Beyond the Browser: Web 2.0 and Librarianship

by Karl Bridges

Authored by an experienced librarian, digital resource manager, and professor in the field of library science, this book explores the wide-reaching impact of second-generation web technologies on library organization and services―and how library staff must respond.

Most librarians are infinitely familiar with the Internet due to their daily use of this essential resource. However, having practical expertise with today's digital resources does not guarantee the ability to speak intelligently and convincingly about their less-obvious benefits to funding authorities―an important skill to have.

Beyond the Web 2.0 and Librarianship overviews the history of libraries and the Internet to provide necessary perspective and then examines current and future trends in libraries. In Part I, the author traces the notion of connectivity from its roots in the 19th century through the rise of digital technology in the second half of the 20th, concluding with a discussion of its influence on the role expectations and performance of today's information professional. Part II investigates the evolutionary impact of open access, scholarly inquiry, and second-generation web technologies on library organization and services. A bibliography of helpful resources is also included.

104 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2012

Reviews

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a couple pages that I found useful.. but this didn't focus on Libraries using Web 2.0 tools as much as I'd like. In fact, a good portion of the beginning of the book was more along the lines of "The internet can be scary... but you can do this!"