3 for 1!

Okay..first off, let my apologize for what is bound to become a novel-length post. I will try to stay brief, but at this point, I have a lot to say. Let's start with:

Tagging/Del.icio.us/Technorati
I've had a del.icio.us account for about a year, but really hadn't used it to it's full potential. I can definitely see the potential for collaborative exploration that can take place through tagging, provided everyone involved is on board. I think it could also be an excellent starting place for research, as you can compare collections of links, and find items of interest, as well as alternative search terms. I really like the del.icio.us feature that allows you to save links for other people. I did, however, find it frustrating to re-tag all of my imported bookmarks. It was slow (due mostly to the fact that I had approximately 500..) and the interface wasn't as "clean" as I would like. Having had my bookmarks carefully organized into folders that were meaningful to me..it was disappointing that I couldn't retain some of that structure and superimpose the tags, adding a new level or information. I think starting from scratch and tagging as you bookmark, would work very well and result in a nicely organized collection. I realize that organization is not the bottom line, but I'm not ready to sacrifice my little ladder of folders just yet.

I claimed my blogs in Technorati, but haven't tagged any posts with the necessary code. I did try searching by post and by directory. Each has it's own uses in the same way that keyword search and subject heading are both valid search parameters for a library catalogue. I found searching blogs by tag though resulted in too many hits. I think I'll have to play with Technorati a bit more to really understand the hype.

Web 2.0
Okay..we've been playing with various aspects of Web 2.0 for a while now..and I still find I'm a bit wary. Basically, I love learning new things, geeking around on my computer, and keeping up on the meme du jour...but I am beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed. One of the underlying assumptions of the 2.0 philosophies is that sharing is good. Certainly, I can't dispute this. On a personal level, however, my reluctance hinges on my desire for privacy. I can't help but feel like a kindly, democratic, open-minded, Big Brother has entered my life. My online "snapshot" has become increasingly clear, due to the multiple logins I've created, and the linking together of previously separate sections of my life. Do I really need or want anyone in the known technosphere to see, comment on, change, and re-publish all the information I've tagged, stored, shared, and blogged about?

This is obviously only one side of the argument. Getting away from the idea of ownership, top-down technology design, and intellectual property wars is a GOOD thing...I'm just not quite ready to let all of the skeletons out of my closet. Of course, this was done as part of a workplace initiative, so my personal life shouldn't be relevant...but as is often the case, work/life blend and merge in a highly personal way. I could expand upon this further, but will leave it at that.

Library 2.0
I loved the OCLC articles on Library 2.0. I believe that libraries will need to, and are currently moving in the right direction. Making resources more accessible to users by allowing open access to materials, integrating sensible interface design, and encouraging active participation and input from users, is increasingly important. This is particularly relevant in an increasingly multi-cultural, multi-lingual society. I think this excellent point was made in the article "Away from Icebergs" - "if our services can’t be used without training, then it’s the services that need to be fixed—not our patrons." Focusing on the user, rather than struggling to retain authority and ownership of knowledge is a huge shift in perceptions. I do believe that the movement towards a more open, user-centred library involves acknowledging the societal impact that technology has had on communication and the way individuals relate to information, and fundamentally, each other. This is a complicated subject, which might turn up in future posts, as it is difficult to capture the multiple perspectives in one convenient dose.

The discussions on all things 2.0 have given me much food for thought. I can definitely see the need to keep up on this dynamic conversation. Next up - wikis.