Reaction to Week 1 readings

I found the readings we had regarding the read/write web, Library 2.0, Web 2.0 and blogs very interesting and informative. I did not know very much about any of these topics, and I feel more technologically informed just from the few articles we explored. I enjoyed the article on blogs by Greg Schwartz. I had some idea of what a blog is, but this article helped clarify a lot of my own confusion. I like the idea of subscribing to blogs as a way of staying current; I think having up-to-date information about local or national events is helpful for busy students.

The article “11 reasons why Library 2.0 exists and matters” cites a definition of Library 2.0 that I liked and found straightforward. I fully support the idea of making a library relevant to user needs and desires. But at the same time, part of this “revolution” involved a significant use of different types of technologies. There are other improvements made by libraries that do not necessarily involve computers, the internet, or technology, but technology still remains a major force in all of this. I feel that individuals who are not as computer-savvy as the “millenial” generation encounter challenges. Even though I am technically part of the “millenial” generation, I still don’t know the extent of everything that is out there, and I often feel that if I don’t keep up with everything, I miss out on a lot. I wonder how difficult all of these changes must be for older library users, and I wonder what public libraries can do or are doing to deal with patrons who are less inclined to use all the fancy tools. If there is something new out there, it is fairly easy for someone like me to learn it, but it is more difficult for the baby boomer and senior citizens to adapt. Technology has made our lives easier but it isn’t without problems.