A-Lib 2.0: New Avatar Academic Libraries with Web 2.0 Applications

Abstract

The web has seen the explosion of social networking tools, which are empowering ordinary people to connect, collaborate and contribute in a global collaboration. These social software applications are now the hottest properties of the Internet users. This article explains the how Web 2.0 tools could be applied in academic libraries to convert them as A-Lib 2.0 or Academic Library 2.0. The paper further includes a few cases from different libraries which have already adopted these new services. One recent survey found that 34.41% of total academic libraries in New York State are using Web 2.0 Services; the major ones include IM, Blogs, RSS, Book marking, Wiki, Social Networks, etc. Library 2.0 has changed the traditional way of thinking about the profession where library only engage in creating the content and services for user shifted to the side of user where librarian will enable user to create them for themselves