Tom Coffee, Software Development Specialist

Keynote

This was presented by Janet Kinney.  She discussed S. R. Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Service.  Even though they were developed in 1931, they can be applied today to libraries and the Web.  As referenced by Kinney, here are librarian Alireze Noruzi’s thoughts on the five laws for today:

• Web resources are for use.
• Every user has his or her Web resource.
• Every Web resource its user.
• Save the time of the user.
• The Web is a growing organism.
  
  

Increasing library patrons' ability to access Web resources, and create Web content (a la Web 2.0, etc.), is a great boon for democracy, and humanity.  Libraries could combine all of the five laws, as applied to the Web, by providing library resources (e.g. online subscription databases, physical books, etc.) with the broader resources on the Web (e.g. any Web site, search engine, blog, or RSS feed). 

With those thoughts in mind I started dreaming up a “My Library” Web page for patrons that any library could offer.  It would be similar to “My Yahoo” or “iGoogle,” but it wouldn’t have any constraints as to what online resources could be added.  There could be an “add a page” widget that would display a live screenshot of a page the user visits a lot.  It could be any page on the Web. 

There could be an “add email” widget that would allow a user to display links to their inbox messages and email folders in real-time.  It could also allow a user to view multiple email accounts at once.  How many of us have a work email account, a personal one, another from our ISP?  The email widget would allow a patron to track all of them at once.

Another feature of the “My Library” page could be an “add blog” widget.  Users could add their favorite blogs to their “My Library Page.”  Something similar could exist for RSS feeds.  All the Web stuff that a patron needs could be in one place.  This would save the user’s time, and bring them to a library resource.   

Since this service would be provided by libraries, library resources could be available for patrons to add to their “My Library” page.  For example, the online search of a library’s catalog could be added to the patron’s “My Library” page.  A library’s subscription databases could be added for patrons to search via an “add subscription database” widget.  Library announcements could be another widget the user could add into their page.  Patrons could easily manage anything they need on the Web, and libraries could offer their services in a way patrons desire, via the Web. 

Also, there could be a social networking component.  Users could have the ability to tag, search, and read each others “My Library” pages and widgets.  The user would also have the ability to keep anything they want private.  Groups could be setup given physical or virtual locations.  For example, there could be local library networks, regional networks, statewide networks, and national networks.  There could also be virtual groups not limited to a physical location.  There could be virtual patron groups on any topic.  Users could also have the ability to chat, or message each other, via this service. 

All of the current “My Whatever” sites out there, e.g. My Yahoo, iGoogle, only allow a user to display what Yahoo or Google wants them to see.  This service could be for anything the user wants, and integrate library resources in a way patrons want. 

Just some thoughts.  Thanks for reading.  I’ll try to keep my other blog posts shorter.  Thanks again.