After spending a bit over a week looking into the Library 2.0 world and all the various forms it can take, I've really grown to appreciate all the technology out there. In my mind, the role of the library has always been to foster knowledge and introduce people to new sources and information. Therefore Library 2.0 and the Web 2.0 tools available fit well into the established goals of the library.
My thesis for my Spanish major at college was about the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca and it's role as the social/political/cultural/etc center of the city. In America, the majority of towns and cities don't have a center that is as multi-functional as this lovely architectural gem in Spain, , however we do have libraries. What drove me to be a librarian was, in part, my desire to see the interaction of people and place in a completely accessible and public space. I feel that the direction of library 2.0 in part will lead us to this point, where a library will not just be a space for books, but a space for public interaction and discourse in whatever medium is appropriate. The public library has a great deal of possibility, if it can ride out the waves of change.
Dr. Wendy Schulz's article, describes how the library is an ever-changing part of society and will continue to morph and grow through various trends and desires of the public. I like her library 4.0 vision, and hope the transformation of libraries can seamlessly meet the wants of the public. I also like Michael Stephen's article about librarian 2.0 and that this person needs to understand and anticipate the needs of the patron, keeping on top of the changes going on in the world around us. All of the articles offered by this section of the learning 2.0 course are interesting, though these two are the ones that stood out to me.
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