Moving Beyond Web 2.0
Toward a vision for the nextgeneration

Blogs, wikis, social tagging, and other Web 2.0-inspired constructs, now commonplace, have become their own silos within the libraries' overall web presence. It's time for Web 2.0 to grow up and move into the strategic infrastructure that supports the library mission. No longer should blogs and wikis exist as stand-alone tangents and social computing be an afterthought to the overall computing environment. Breeding proposes a transformation of the way libraries approach their web presence that systematically blends Web 2.0 concepts into the fabric of its supporting technologies. Hear his tips for building on what we've learned from Web 2.0 to create an enterprise environment that more effectively supports the strategic mission of libraries.

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Web 2.0 Context
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Web 2.0 critique
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The demise of the legacy ILS model
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A new vision of library automation that blends new concepts of an ILS with collaborative and social computing

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Support the core mission of the library
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Deliver library content and services
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Automation for all aspects of library operations

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Static Web
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Information silos
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One-way communication

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Coined by O’Rielly Media in 2004
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Web + Social Computing
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Dynamic Content
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Highly interactive
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Collaborative
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Focus on the user
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Focus on communities

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RSS delivery of content
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Blogs – Web logs + comments
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Wikis – content created in community
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Instant Messaging, SMS,
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Voice over IP – Skype
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Podcasting
 vlogs

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Web services
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XML APIs
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AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript and XML)
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Microformats
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OpenSearch vs SRU/SRW

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Rich media – beyond text
Music and audio
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Well experienced: File swapping, p2p, iPod, MP3
Video
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Recreational and academic: youtube.com, myspace.com/video, yahoo! Video, bittorrent
Opportunities to remix. Usually recreational, but explore ways to tap this interest with an academic slant.

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YouTube
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Facebook
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MySpace
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Flickr

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First mentioned by Michael Casey
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Web 2.0 + Library = Library 2.0
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Apply Web 2.0 concepts to library applications

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Library Blogs
New book lists through RSS
Wikis
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Intranets for staff documentation
Collaborative resources for library users
Enriched library catalogs
User participation in library resources
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User tagging in catalog
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Reviews
Ratings

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Major improvements in library Web presence
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Better engagement of library users
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Fuels energy and engagement of librarians
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Sparks Innovation

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Web 2.0 concepts already 4+ years old
Time to start considering next phases of Web development
Many libraries have implemented Web 2.0 concepts in ad hoc ways
There has been a proliferation of Web 2.0 silos that are not well integrated with the strategic technology infrastructure that libraries rely on for the automation of their operations and for the delivery of their content and services on the Web
Better integration of new Web concepts into library technology infrastructure

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Web 2.0 + artificial intelligence
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Semantic Web
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Web 2.0 + enterprise computing

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Many/Most Web 2.0 projects result in silos of content
No way to integrate Web 2.0 applications with other content managed by a library
Often isolated from the key mission of delivering content and services to users
Can even push users out of the library Web presence when we need to be funneling them inward
Sustainability: many dead library blogs

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Uncoordinated matrix of data and users
No curation of content residing in Web 2.0 applications
Lack of interoperability of Web 2.0 applications
Lack of identity management. Web 2.0 applications inherently rely on user interaction with content.
Currently there are few Web 2.0 applications that integrate with the identity of library patrons as managed by their basic automation infrastructure. E.g.
ILS.

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Don’t plateau at Web 2.0 but continue the evolution of library technologies toward a fully collaborative model of computing.
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Must evolve into an organized fabric of interrelated Web services.
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Evolve Web 2.0 to enterprise technologies

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Largely in the Web 1.0 realm
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Fragmented set of tools for library automation
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Fragment user experience
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Next-generation catalogs helping to move into
Web 2.0

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A look and feel that may not meet the expectations of the current generation of Web-savvy users.
The conventional library environment requires users to interact with many different interfaces, and search many different resources.
Overly complex
Not always intuitive
Users have to go to different places to find different kinds of information on a given topic: Library OPAC for books, Article and E-journal locators for articles.

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Baby boomers and Gen X’rs are happier with traditional forms of content and existing modes of service
Millennials will move on to non-library provided information sources and services if not readily satisfied
There is a lot at stake for the future of libraries in adapting to generational transitions.
Web 2.0 provides a metaphor and model for adapting library services to today’s Web-savvy users.

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A more social and collaborative approach
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Web Tools and technology that foster collaboration
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Blogs, wiki, blogs, tagging, social bookmarking, user rating, user reviews

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Feature rich, but complex
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Advanced Boolean Search
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Textual displays
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Results in alphabetical or catalog key order
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Slow, cumbersome
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Focused on the physical inventory

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Widespread dissatisfaction with most of the current
OPACs. Many efforts toward next-generation catalogs and interfaces.
Movement among libraries to break out of the current mold of library catalogs and offer new interfaces better suited to the expectations of library users.
Decoupling of the front-end interface from the backend library automation system.

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Redefinition of the library catalog
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More comprehensive information discovery environments
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Better information delivery tools
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More powerful search capabilities
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More elegant presentation

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Traditional notions of the library catalog are being questioned
It’s no longer enough to provide a catalog limited to print resources
Digital resources cannot be an afterthought
Forcing users to use different interfaces depending on type of content becoming less tenable
Libraries working toward consolidated search environments that give equal footing to digital and print resources

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Satisfying to the Web-savvy user
Faceted browsing – drill-down model of search
Graphical displays – cover art images
Enriched content – TOC, summaries
User tagging, folksonomies, ratings, reviews
Federated search as a separate service

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Tag items in catalog
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System delivers content in ways that take into account the preferences and previous selections of users
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Recommendation services
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Option for relevancy based on user’s past search behavior
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Reviews and ratings

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Comprehensive search environment:
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Digital on equal footing with print
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Federated search as an integrated service: access to full-text of subscribed content
Beyond MARC metadata: Dublin Core XML, Onix, etc: full-text searching
Searching “inside the book”
Integrated resource sharing architecture
A more social OPAC with built-in tools for collaboration
Fully integrated with other community and campus resources
ILS fully integrated with other information and business systems
One-click fulfillment

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Entering post-metadata search era
Increasing opportunities to search the full contents
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Google Library Print, Google Publisher, Open
Content Alliance, Microsoft Live Book Search, etc.
High-quality metadata will improve search precision
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Commercial search providers already offer “search inside the book”
No comprehensive full text search for books quite yet
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Not currently available through library search environments
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Deep search highly improved by high-quality metadata
See: Systems Librarian, May 2008 “Beyond the current generation of next-generation interfaces: deeper search”

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Readying library collections and catalogs for the next generation will require more than a cosmetic touch-up
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Prompts libraries to accelerate changes already underway

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Continued development of new interfaces that embrace collaborative computing
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Reinvent basic automation systems
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Provide better support for the collaboration and user interactivity into the core automation infrastructure.

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Fundamental assumption: Print + Digital = Hybrid libraries
Traditional ILS model not adequate for hybrid libraries
Libraries currently moving toward surrounding core ILS with additional modules to handle electronic content
New discovery layer interfaces replacing or supplementing ILS
OPACS
Working toward a new model of library automation
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Monolithic legacy architectures replaced by fabric of SOA applications
Comprehensive Resource Management
“It's Time to Break the Mold of the Original ILS” Computers in Libraries Nov/Dec 2007

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The current ILS model does not lend itself to
Web 2.0 concepts
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Front-end evolving, back-end modules locked into legacy models

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ILS = Integrated Library System
(Cataloging + Circulation + OPAC + Serials + Acquisitions)
Focused on print and physical inventory
Electronic content at the Journal Title or collection level
Emerged in the 1960’s – 1970’s
Functionality has evolved and expanded, but basic concepts and modules remain intact
Note: Some companies work toward evolving the ILS to competently handle both print and digital content (e.g.
Innovative Interfaces)

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Many libraries putting much less emphasis on ILS
Just an inventory system for physical materials
Investments in electronic content increasing
Management of e-content handled outside of the ILS
Yet: libraries need comprehensive business automation more than ever. Mandate for more efficient operations. Do more with less.

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ILS -- Print and Physical inventory
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OpenURL Link resolver
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Federated Search
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Repositories and digital collection platforms
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Electronic Resource Management Module
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Discovery layer interface
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Blogs
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Wiki’s
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Intranets

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Major burden on library personnel
Serial procurement / installation / configuration / maintenance cycles take many years to result in a comprehensive environment
Inefficient data models
Disjointed interfaces for library users
Very long cycle to gain comprehensive automation

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Traditional ILS
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Cataloging
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Circulation
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Online Catalog
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Acquisitions
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Serials control
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Reporting
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Modern approach: SOA

End User
Interfaces:
Functional modules:
Data Stores:
Staff Interfaces:
Circulation Acquisitions
Cataloging Serials
OpenURL
Linking
Electronic
Resource
Mgmt
System

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Underlying data repositories
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Local or Global
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Reusable business services
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Composite business applications

Composite
Applications
Reusable
Business
Services
Granular tasks:
Data Stores:

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Discard traditional modules and add-ons
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Broad conceptual approach that proposes a library automation environment that spans all types of content that comprise library collections.
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Close attention to defining services in ways that invite participation from individuals and groups
Inherent design for resource sharing

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Search works more like shopping
Content silos > syndicated content providers
Fulfillment = Circulation + ILL + Consortial borrowing +

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Create interoperability for traditional Web 2.0 functionality
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Become part of library discovery environment
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Curated content
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Makes use of patron profile in the ILS

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Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
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Research in Information Technology program
Duke University selected to lead project
Core Participants: Kansas University, Lehigh University, National Library of
Australia, Library and Archives Canada, University of Pennsylvania, Marshall
Breeding
Advisory Participants: University of Chicago, Wittier College, University of
Maryland, ORBIS Cascade Alliance, Rutgers University
Working toward a next-generation library automation environment based on
SOA and business process modeling.
http://oleproject.org

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Web 2.0 community:
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Evolution toward enterprise approach
Explore ways to bring concepts into systems that deliver core content and services
Automation Vendors
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More modern systems based on services oriented architecture
Embrace collaborative computing and social networking
Better interoperability
Fewer isolated products
Open source community
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Work toward new generation of library automation
Not simply open source versions of legacy systems

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An exciting time for libraries
Web 2.0 fuels new excitement for modernizing library services and supporting technologies
Projects underway that attempt a more comprehensive approach for library automation
Need to bring Web 2.0 concepts into the core of library automation