libraries in a web 2.0 environment

Programs and Research

Libraries in a web 2.0 environment

Lorcan Dempsey

Bibliothèque National de France

8 December 2006

Programs and research 2

What is Web 2.0?

A marketing concept An acknowledgement of continual change The network is inside

Behaviors Resources


Conversation and evidence

Mobilize the edge of user contribution Mobilize resources in user spaces

Integrity and authenticity Versioning

Citing


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People and use Database>website>workflow Users built workflow around library; now library needs to

build services around user workflow ‘users’ = ‘creators’

Organizations and provision Optimization at the library level depends on optimization

at the systemwide level Want to transfer effort from routine into value creation Have to escape from behind the enveloping cloak of

invisibility


The web is inside?

Some context? A couple of things

Services – some examples In the flow: Disclosure vs discovery Make data work harder

Services - structural issues The network rewrites the library How libraries use the network to

better organize to create systemwide efficiences

Focus today30 minutes

A major issuefor librariesCoda: the long tail


A couple of things….

Workflow Attention


~18 months oldNo FaceBook, MySpaceLibrary?


University of Minnesotahttp://www.lib.umn.edu/about/mellon/KM%20JStor%20Presentation.pps


Database > website > workflow

Prefabricated (e.g. CMS)

Self assembled digital identity

Netvibes, onfolio, my yahoo, myspace, RSS aggregator, …


Workflow

Then Users built workflow around the library

Now The library must build its services around user workflow

Get into the flowDisclose into other environments


Attention

Then Resources scarce, attention abundant

Now Attention scarce, resources abundant

Competition for attention


A service response: some examples

In the flow: disclosure vs discovery Where the user is

Making data work harder Create compelling experiences


Making data work harder

Release the value of historic investment in controlled approaches in actual use

Make structure work on the web Use existing data: investment in processing

Examples:

FictionFinder Fictionfinder.oclc.org

WorldCat Identities Not yet public

Prototypes based on WorldCat

Worldcat 75 M records 1.2 billion ‘holdings’ ~1.7 billion items


FRBRRoll editions etc up into works


Fictionfinder.oclc.org


Worldcat.org – openly available on theweb


Prototype – not yet released


In the flow

No single site is the sole focus of a user’s attention

The network is the focus of attention.

The library needs to be in multiple places, ‘in the flow’. ‘Remix services’ Integrate supply chains


Disclosure and discovery

How do people discover materials of interest?

Search engines and other web resources Bibliographic/citation chaining Colleagues/Friends.

DEFF report: people turn to library to retrieve materials not to find them.

If ‘discovery’ is limited at the library, can we ‘disclose’ library resources in the places where discovery happens?

In the flow?

User expectations and requirements in relation to the hybrid library. http://www.deff.dk/content.aspx?itemguid={B8D2E65C-665F-48E7-A60B-5C10762F88E4}


Chris Beckett http://www.scholinfo.com/presentations/2006/8/10/the-new-world-order-in-collection-development-the-commercial-perspective.html


Wikipedia salmon


Firefox extensionWeb services:•xISBN•University of Huddersfield catalogue


So…

Database > website > workflow

“Poverty of attention”, abundance of resources

Put services in the workflow

Make data work harder to release more value in a web environment


Coda: services: somes structural issues

One example The long tail


Aggregate supply : aggregate demandLong tail

Library “Inventory”

20% head 80% long tail

Libraries aggregate supply at the local level…

“About the only places you could explore outside themainstream were the library and the comic book shop.”

Chris Anderson, “The Long Tail”


URL is the currency of the web


The long tail

Impact?

Systemwide efficiences

Aggregation of supply•Unified discovery•Low transaction costs

Aggregation of demand


Libraries and the long tail dynamic

Aggregate supply?

1.7% of circulations are ILLs (60% of aggregate G5

collection owned by one library only)

Aggregate demand?

20% of collection accounted for 90% of use

(2 research libraries over ~4 years)

Each reader his/her book

Each book its reader


Aggregate demand In the flow: syndicate data

and services to where people are

Google Worldcat Project into course

management systems Be downstream from

major web services Move to a higher level

E.g. Ohiolink

Aggregate supply Integrated discovery to

delivery of materials Integrated discovery Resolution ILL, POD, access to

circulation Speedy predictable

delivery


Multilevel approach to …

Collections Shared offsite storage Aggregate and analyse digital

collections Institutional repository Digital storage and

preservation

Social and consumer environments Social networking services:

tagging, reviews, recommendations

Share mobilizing approaches Virtual reference

D2D Consolidated discovery Knowledge base Resolution - Service routing –

fulfillment

Business intelligence Synthesize and mobilize

shared usage data Recommendation,

management decisions Digitization and offsite

storage

libraries in a web 2.0 environment

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