I slogged through Michael Gorman’s discourse on the Internet and the decline of authority, and had a variety of reactions. The first is that the concept of authority is just to broad to define with one brush.
Authority comes in many guises.There is of course the written authority: researched, analyzed, and documented. These authorities are usually recognized until new evidence is produced to prove the point otherwise. Is the authority that is recognized always right? No. (think the Catholic Church and Galileo) Is the authority immediately recognized? No. (Galileo, again.) Is the authority always documented and published? No, and there’s the rub.
Think of how many people are authorities– through research, persistence and hard work who don’t publsh books, articles or theses. Are they less of an authority? I don’t think so. Blogging, wikis, and electronic documentation give publishing access to those (who are familiar with the medium) who otherwise would take their knowledge to the grave. I’m thinking of the example of the mechanic who just “knows” what is wrong with your car (regardless of what the manual says), based on his/her experience.
Information is not static. As soon as it is captured on the printed page it is subject to addition, correction and obsolescence. Just as there are too many claiming unwarranted authority, there is the “authority” claiming unproven truths. The new information model allows for both error and correction. As it should.
It’s the little bits that make up the whole mosaic of human knowledge.
Earlier I wrote about library websites that do it right, and one of the best is here in our own state. The Kankakee public library has embraced the 2.0 challenge.
Kankakee PL puts it right on their home page–2.0. Click on it and see their online mission for the 21st century. They have incorporated podcasts, flickr, blogs, IM reference, and Cafe Press. They’ve also won ALA webdesign awards for 2 years. I’m impressed with the clean layout that tells it all. (Check out the Teen Zone. Again, I’m easily impressed with graphics, so check out the “meet staff” door on the theater.)
This website has it’s bugs, many links don’t work. But after a few days of learning HTML, I have sympathy and respect for the webmaster who has to keep all those balls in the air.
Post #3 Defining Web 3.0
June 15, 2007
Just when I think I’ve figured out what Web 2.0 entails, I discover that the visionaries and futurists are beginning to define Web 3.0. I’m not even sure I understand the terminology behind 2.0 yet.
Search “web 3.0″ and you get techspeak that can hardly be described as English.
Web 1.0 was the one way street: read-only web. We could browse what was uploaded by those with the skills to get the information out to us.
Web 2.0 turned it into the two way street: read-write web. No longer restricted, new programs (Blogger, YouTube, Myspace) allow everyone to contribute content and interact with others.
Web 3.0 is being defined in many ways by various interested parties.
Some consider the definition to include programming the web (read-write-execute) allowing users to develop their own personalized software. Others think it will be more of a 3d.0, transforming the internet into 3-D spaces, expanding on the Second Lif e model. Some see the integration of all technology into a seamless flow from computer to mobile technology.
Lately I’ve been reading so much about it, my head hurts. How do you become proficient in one when so many others are coming along at the speed of light? How much can you absorb, apply, assimilate or just plain use? Will I come to a point where I’ll just say “STOP! I give up?”
Post #2 Library websites that do it right
June 3, 2007
I’ve been looking at various library websites to determine if there are any libraries that do something really different. I’ve compared the Los Angeles Public Library site with the the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg Counties. This isn’t comprehensive, just highlights of the good and not-so-good features.
The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County was the 2006 winner of the National Award for Library Services. Dig through their website and you will see why they won. The services the library provides are incredible: Downloadable audiobooks, music and “eFlicks”, beta testing of video on demand, RSS feeds for programming by subject area or branch location (each branch has its own feed,) a photo poster generator, along with the more traditional web elements.
Library websites with this much information can be disorganized and overwhelming. This site was well-designed, with easy navigation to the most needed information: branch locations, programming and calendar, catalog, and services. Very concise, no need to click through menus. Highlights upfront, details behind the tabs. I like the way the library tied into the “Body Worlds” exhibit at the Discover Place Museum by both featuring the exhibit, and linking in its own databases and collections related to health. Be sure to drool over the other services PLCMC provides its patrons. And to be absolutely sure the printed page lives on, PLCMC sponsors “the only public library-sponsored literary publisher- Novello.
Click on the Teens link and see how PLCMC is engaging teens with 2.0: a dedicated website with Second Life, YouTube videos made by teen patrons, podcasts, MySpace. They’ve done it all plus the traditional book reviews, game nights and movie nights. Information directed to teens are tabbed at the top. Of special note is the Life Info tab, which links to social services that teens may be embarrassed to ask an adult (abusive parents, homelessness, etc.)
The Los Angeles Public Library website is more traditional, with a cleaner homepage. The most interesting pages are for Kids and Teens. Both are animated and colorful, although they are a bit slow to load. Both have games designed specifically for the library, but the highlight is the LAPL Game in the teen section, The Goodhue Codex. This quest-type game involves the architect of the LAPL main library, the art work on display, and some secret codes. (If you’re not familiar with quest games, be ready to spend a few hours solving the puzzle.) The teen site doesn’t feature the 2.0 features as did PLCMC, but it does feature an opinion page with opinion polls, book reviews, comments and suggestions. The LAPL “My Life” also provides teens with sites to help with personal problems. This site is less focused than the PLCMC page, providing general websites, but no local social service information.
The rest of the LAPL website is a standard library site, providing information about traditional services.(I found it ironic that so much reading was required for the Adult Literacy link.)
Overall, I think the PLCMC site provides more information in an engaging format. The site is well planned, and most information is only one or two clicks away. They’ve put the most interesting and engaging information up front. Explanations are short, direct and informative. If you need a model of a library using 2.0 services and well designed website use PLCMC as your template.
If you know of a great library website, share it and let me know what makes it great.
