UKSG web 2.0 seminar

Simon Bevan, Information Systems Manager, Cranfield University

2 January 2008

Leigh Dodds from Ingenta gave an excellent introduction putting the concept of web 2.0 into context. He described how the web has evolved from being a medium for displaying simple documents via interactive pages (eg maps) to virtual worlds, from simple linear interaction to content sharing, customisation and personalisation. The web 2.0 emphasis is on public sharing of data and enabling improved communication.

Paul Williams from Worcester provided a practical description of how one of these web 2.0 concepts is being used in anger, namely a move away from static web pages to more interactive staff and customer communication via web logs - i.e. blogging. The problem to be addressed was that the library was having difficulty engaging customers, owing to the limitations of static web pages for the delivery of information. Blogs allowed more direct, informal, immediate and dynamic communication. Blogs have also been used to replace email communication between library staff - an effective method if used in conjunction with categorisation and RSS feeds. A very useful talk as Worcester have taken one aspect of web 2 and used it successfully to address a problem. One possible criticism of this single minded way forward was that it seemed that blogging was the answer, and there was no acknowledgment of the need to provide different kinds of communication for different types of user.

Mike Ellis returned to the more theoretical with an excellent presentation concluding with some advice on the use of web 2.0 concepts in web page design, the most notable of which were: experiment with new web 2.0 ideas; think holistically providing different methods of getting to content; accept that users are the most important thing about your site so let them have their say; accept and embrace the fact that web 2.0 means losing some level of control; experiment and talk & play.

David Smith from CABI provided a publisher's view of web 2.0 and talked about the move from formal to informal scholarly communication. He talked about the ease with which review articles can now be published on platforms such as Ask Dr Wiki and the problems of peer review, the development of sites such as Citizendium which allow authority metrics to be added into the wiki model. He also mentioned Scienceblogs - a blogger community which is owned by a traditional publishing company. He concluded that publishers are best placed to manage the dissemination of information.

Jane Secker gave an overview of the LASSIE (Libraries and Social Software in Education) project which started from the premise that social software offers the potential to enhance the experience of distance learners. Key findings suggest that libraries are experimenting with web 2.0 initiatives and a number of case studies describe the use of social software for the presentation of reading lists (CiteULike, H2O Playlist, Bibsonomy, LibraryThing), resource sharing, information literacy (podcasting, Powerpoint presentations with commentary) blogging, and the use of the social networking site Facebook.

Richard Wallis from Talis talked about web 2.0 in relation to library management and catalogue systems. Many OPAC systems are beginning to introduce web 2.0 additions although some developments that might be considered innovative are things that the 'screen generation' expect to see. Worryingly he also gave us prior notification of the move to web 3.0 and web 4.0!

Finally Andy Powell described the life of an avatar inside the virtual world, Second Life. In fact many universities have presences in SL and there is a strong library community based around Information Island (with a virtual reference desk, information literacy and book related activities). He also suggested that, in future, universities could run their own Second Life environments, emphasising Mike Ellis's earlier ideas about experimentation and helping to confirm the idea that many different methods should be used to communicate with users. If library users are in SL, then why not try and engage with them in their own environment?

Overall this was an excellent seminar with a high standard of presentations and a good range of knowledgeable speakers.