REVIEW: Emerging technologies changing our service delivery models by Mary Ann Kajewski

Mary Ann Kajewski works at the State Library of Queensland and her special interest is in emerging technologies and trends within the internet. This paper was published in The Electronic Library, which publishes articles relating to the applications and implications of new technologies used by information providers around the world. This article looks at these free and inexpensive Web 2.0 technologies and provides examples of how they are being used by information providers today.

This review will discuss the use of these technologies in providing a better service to clients and also increasing the library's user base. It will also look at the relevance of these technologies to users and their uptake within the general library community. This article has excellent ideas about how to actually use these technologies and lots of great examples from Australia and around the world to explore.

This article is a great introduction to the new and popular technologies that are commonly used by many people. In particular it looks at blogs, wikis, RSS feeds and aggregators, podcasts, vodcasts, web conferencing and instant messaging. It was valuable to see how other libraries were actually implementing these technologies and what they had achieved. It also splits up each technology and looks at the different ways that it can be used within a library, for example the paper gives four different ways that a library can make use of blog software.

The paper highlights that to stay current in today’s world we need to embrace these technologies. Today's young adults use these tools on a daily basis and therefore libraries need to communicate with their users with mediums that they are familiar with. The last point the paper raises, but perhaps the most important, is that in order for these technologies to be implemented libraries must provide their staff with training. Many librarians are aware of these technologies, but with already busy jobs finding the time to learn more about them is difficult. The article recognises training as the foundation of success and fortunately there are many online training programs that have been developed. For example, Learning 2.0 is an online program offered by the State Library of New South Wales to its entire staff and those at public libraries, in order to learn about these Web 2.0 technologies.

The article gives many examples of different libraries around the world that are using these new technologies to provide improved services to their clients. This allows them to capture new clients, as well as provide an enhanced service to their current user base and in addition use the technologies to improve workflows. This paper identifies resources for both librarians and library users and I believe that both sets of users needs are considered.

All the technologies discussed are related to the current world in which libraries are operating. They are all free or inexpensive options, which many libraries are already using to expand their customer base and provide a more relevant and participatory experience for their users. In 2006 Maness (1) anticipated "a personalized OPAC that includes access to IM, RSS feeds, blogs, wikis, tags, and public and private profiles within the library's network." We're not quite there yet, but many libraries are using many of these technologies mentioned in their everyday dealings with clients and the personalised OPAC is not too far away.

My main criticism of this article would be that it only briefly mentions training as an essential component of implementing these technologies. It doesn’t mention the time and consistency needed to make these new technologies work. For example, if you begin a library blog you need the time to update it regularly, respond and interact with clients and unfortunately many libraries don't have the staff to allow this. Training programs are great as an introduction, but to really become proficient in the use of these technologies and be able to exploit their full potential more time is required and needs to be allotted by library management.

Overall I loved this article with all its positivity and examples that I think show clearly that many libraries out there are already using these technologies and that they really can be used to enhance the already great service that libraries provide.

If you want to read the article reviewed click here.

(1) Maness, J. M. (2006). Library 2.0 Theory: Web 2.0 and Its Implications for Libraries. Webology. 3(2). Retrieved August 30, 2009, from http://www.webology.ir/2006/v3n2/a25.html