Reading Assignment #3

Title: Librarians 2.0: Sowing Padi in (the) SEA

Author: Ivan Chew

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing
URL: Ivan Chew.  (2009). Librarians 2.0: Sowing Padi in (the) SEA. Program, 43(3), 275-287.  Retrieved July 9, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1860858771).

Abstract of the article:

The purpose of this paper is to present an exploratory survey as part of a presentation for the Bridging Worlds 2008 conference. It seeks to understand how library institutions in the South East Asia (SEA) region have implemented Web 2.0 technologies - blogs, RSS feeds, wikis, or the use of services like Flickr, YouTube, de.lici.ous. Design/methodology/approach - Libraries surveyed were in: Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, People's Republic of China, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. The survey relied on references in published papers, internet searches and personal contacts. The survey found that more academic libraries than public libraries were using Web 2.0. technologies. Blogs and RSS feeds were the most common. Blogs were used mainly as web publishing tools rather than as a means to engage library users. The survey is not comprehensive. The search relied mainly on English publications and keywords, while the native language of most countries surveyed was non-English. Future research could comprehensively cover each country, by the type of library or language. The paper contends that Web 2.0 does not rely on technology, but more on practice and participation. The emphasis should be on relationships rather than transactions. Suggestions are offered on how libraries can adopt a Library 2.0 mindset without focusing on technology. A call is made to establish an East Asian Librarians 2.0 directory. The paper offers a non-technological perspective to institutions and practising professionals who are reviewing their Web 2.0 implementation.

Three things I learned from my Reading Assignment:

• Library 2.0 is Web 2.0 applied in the library context and it usually means the library’s use of blogs and other social media platforms.
• Web 2.0 culture is not about technology but about practice. More importantly, it is about participation, often about relationships rather than transactions. It is sharing of knowledge between the consumers and the producers, and in our case, between us, our professor and our classmates. We might not be aware, but the blogs that we prepared for our LIS260 subject is already a form of taking advantage of this technology.
• Advocating and adopting Library 2.0 and Librarian 2.0 mindset is the “padi” seed that we may sow right now, so that in the near future, we may reap the harvest of greater recognition of our profession and continued relevance of our services.

Application / Implication of the new things I learned to my work / to me as a person:

I will research more about Web 2.0 by doing a lot of readings, asking colleagues for additional information, exploring the net, visiting websites and blogs and using the trial and error method in applying the learning that I’ll get. I will also adopt it in our library the soonest possible.