeds could be library (events, new books etc) but eternal feeds could be ok
-a bookmarks box the patron could add bookmarks

2 ways of doing this
1) Page uses a cookie to identify user so the customized page is diplayed upon revisiting
2) Patron has to login. This is a barriar to use, but allows the use of online databases that available to library members. The patron could customize what databases are offered to search from the PIP.

It has struck me how with customization blogger can be used to create a PIP. With the audience being the author.