#14 - The best of web 2.0

#14 of 23 things

I've been reminded, once again, that "best" can be a very subjective term.

As directed, I spent some time poking around the Best of web 2.0 short list. Some of the things I found were interesting, some were useful, and some were (for me at least) a complete waste of time.

I like the idea behind Squidoo, a collection of user created "lenses" (basically mini-guides) about whatever topic the creator feels is his or her forte. Some of them were educational (bookkeeping for small businesses) and some were fun (Monty Python's Flying Circus). Obviously, as with any information obtained on the internet, you'd be wise to take what you read with a grain of salt, but the ability of other users to post feedback directly to each lens suggests that if there's something horribly wrong with the info, someone will probably have posted saying so.

Libraries might make use of a similar set up to easily access and harness the professional and personal expertise of their staff, for their staff. And if the question isn't answered in the lens, then the staff person now knows who they can contact for further information on the subject.

I also looked at some widget sites and noticed there seem to be quite a few of the "countdown" variety. I wonder if the library couldn't use such things to count down to the publication of particular books or movies. Harry Potter would have been the obvious choice for such fanfare...

On a similar note: I wonder if it would be possible to create something that would show patrons where they are on hold lists? A counter, of sorts, on their "My Record" page, perhaps? Being staff, I can look it up through the programs I use to access the catalog. Public access doesn't display that information, and if my own family is any example, it's something people definitely want to know.