Reintermediation 2.0

First, let's establish for purposes of this discussion that Library 2.0 is more than just using Web 2.0 technology in a library setting. It's also a term used to describe a customer-centered way of designing and delivering library service. Now, I can look at the Library 2.0 discussion from both sides. Yes, I agree that the basic principals of Library 2.0 aren't much different than what we were always supposed to be doing as librarians. But I also agree that it was a "whack on the side of the head" that was overdue in our profession.

Do you remember when you first heard the term, "disintermediation" in your library? It was probably around the time that you installed your first self-checkout machine. Since then libraries have also eliminated the middleman (staff) from customer services like placing interlibrary loan requests, renewing borrowed material, placing reserves on items, signing up for programs, reserving an Internet computer, even answering simple reference questions.

Every time one of these new self-service programs was initiated, the selling point was that we would gain time to devote to providing more one-on-one, in-depth service to our customers. But how often did this actually happen? How often did these innovations result instead in "cost-avoidance" by not hiring additional staff to respond to huge increases in demand? How often did we actually get closer to our customers because we automated a "routine" task? What is more likely is that we simply got farther and farther away from them.

So along comes Tim O'Reilly talking about Web 2.0 and, clever people that we are, librarians use these concepts to develop Library 2.0. We become aware of new ways to connect with our users. Librarians start blogging and inviting comments from customers, we set up Flickr accounts to show the public what we're doing, YA Librarians design Facebook or MySpace pages to communicate with customers, booktalks get recorded as podcasts to reach more people, and on and on. The result? We start getting back in touch with our users. Librarians start getting invited to community events because we have a new and broader presence. We get to know more people in the community and invite them to give us suggestions, to serve on committees with us, to help us select the next title for our "One Book, One Community" program. Library 2.0 became our, "Whack, I could have had a V8®" moment. It was both a new way of approaching customer interaction and a reminder to stay connected with our community.