Web 2.0 – an Australian library’s experience

The third invited speaker on Monday was Kate Sinclair from Flinders University Library in Adelaide.

For Kate the Web 2.0 journey has been

• somewhat torturous in parts, circuitous, and definitely not linear
• continuing (there’s always new shiny stuff to investigate)
• fun

Flinders has used a range of Web 2.0 technologies:

• podcasts – these have been quite well received
• a wiki for staff procedures
• del.icio.us for information desk staff – this was introduced to staff because they found that staff sharing a computer on the information desk needed a way to access their bookmarks. Some staff were using Firefox, others preferred IE, so it was difficult to make sure that everyone had access to the same bookmarks on both browsers.
• RSS feeds from the library website and the library catalogue
• RSS feeds to promote library services with FLO (Flinders Learning Online – this is the name of the Learning Management System used at Flinders; they are currently using WebCT Vista). Kate showed a screenshot of a page with the library feeds in it. When the student logs in to FLO, the system detects the unit they are studying and using RSS, information about the correct resources for that unit, and the liaison librarian for that subject area (complete with mugshot) is dynamically created. Kate reports that this has resulted in a dramatic 30% increase in the amount of email liaison librarians are receiving from students.

Why Web 2.0?

• We can’t afford not to!
• Interest from library staff
• Need to serve millenials… digital natives
• Need to serve 24/7 students
• Saves time for students and staff

Challenges:

• Staff time
• Staff buy-in
• Tracking usage and response from patrons
• Structure and evaluation of how library energy should be spent on Web 2.0 (difficult to work out what to focus on)
• Using the library as a model for the institution – library as leader. Kate has worked with Flinders’ Director of Educational Technologyto deliver training sessions on a range of techs, including RSS, social software, Flickr, Furl, podcasting, blogging, etc. RSS has proved to be the most popular technology.

What did they do to address some of these challenges? They have set up a 5-member Emerging Technologies Working Group. This is a strategic working group which aims to report on technology and provide recommendations to senior management. The group is currently investigating added services for their Voyager library catalogue, LibX, and a subject resources blog.

Kate urges us to look beyond our libraries!

• Drive Web 2.0 change within the uni [or within your organisation or community]
  • Flinders’ experience has meant that they have been able to engage more deeply with uses in teaching and learning
  • Position the library as change agent
• Share Web 2.0 lessons with the profession
  • ALIA and other professional groups
• Develop networks in your own sector to discuss, debate, demonstrate, play

Kudos to Elsevier for organising and bringing such an interesting group of speakers out to talk to us!