LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

THE INTERNET: UNPARALLELED TOOL FOR ENLIGHTENMENT

2013-10-21T07:52:00.003-07:00

1 INTRODUCTION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) relinquishing of its administration of the internet in 1995, and allowing its privatization and commercial use, heralded yet another major landmark in human history. In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland, was not only instrumental in conception of the world wide web but also in its birth. These twin technological developments opened a new chapter in information age.

The ability to globally network computers and, access and exchange information, in varied forms and format, and in real time, despite geographical dispensation, has presented the humanity with a powerful enlightening tool. In addition to changing the way human beings interact. However, according to the internet antagonists, the internet is not helping in society advancement, but is leading the humanity to a new dark age.

The internet has provided us with unsurpassed tool that is effective in dispelling ignorance and making us more knowledgeable than ever before. Nevertheless, internet, like any other tool, requires proper grounding on how best to make use of it to fully enjoy its benefits. Besides, internet should be used as a complementary tool to traditional ways of doing things.

The focus of this discussion is on effects of the internet on society on three main areas: digital Dark Age, information overload and learning in digital age.

In this discussion terms internet and wide world web are defined as follows:

(a) Internet is defined according to The Federal Networking Council (FNC) definition : “Internet refers to the global information system that --
(i) is logically linked together by a globally unique address space based on the

Internet Protocol (IP) or its subsequent extensions/follow-ons;
(ii) is able to support communications using the Transmission Control

Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite or its subsequent extensions/follow-ons, And/or other IP-compatible protocols; and
(iii) provides, uses or makes accessible, either publicly or privately, high level services

Layered on the communications and related infrastructure described herein.

“(Federal Networking council, October, 24, 1995)

(b) Wide World Web is defined as “as the universe of global network-accessible information” (Berners-Lee 1996)

Internet is increasingly becoming indispensable. Drop in hardware prices and portability is making it easier to access and exchange information. The importance and role of internet in the society will continue to grow.

2. NEW DARK AGE

The concept Dark Age is used to refer to the middle Ages and in particular early middle ages ‘because of its lack of progress, its lack of significant literatures and histories, and because of life being bleak--all a result of their lack of information and disconnect from human reason’ (Vaughn 2008)

The phrase Dark Age was coined by the Italian Scholar, Francesco Petrarch. Besides lack of information, Dark Ages were characterized by religious conflicts and barbarous practices. (All about history 2009)

The term Dark Age is interestingly gaining currency. A new dark age is being experienced thanks to the internet. According to Vaughn (2008) ‘The Middle Ages was stunted by a lack of information, and the modern age is stunted by a glut of information and no idea how to judge it or what to do with it. This is no small point. Mankind came through its first Dark Age with a return to knowledge and reason’

Vaughn (2008) does not stop there, but continues to assert that many in the West are technically literate, meaning their reading is limited and this is due to ‘negative new forms of communication’ which has made them to shift from ‘a fluent, text- based literacy to a computer literacy’, and in particular the internet. This has ‘left us (dumber) down and numbed, unable to think critically or in a sophisticated manner’

The New Dark Age is characterized by too much information, attention deficiency, uncritical thinking, poor reading habits, and death of the community. These concerns raised by the internet critics are genuine and merit attention, and they will be examined in detail in subsequent paragraphs. However, as Carr (2008) clearly points out the Gutenberg’s printing press critics worried that easy access to books would make people intellectually lazy and weaken their minds. The critics nevertheless were blind to myriad benefits to be derived from the printed word. A replicate of the same scenario is being played out by the internet skeptics.

What I believe should real worry us most and is capable of plunging us back into Dark Age is what is being referred to as the Digital Dark Age.

2.1 DIGITAL DARK AGE

Panos (2003) cites Lyman and Varian who claim that the magnetic medium is becoming the most preferred mode for storing information, and printed documents of all kinds have dwindled to merely 0.003% of the total information being generated. Consequently, Researchers, according to American Psychological association (2001), are increasingly using internet for their research.

Internet sources, in principle, are expected to last for eternity. This, however, is not the case because most internet sources are lost forever. Brewster Kahle, an electronic archivist, cited in Yaukey, and quoted by Panos (2003), laments that ‘the average life of a Web page is about 100 days. Within that time, most Web pages are either changed, pulled, or they're forgotten about and they fade away."

Danny Hills as cited in Brand and referred by Panos (2003) has described this short span of digital information as the ‘Digital Dark Age’.

Kuny (1997) aptly captures the Digital Dark Age by stating that ‘we are moving into an era where much of what we know today, much of what is coded and written electronically, will be lost forever’

So what are the main reasons for the impending Digital Dark Age? Kuny (1997) provides us with answers:

· Vast amount of digital information is already lost, evaporated into the thin air for good.

· Information technologies frequency of change, of at least after every 18 months, without a thought of compatibility of the new version and the older one.

· Lack of standards in the world of information technology, and varied media formats, makes it harder, even after archiving a document, to successfully retrieve and display the document.

· Diminishing financial resources for libraries and archives.

· Intellectual and property laws coupled with accessing licensing agreements.

· Commoditification of information by private organizations.

To salvage the society from Digital Dark Age organizations and individuals should archive information they create. Libraries have to incorporate preservation of digital information in their traditional library services. Archives have to cast they net wider to include also the digital information. Better still Brewster Kahle’s internet archive initiative need to be supported and embraced. Started in 1996, the internet archive purposes to offer permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format. The beauty of the project is that the access to archived information is free, unlike Google, who are also pursuing a similar project. (The Economy 2009; Panos 2003)

3 INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Carr (2008) asks ‘‘is Google making us stupid?”, in reply Wolman (2008) answers and says ‘No, but it makes a handy scapegoat for an inability to cope with information overload’. In his article Carr shows how internet has affected the way we read and think, partly due to too much information being spawn by the internet.

The term information overload was coined by Alvin Toffle in his book Future Shock. The term is used to refer to having too much information to make decision or remain informed in a given topic. It is closely associated with computer mediated media and the web. (Abram 2008:25-26)

Crovitz (2008) contends that “Research Company Basex estimates that more than one-quarter of the day of the typical information worker is taken up by interruptions such as email, instant messaging, Twitter, RSS feeds and other untamed information flows. Less time is spent each day on activities such as writing emails, going to meetings or searching for information. The researchers concluded that only about one-tenth of the day is spent thinking and reflecting.”

According to Nordenson (2008) ‘There are more than 70 million blogs and ISO million Web sites today-a number that is expanding at a rate of approximately ten thousand an hour. Two hundred and ten billion e-mails are sent each day. Say goodbye to the gigabyte and hello to the exabyte, five of which are worth 37,000 Libraries of Congress. In 2006 alone, the world produced 161 exabytes of digital data, the equivalent of three million times the information contained in all the books ever written.’

Basex research team chose information overload as its 2008 ‘problem of the Year. Causes of information overload include:

- Increased rate of new information being produced.

- Ease of information duplication and transmission across the internet.

- Increased information channels.

- Vast amount of information in the internet to search through.

- Contradictions and inaccuracies of the available information.

- Lack of information literacy. (Abram 2008).

The negative impact of information overload includes inefficiency, decreased productivity and innovation, and stress among others. (Abram 2008; Winkle 2008).

Is internet and its related technologies to blame for information overload and its effects on human? I believe not. The blame squarely lies on undisciplined, unskilled and uninformed humans.

Winkle analogy clearly puts the problem of information overload in perspective: ‘Data is like food. A good meal is served in reasonably-sized portions from several food groups. It leaves you satisfied but not stuffed. Likewise with information, we're best served when we can partake of reasonable, useful portions, exercising discretion in what data we digest and how often we seek it out. Unfortunately, we often do the opposite, ingesting information constantly to the point of choking on it’

Another important aspect is ‘the biological limits of our minds and the overload we experience when they are pressed’. This ability for instance puts a check on a number of people we can closely interact with, despite the thousands ‘friends’ in our internet social network site. (Dertouzos 1997:295)

Independent research conducted by Dr.Marlow, who researched Facebook, and Bernard Huber of HP labs, who researched Twitter, show that people only communicate more frequently to a limited and specific number of ‘friends’. In Facebook average number of core ‘friends’ was found to be 120, and in Twitter 80. This agrees with professor J.A Barners who in 1950s defined the size of a social network as a group of about 100 to 150 people. (Economics 2009:77-78; www.answers.com 2009)

According to Dertouzos (2002:207) people have always favored survival whenever threatened and so what they will do with information overload is to ‘thrash the information without a moment of bad conscience’

Don Tapscott, quoted in Crovitz (2008), in his ‘Growing up Digital’ pointed out that ‘For the first time in history, children are more comfortable, knowledgeable and literate than their parents with an innovation central to society." He predicted that "it is through the use of the digital media that the Net Generation will develop and superimpose its culture on the rest of society.’ In sequel edition ‘Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation Is Changing Your World’, he notes that those in 12-30 years value freedom of choice, customize everything they do, collaborate, value integrity, live easily with information overload and constant innovation. Unlike the earlier generation, this generation ‘has been flooded with information, and learning to access, sort, categorize and remember it all has enhanced their intelligence." They "have had to search for, rather than simply look at, information.’

For organizations experiencing information overload they would better hire information professionals and librarians who will use their skills to help them to:

-search and find relevant information

-go beyond the free web

- Determine Authority

- Separate Fact and Opinion

- Filter and Add Value

- De-Duplicate

- Cost Effective Enterprises and Efficiency

- Credulity

- Content and Tool Awareness (Abram 2008).

For individuals they would better practice the following data diet:

· Give cell phone and beeper numbers only to key people.

· Avoid office radios and televisions.

· Limit your reading to a few newspapers and magazines. Set time limits for online information searches, and download only two or three of the best items. Learn when to stop gathering information for a project.

· Keep your own correspondence short and to the point. Edit your outgoing E-mail messages. Keep voice-mail messages brief, and others may do the same.

· Let people know the best ways to communicate with you. Tell them there is no need to confirm receipt of less-important materials.

· Need professional help to overcome clutter? Try the National Association of Professional Organizers, in Austin, Texas: (512) 206-0151.( McCafferty 1998)

There is need to develop information search software to reduce the waste of resources and time caused by the increasingly saturated information. We require ‘Intelligent search software’ that will help us quickly find information that we seek, and reduce internet junk. ( Guangrong 2003)

4. LEARNING

Reading and critical thinking are two important learning ingredients. But what is internet doing to these basic learning elements? Let’s sample Carr’s (2008) unfortunate experience:’ I’m not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I’m reading. Immersing myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. My mind would get caught up in the narrative or the turns of the argument, and I’d spend hours strolling through long stretches of prose. That’s rarely the case anymore. Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, and begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.’

Carr( 2008) asserts the cause of his failing ability to read and think the way he used to is due to continue use of net for writing and researching for more than a decade. Though, he agrees that ‘The Web has been a godsend to me as a writer. Research that once required days in the stacks or periodical rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes’. But at the same time the net has been chipping away his ‘capacity for concentration and contemplation’. And he is not alone:’ I’m not the only one. When I mention my troubles with reading to friends and acquaintances—literary types, most of them—many say they’re having similar experiences.’ Some of them have even stopped reading books because the internet has altered their reading and thinking styles.

The above experience typifies humans’ weakness in striking balance in their ways of doing things. One wonders why the complainant stopped reading books, and yet books are being published. According to The Association of American Publishers (AAP) annual estimate of total book sales in the United States,2007 , estimated ‘ that U.S. publishers had net sales of $25 billion in 2007; a 3.2 percent increase from 2006 with a compound growth rate of 2.5 percent per year since 2002’ (AAP 2007)

Their over relies on net toppled the balance. They were seduced by the ease and easy charm of the net at the expense of giving up the arduous traditional reading. In this case the net is not blame.

It is might be true that the net is changing our way of reading because it is altogether a different media from the printed word as we know it. Carr (2008) quotes Maryanne Wolf, a developmental psychologist at Tufts University, who asserts, ‘we are how we read.” Wolf claims that net promotes a reading style that emphasis ‘immediacy’, thus weaken our ability to read critically.

BBC News (2009) refers to a research project at University College London that established that the internet readers read rapidly and superficially. However, the head of the project contends that the main problem with the ‘young web users is lack of the information assessment skills of those trained to use conventional libraries.’

As noted earlier the issue is not the internet but lack of training in how to effectively use it. What young users of the internet require most is training on how to read in the net, in other words, the ‘art of digital reading’.

Science Daily (2009), alludes that research by Patricia Greenfield, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles, shows that ‘our skills in critical thinking and analysis have declined, while our visual skills have improved’ this has been due to decline in reading for pleasure among young people.

I concur with what Greenfield alleges and especially her stand that ‘No one medium is good for everything, {and} if we want to develop a variety of skills, we need a balanced media diet. Each medium has costs and benefits in terms of what skills each develops’. (Science Daily 2009)

Martin Coles survey of children’s reading interests found out that children’s’ reading habits have remained stable over the past 20 years. Coles established no causal relationships between higher level of computer usage and lower levels of book reading. Greg book’s review of national reading survey data in UK over the past 50years, argues that there is no evidence of any decline in reading standards since the 1950s. (Harrison 2004:14-15)

There is nothing new, and it seems new because the medium is new and unfamiliar. Task of a computer reader is easier than that of the book reader. ‘At least computer interface declares its novelty and offers socially acceptable permission to succeed or fail. (If I succeed, it is because I’m good with technology. If I fail, then I remind myself that those who succeed with technology are nerds, and at least I’m not a nerd)’. What is required is to support children to use DARTS- directed activities related to texts- or similar approaches. This will equip them to read books and to make effective use of the electronic media. (Harrison 2004: 16)

Let’s respect reader’s rights as stipulated by Pennac in his book ‘reads like a novel’, as quoted by Harrison (2004: 20):

1. The right not to read

2. The right to skip pages

3. The right not to finish a book

4. The right to reread

5. The right to read anything

6. The right to ‘Bovarysme’

7. The right to read anywhere

8. The right to browse

9. The right to read aloud

10. The right to remain silent

4.1 E-CONTENT

Shi-ratuddin, Hassan, and Landoni quoted by Buzzetto (2007) define electronic content or e-content ‘as information that is made available in digital formats and is viewed on screen rather than on paper. E-Books are a type of e-content based learning object whose benefits may include: hyper linking, nonlinearity, data density, customizability, greater distribution, low costs, search ability, and other multimedia features’

E-book range from a scanned version of printed publication, and has the ability to provide the user a number of features which encompass multimedia, hyperlinks, search features, and customizability to change text size or convert text to meet needs of special readers.(Abbot & Kelly Cited by Buzzetto 2007).

It is interestingly to note that ‘the newest generation of readers has been exposed to e-books often before they can read or even walk through popular children’s toys’ besides, ‘children’s DVDs and video games’ (Johnson & Harroff cited by Buzzetto 2007 ).

The National Endowment for the Arts, 2004 research, “Reading at Risk : A Survey of Literacy Reading in America’ reported that less than half of Americas over the age of 18 read books, novels, short stories, or plays. Another study by National Survey of America’s College students found that half of four-year college students and 75% of two year college students are lacking crucial literacy skills. (Buzzetto 2007).

A grim picture indeed, but I would like to side with Char-lotte Johnson and William Harroff cited by Buzzetto (2007), who feel ‘E-books are more likely to be a part of the solution rather than a symptom of the illiteracy problem. Rather than focusing solely of digitizing print text and worrying about redefining the term book, publishers of electronic materials should take full advantage of the multimodal leaning styles that can be addressed by well-designed electronic publications’

E-books have not been so popular. Many people still argue that they prefer traditional books. Though highly portable, issues of screen size, battery life, readability, slow page turning, and compatibility between devices has persisted and this could be contributing to e-books unpopularity. (Buzzetto 2007).

Electronic publisher Versaware, cited in Rogers and cited by Buzzetto (2007) claimed that 87% of the students polled favoured e-books over traditional print volumes. In contrast, a number of studies have shown that the majority of college students are not accepting of e-book (Mash cited by Buzzetto 2007)

Despite claims of E-books being unpopular, economical factors and people gravitation towards the internet as preferred first port of calling in search of information, will endear people to E-books. Take for example Harlequin, publisher of romance novels, experiment of E-book of 2005, that elicited such an overwhelming response that they decided to introduce 40% of their front list as e-books, in additional to launching a series of minis which can be downloaded for 99 cents. (Rogers cited by Buzzetto 2007)

E- Reading devices like the Sony Reader and Amazon’s Kindle are gaining devoted following. What’s more, it is easier and cheap to publish in the internet and reach a bigger audience. ‘No printing and shipping. No advances. Maybe publishing will survive after all! Then again, if you can have publishing without paper and without money, why not publishing without publishers?’ ( Grossman 2009)

Jeffrey Cole director for the Center for the Digital Future (2009) declared: ‘We're clearly now seeing a path to the end of the printed daily newspapers -- a trend that is escalating much faster than we had anticipated," Cole said. "The decline of newspapers is happening at a pace they never could have anticipated. Their cushion is gone, and only those papers that can move decisively to the Web will survive’

It is Cristal clear that the future of publishing and reading is on the net. The internet skeptics need to wake up and smell the coffee.

4.2 MULTI-TASKING

Multi-tasking is yet another side effect of the internet and its related technology. ‘We drive and talk on our cell phones, check e-mail during meetings and presentations, eat dinner while watching TV. A widely cited 2006 study by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that 81 percent of young people engage in some form of media multitasking during a given week’ (Nordenson 2008)

Multitasking divides attention and thus we can’t focus and since we can’t focus our attention we can’t learn. ‘Edward Hallowell, a Boston-area psychiatrist, believes many of us suffer from what he calls an attention deficit trait, a culturally induced form of attention-deficit disorder. As he pointed out in a 2005 interview with Cnet News, "We've been able to overload manual labor. But never before have we so routinely been able to overload brain labor." According to Hallowell and other psychiatrists, all these competing inputs prevent us from assimilating information. "What your brain is best equipped to do is to think, to analyze, to dissect, and create," he explains. "And if you're simply responding to bits of stimulation, you won't ever go deep’ (Nordenson 2008)

Patricia Greenfield, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles, analyzed studies on multitasking and established that multi-tasking "prevents people from getting a deeper understanding of information’. Yet, for certain tasks, divided attention is important, she added."If you're a pilot, you need to be able to monitor multiple instruments at the same time. If you're a cab driver, you need to pay attention to multiple events at the same time. If you're in the military, you need to multi-task too," she said. "On the other hand, if you're trying to solve a complex problem, you need sustained concentration. If you are doing a task that requires deep and sustained thought, multi-tasking is detrimental." (Science Daily 2009)

Studies have shown that people become less efficient and likely to make mistakes when ‘they try to tackle two cognitive tasks at once’. Nevertheless, multitasking is not necessarily bad for our modern life. For this reason, therefore, what is needed is for people to learn to prioritize tasks, learn do one thing at a time and to focus in order to strengthen their attention span. (Jackson 2008)

Multitasking is very much part of our modern life. We better learn the best ways to handle it. Millenials, those born since 1982, are depicted by Oblinger as young people whose ‘learning preferences tend toward teamwork, experiential activities, structure, and the use of technology. Their strengths include multitasking, goal orientation, positive attitudes, and collaborative style’ (Fields & Diaz 2008:36)

5. INFORMATION LITERACY

Most of the problems associated with the internet seem to emanate from information overload. As already hinted, I believe, one of the solutions to this core problem is through information literacy.

UNESCO (2008) defines information literacy as ‘the set of skills, attitudes and knowledge necessary to know when information is needed to help solve a problem or make a decision, how to articulate that information need in searchable terms and language ,then search efficiently for the information, retrieve it, interpret and understand it, organize it, evaluate its credibility and authenticity, assess its relevancy, communicate it to others if necessary, then use it to accomplish bottom-line purposes.’

UNESCO (2007) further points out that information literacy is closely allied to learning to learn, and to critical thinking, both of which are not integrated into curricula, syllabi and lesson plans.

Olsen and coon’s cited in AIS404R Only study guide (2002:71) define information literacy ‘as understanding the role and power of information , having ability to locate it, retrieve it, and use it in decision making, and having the ability to generate and manipulate it using electronic process.’

To be information literate means to be ‘educated for survival and success in an information/ technology environment; lead productive, healthy and satisfying lives in a democratic society; deal effectively with rapid changing environments; solve…. Challenging problems…in order to ensure a better future for the next generation; be an effective information consumer who can find appropriate information for personal problem solving; have writing and computer proficiency; and to possess an integrated set of research strategy and education skills, and knowledge of discipline related tools and resources’ (Rader and coons as cited in AIS404R Only study guide 2002:71-72)

Information literacy also requires that we know how to manage information creatively. This calls for growth in reflection and self –knowledge, which is rooted in Critical thinking. (Fields & Diaz 2008:71 citing Ward)

Information literacy should go beyond the core principles of access, evaluation, and use to something that enables individuals to think critically about the entire information enterprise and information society. It should cover issues to do with privacy, copyright, reliability of information, accuracy, bias and authority. (Fields & Diaz 2008:72-73)

It is imperative to equip students in class with internet information literacy skills and critical thinking. Harmon (2003:2-3) justifies the importance of this exercise: ‘

* The Internet is here to stay. It is the first place that new generations will go for information for the rest of their lives; this may be the last and best opportunity for them to learn how to evaluate the quality of the information they find there.

* Many educators believe that Internet information literacy skills are best developed in the classroom.

* Critical thinking does not just happen; it has to be learned by doing. And what students "do" happen in the classroom.

* Once learned, critical thinking and information literacy skills have implications beyond the classroom-in political discourse, media advertising, and wherever conflicting information needs to be evaluated and incorporated into everyday life.’

According to Metzger, Flanagin, and Zwarun cited by Harmon (2003:2-3) college students use internet for information both for general and academic purposes. Students are accessing highly decontextualized bits of information and they don’t have an iota of an idea how to evaluate the quality of the information.

Connor-Greene and Greene as cited by Harmon (2003:2-3) contented that "The Internet provides an ideal forum for teaching students to evaluate and select useful, credible sources from a vast array of unfiltered information. Because students rely so often on the Internet, it is imperative that they become educated consumers of this medium"

Harmon (2003:2-3) rightly puts it when he writes ‘As a librarian, I can direct students to solid resources on both the open and closed Web. But understanding the context of the material, and thinking critically about the quality of the resource, cannot be taught in a few minutes at the reference desk; that kind of evaluation takes place in the classroom’ this makes for a strong case of incorporating internet information literacy skills in the curricula.

Students should not only be taught about critical thinking but they should be made to actively engage in critical thinking. Equipping students with practical critical thinking skills will help them navigate in any media of information with a lot of ease and confident. The free nature of internet makes it critical that students to be taught on how to evaluate the information found in there.

6. CONCLUSION

Critics of the internet argue that internet is affecting the way we read and think. Reading in the internet is superficial and gives no room for deep critical reading associated with the traditional reading. The contributing factors for the poor reading and lack of concentration is too much information in the internet and need to multitask made necessary by off shot internet technologies. Consequently, the internet might not only make us stupid but lead us into new Dark Age.

Unlike the first Dark Age that was characterized by lack of information the new Dark Age is replete with too much information that we don’t know how to evaluate to derive value from it.

Information overload will, however, not lead us into new Dark Age as the internet critics want to make us believe. What is mostly like to take us there is what has been referred to as ‘Digital Dark Age’, a term used to describe the short life span of most digital information. It has been noted that the life span of digital information is 100 days. Digital information is expected to last forever unlike the printed information, but this is not the case. To arrest the situation organization and individuals are encouraged to archive digital information with lasting value. Internet archive and Google initiative of scanning books and archiving digital information are some of major global steps taken to help preserve digital information.

Information overload refers to having to deal with too much information and which may make it difficult to make a decision. It is true that the internet is a reservoir and a conduit for vast amount of information. However, it is lack of discretion when using the internet that makes one to suffer from information overload. Lack of internet information literacy skills has made it difficult for people to deal with information overload. In this case, therefore, internet, which is only a tool, need not be blamed but our ignorance on how to use the internet creatively and intelligently is to be faulted.

Internet has also been held responsible for our inability to read critically. Though we read more than before but our reading is superficial. In this case, again, internet is unfairly treated. The problem is not the internet but is our lack of reading skills and over relies on reading from internet. The ease of using the internet endears itself to many. What is required is balance in our use of tools at our disposal, training in reading both in traditional way and digitally.

E-publishing is gaining popularity. It is easier and economical to publish digitally, and on top of that, reach a bigger number of readers. Newspapers have taken the cue and most of them are being published online. In future most of books and other reading materials will go online. Though research show most people still prefer the traditional book over the e-book, but the convenience of e-book will soon see more people reading e-books than the traditional books.

Multitasking has become an entrenched feature in our modern life. This has lead to poor productivity and efficiency. Therefore, it is important to learn to be focused and balanced. Multitasking is not bad as such because there are jobs that require multitasking. Once again let’s stop censuring technology and using it as an escape goat for our human weakness.

Information literacy is the panacea to most problems critics of the internet are fronting. Internet is a powerful tool that has become very part of our own existence. We buy, sale, communicate, learn, work, and do many other things over the internet.

It is responsibility of each internet user to learn how to evaluate the information found in the internet. We need to use technology responsibly. Information literacy, critical thinking and reading both in traditional way and digitally, should be incorporated into school curricula, syllabi and lesson plans. Internet has handed us freedom hitherto unknown to us; Great freedom that has come with great responsibility. Therefore, it is our duty not to abuse nor become a slave to it. For every invention has two faces, internet is no exceptional. All said and done internet, is in deed, unparalleled tool for enlightenment and human development. Internet is here to stay. After all, we are all becoming denizens of the wired world. The sooner we accept this reality, and learn how to live in this new world the better.

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Gibbs, M.2009. The Internet Kill Switch. www.networkworld.com/

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KNOWLEDGE CREATION

2012-08-02T05:08:00.001-07:00

Knowledge creation is the process of coming up with a new fact, truth, or belief. This can be brought about by the desire to solve an existing problem, or to improve or better an existing product, process or system.

Knowledge creation occurs in diverse spheres. Research can give a new perspective to an existing phenomenon. It can also refute an existing fact. Experiment is yet another way by which knowledge is definitely created. Knowledge can also be created by accident! An idea hits you from the blues, and ends up being a brilliant fact. Combination of existing knowledge is yet another way knowledge is created. Interaction and socialization is a fertile ground for knowledge creation.

Knowledge creation is made manifest in number of ways. New product is evidence of knowledge creation. A problem might have existed and ways to solve the problem were explored. These ways in their formative stages were just ideas or data that were synthesized and contextualized, to become information. The information was refined, and put into test. Models or prototypes developed tested and retested, till they reached the acceptable standards. Products are embodiment of knowledge. This explanation can also be adopted for new process or systems.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

2012-08-01T01:31:00.001-07:00

Knowledge management essentially involves knowledge needs assessments, identification of knowledge sources, knowledge creation, acquisition, organization and storage, knowledge dissemination, transfer, sharing or diffusion. These activities however will be determined by the organizational environment. Organizations differ depending on the nature of their operations. How knowledge is managed in organization A would be different on how it is managed in organization B.

Before I delve into what I understand knowledge management system is, I would like to first define what a system is. A system is a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent elements forming a complex whole. A system comprises a number of essentials that together make a complete form. As already stated knowledge management encompasses a number of elements which include: knowledge needs assessments, identification of knowledge sources, knowledge creation, acquisition, organization and storage, knowledge dissemination, transfer, sharing or diffusion. These elements collectively give us a knowledge management system. These elements help an organization to manage its knowledge.

Knowledge management system could therefore be said to be those activities that collectively enables an organization effectively and efficiently manage its knowledge. However, from a technological point of view knowledge management systems are taken to refer to information systems used in managing knowledge in organizations. Taken this way knowledge management systems could be said to be information communication technologies that assist in carrying the core activities of knowledge management which can be summed up thus: knowledge creation, storage, retrieval, transfer and application.

Let’s take the example of a library environment. Basic the library acquires explicit knowledge in either print or non-print form, classifies, catalogs, and issues. These activities can be done either manually or electronically. There are library systems that have been developed that can be used to do all these activities. These systems can consequently be referred to as library knowledge management systems.

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Role of Academic Libraries in Knowledge Management in Universities

2012-07-26T11:58:00.001-07:00

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Role of Academic Libraries in Knowledge Management in Universities

Role of Academic Libraries in Knowledge Management in Universities

2012-07-26T11:55:00.001-07:00

Academic libraries, and all other types of libraries, have been, will be, are, and will always be in the business of knowledge management. How academic libraries, and all types of libraries, manage knowledge is the subject of this post.

Knowledge can be broadly be classified into two major groups: Tacit and Explicit. Tacit knowledge is personal knowledge. Explicit knowledge is documented knowledge.

My simple definition of knowledge is total sum of all things you know as a person, and all things known universally. Your experiences, skills you have acquired, and information that has been captured in any accessible format that can be utilized in varies way, is knowledge.

An academic library exists to serve the mission, vision, goals, and objectives of the parent organization, in this case the university. The library does this by establishing the knowledge needs of the university. These needs are defined by all activities conducted, and services offered by the university, which will include teaching and research, among others.

The first role the library carries out in managing knowledge in the university is by conducting knowledge needs assessment. The main goal of this assessment is to establish the type of knowledge the university requires to achieve its mission, vision, goals, and objectives.

Once the library has known the nature of knowledge required by the university, the library performs the second role of ascertaining the relevant sources of the knowledge. The sources of knowledge would range from print materials, non-print materials to knowledge workers within and without the university.

Another role an academic library performs in KM in a university is acquisition of the knowledge sources identified. This specifically is geared towards explicit knowledge. However, tacit knowledge source, taken to mean the knowledge worker, is recruited in conjunction with the human resource department. This will be specific to the library department, in accordance to its human resource needs.

Organization of the knowledge sources is yet an additional role the library carries out in KM in a university. The organization is meant to enable easy accessibility of the knowledge sources.

Dissemination or sharing or diffusion of the knowledge is one more task the library executes in KM in a university setting. This is done through manual catalogue, on line public access catalogue, and social media.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE

2012-07-20T05:36:00.001-07:00

Driving force in organisations is knowledge. The existence and survival of organisations is depended on knowledge. New Services and product development are central to growth, development and survival of organisations. The raw material for evolution of new products or services is knowledge. In place could be a well orchestrated KM strategy or an ad hoc one, but KM is always there. However, it is prudent, cost effective and profitable to a have KM unit in the organisation. This can expedite the process of developing new services or products, recoup the cost of production fast, consequently realising profits sooner. In practice, KM starts with knowing what business you are in. Why your organisation is in existence. Where you are today and where do you want to be tomorrow. Also important, is establishing who your customers are: internal customers, external customers, present and potential customers. Besides, other stakeholders. To accomplish your goals and objectives right information is perquisite. Same applies in overcoming obstacles, and solving problems in your organisation.

Knowledge Needs Assessment
To set the ball rolling, find out what knowledge is required. What knowledge does your organisation always use in delivering its services or products? What challenges is your organisation facing, and what knowledge is required to provide a solution.
Knowledge Sources
Once knowledge needs are established, then figure out how and where to get the knowledge. Knowledge containers exist in abundance. Evaluate and narrow down to those sources that provide the right knowledge suitable to your organisation’s knowledge needs. Start at home, that is, knowledge already existing in the organisation. It is there, in files, databases, books, documents, and in employees’ heads. If it is not within the organisation acquire it. If in employees’ heads capture and harness it.
Knowledge Storage and Organisation

Organise and store the knowledge. Appraise all the knowledge in your organisation. Retain or capture or acquire the most valuable knowledge. Depending on the knowledge reservoir, decided on where it is to be stored. Knowledge can be stored in computers, libraries, record centres, resource/ information centres or archives. A simple straight forward system should be used to organise the knowledge, to afford easy accessibility. Libraries and archives have been in business of organising knowledge for centuries, and they have the advantage of time tested and workable knowledge organisation schemes.

Knowledge Dissemination

Publicise your knowledge. Let the employees know what knowledge exists in the organisation,

where it is stored and how they can access it. For tacit knowledge,’ yellow pages’ will do.

Knowledge Management in Practice

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY.

2012-03-16T00:53:00.003-07:00

Knowledge economy is the economy ‘encompassing the exploitation and use of knowledge, in all production and service activities, not just those sometimes classified as high-tech or knowledge intensive. [And] one in which the generation and exploitation of knowledge play the predominant part in the creation of wealth’ (United Kingdom Department of Trade and Industry as cited by Houghton & Sheehan 2000: 1; Rikowski 2000; Ernst & Young 2006).

The terms ‘information economy’ and ‘knowledge economy’ are usually used interchangeably. According to Cogburn & Adeya (1999) information economy refers to the economic contributions of a limited number of industries" while the knowledge economy could be seen as including "the entire industrial fabric of the economy.” And they prefer to use both terms as nearly synonymous. However like Verzola (2006) they favor the term information economy since it is information that is being transferred or exchanged. And they define information economy as ‘global economic structure, wherein the production of information goods and services dominates wealth and job creation, and is underpinned by the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and a global information infrastructure’

The term knowledge economy is attributed to Machlup who used terms “knowledge economy” or “knowledge industries” or “knowledge-based industries” in 1962, after he established that by 1959, ‘knowledge-producing occupations had surpassed the other occupations in terms of numbers’. Most authors were referring to this period as ‘post-industrial’ economy. (Verzola 2006).

To shed more light on terms knowledge economy and information economy I would like to introduce two other related terms: knowledge society and information society. Lor& Britz (2007) point out that these terms are used interchangeably to describe a society in which:
• Knowledge is the most vital factor of production.
• A culture of knowledge production with emphasis on higher education
• Use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs).
The authors distinguish information society from knowledge society in terms of :
Information society to Knowledge society
Information&communication technologies to Knowledge technologies(e.g.collaborative software
Collection to Production
Dissemination to Analysis, evaluation
Packages to Content
Measurement to Judgement
Facts to Texts
Outputs to Outcomes
Quantity to Quality
Reliability to Validity
Accuracy to Truth, trust

So to them knowledge is weightier and well organized than information and they define knowledge society as ‘a society that operates within the paradigm of the economics of information. Human capital is valued as the highest asset and is seen as the prime input to production and innovation. The creation of knowledge (content) is a unique feature of a knowledge society. As such, a knowledge society is underpinned by a well developed information as well as physical infrastructure allowing participation in the different socio-economic and political activities’.

Knowledge is mostly categorized into explicit- formal, codified, structured, and Tacit- knowledge gained from experience, rather than that instilled by formal education and training. In addition to Know-what- knowledge about facts, this type is losing its relevance. Know-why - knowledge about the natural world, society, and the human mind. Know-who refers to the world of social relations and is knowledge of who knows what and who can do what. Knowing key people is sometimes more important to innovation than knowing scientific principles. Know-where and know-when are becoming increasingly important in a flexible and dynamic economy. Know-how refers to skills, the ability to do things on a practical level. (Ernst & Young 2006).

The New growth theory by Paul Romer is a shift from the neo-classical model and sees technology and knowledge as an intrinsic part of the economy. Going by this theory:
Knowledge is basic form of capital New technological breakthrough, though random, forms a platform for further innovations.Technology rise return on investment.Investments can make technology more valuable (Ernst & Young 2006).

I prefer the term knowledge economy to information economy because in knowledge economy, knowledge is the main factor of production, and is embedded in the products and services. Despite the fact that what is being traded for is literally information, but in actual sense it is the skills, the know-how, entrenched in these products and services.

References
Cogburn, DL & Adeya, CN. 1999. Globalization and the Information Economy:
Challenges and Opportunities for Africa. http://www.unu.edu/africa/papers/cogburn-adeya.pdf (Accessed 16 March 2012).

Ernst & Young. 2006. The Knowledge Economy
www.med.govt.nz/.../MultipageDocumentPage____17263.aspx
(Accessed 16 March 2012)

Houghton, John. 2009. What Happens When a Knowledge Economy Turns Down?
www.allbusiness.com/economy...news/12375735-1.html (Accessed 16 March 2012)

Lor, PJ & Britzls, JJ. 2007. A knowledge society possible without freedom of access to
information? Journal of Information Science, 33(4): 387 –397.

Rikowski,R. 2000. The knowledge economy is here – but where are the information
professionals? Business Information Review, 17(3):157-167.

Verzola, R. 2006. vecam.org/article724.htm. (Accessed 16 March 2012)

Knowledge retention for business continuity

2012-01-25T23:54:00.000-08:00

A change of guard in some organisations heralds changes in heads of departments, processes and systems. To stamp his/her authority, and set up his/her own inner circle, the incoming CEO Overhauls the entire system. This, however, may have disastrous consequences. For the sake of continuity and smooth running of the organisation, it is better to retain heads of departments, systems and processes. Changes should be made gradually, for smooth transition and running of the organisation.
How can knowledge retention help in business continuity when there is a change in top management in an organisation? But first what is knowledge retention? Kim (2005) defines knowledge retention ‘as the capture of knowledge/expertise from employees before they leave an organization’. Newman and Conrad (1999) define knowledge retention as ‘all activities that preserve knowledge and allow it to remain in the system once introduced. It also includes those activities that maintain the viability of knowledge within the system’.
Basing on above definition knowledge retention is concerned with curtailing knowledge loss that may transpire following an exit of a knowledge worker or expert from an organization. Before I attempt to define knowledge retention I would like to define the terms retain and retention. Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines retain as:
‘1 a: to keep in possession or use b: to keep in one's pay or service; specifically: to employ by paying a retainer c: to keep in mind or memory: remember
2: to hold secure or intact’
And retention as ‘1 a: the act of retaining: the state of being retained b: abnormal retaining of a fluid or secretion in a body cavity
2 a: power of retaining: retentiveness b: an ability to retain things in mind; specifically: a preservation of the after effects of experience and learning that makes recall or recognition possible
3: something retained’
Retention is the acting of retaining. To retain, taking Merriam-Webster first meaning, is to keep in possession or use. Knowledge retention can then be defined as the acting or process of keeping in possession and use of knowledge.

Knowledge retention literature focuses mostly on capturing knowledge of workers leaving employment due to retirement, moving to another organisation, among other reasons. Knowledge retention should go further than ensuring the possession of the knowledge of the worker who is leaving to warranting the continued use of the knowledge.
An outgoing CEO will leave behind systems and process, which embodies knowledge. An incoming CEO might not like the systems and process left by his/ her predecessor, but prior to making any quick changes; the CEO should study the systems and process to establish their merits.
Systems, processes and employees are organisation’s knowledge base. It takes years to assemble this knowledge base. The knowledge of the outgoing CEO is captured in systems, processes and employees he/she is leaving behind. A smooth transition is assured by continued observation by the incoming boss of these processes and systems, and retaining head of departments in their position for a time or in definitely.
The maintaining of status quo by the incoming boss guarantees business continuity. An abrupt change in processes or systems or managers can disrupt the running of the organisation. Knowledge retention is more than capturing knowledge of leaving workers. It should also include the use of knowledge base left behind by the employees when they leave. Treated this way knowledge retention ensures business continuity.
References
Kim, MJ. 2005. Knowledge Retention Enhances Performance-Based Management. http://www.dcma.mil/communicator/fall05/4_business_processes/DCMA_Comm_v05n03_pp49-51.pdf. (Accessed on 26 January 2012)

Newman & Conrad, KW. 1999. A Framework for Characterizing Knowledge Management Methods, Practices, and Technologies. http://www.km-forum.org/KM-Characterization-Framework.pdf (Accessed on 26 January 2012)

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Web 2: some definitions

2011-04-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Web 2: some definitions

TAPPING INTO REVERSE KNOWLEDGE FLOW.

2011-04-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

You top talent employee has just handed in his resignation letter. As if that is not bad enough, he was in a middle of a project with a very important client. He has received a more attractive offer from your competitor. How do you react to such like scenario? You may decide to counter the offer by paying him more. But for how long are you willing to play this game? What will happen if it becomes a trend?

Well the best thing to do I believe is to let go. Learning to manage the exit of an employee is an important aspect in knowledge management. It should be done as thorough as the recruitment. An exit interview should be conducted with an aim of ensuring continue communication with the employee. The organization should encourage the employee to continue keeping in touch with the organization despite moving on. The employee should be made to feel that the company values his expertise. The employee should be encouraged to maintain the lines of communication with colleagues he has left behind.

Reverse knowledge flow occurs when current employees of an organization freely share and exchange knowledge with former employees who moved to other organizations. This helps the organization to continue gaining from the expertise of the erstwhile employee. It also gives the firm the opportunity of knowing what the competitor is doing. The inhibited flow of knowledge is an important impetus for innovation and creativity.
It makes it easier for the reabsorb of the employee in case of come back.

Reserve knowledge flow provides an avenue for organization to acquire knew knowledge from their former employees, at no expense. Organization should thus to come up with ways and means of benefiting from reverse knowledge flow. How firms can do this will be discussion of the next blog post.

Knowledge management is as old as man

2011-04-13T04:06:00.000-07:00

Knowledge management is touted as a new discipline. It might be new in making it formal and allowing it to be studied like any other disciplines. But in terms of existence and practice, it is as old as man. Man has been managing knowledge from time immemorial, long before the advent of writing.

In ancient times, especially in African setting, knowledge was managed in various ways,like: apprenticeship; story telling, riddles, parables and sayings; dances and festivities; major natural catastrophes; rite of passage- birth, circumcision, marriage and death; and such like.

In the African society old people were venerated and held in great esteem.They were knowledge warehouse of their respective communities. By word of mouth they passed on their wisdom to their progeny. This way the community knowledge was preserved and shared.

It is sad to note this ancient and time tested method of knowledge management has be neglected with disastrous results. Many mistakes made in organizations and societies in general could have been avoided, if the elderly and experienced member(s) of the organization or society had been consulted.

The essences of knowledge management is sharing of knowledge to prevent re-inventing the wheel, and at the same time to aid in innovation.You can only give what you have. Knowledge is personal and is mostly acquired through experiences. Therefore a person who has been with an organization for a long time or a person who has been a member of a community for a longer time, he/she is more knowledgeable on going-on of the organization or society. For example The Toyota car manufacturer is experiencing problems with its new cars, and several recalls of new cars have been made. They have been problems with the breaking systems and exhaust. These problems were attributed to the fact that a large number of the workforce has attained the retiring age, and consequently, going home with their accumulated knowledge in their areas of expertise leaving the new cropper of workers to learn the hard way, learning from mistakes. An expensive and risk way of learning!

Organizations should therefore encourage their experienced workers to share their experiences with younger workers. This can be done through story telling,apprenticeship, coaching,and mentoring.

Knowledge-can it be managed?

2010-03-05T05:07:00.001-08:00

how can you manage knowledge? its a question you get whenever you introduce the topic knowledge management to people you meet. it is a genuine question.by its inherent nature knowledge can not be managed. people are the main carriers and creators of knowledge. it is also true that when knowledge leaves the mind it becomes information.
that said, from my perspective, i believe knowledge can be managed, by managing the processes involved in knowledge creation and transfer. when knowledge is codified and captured in more compact form it becomes more valuable than when it solely in somebody's mind. in this way it can be used and reused and at the same time made available to many people.
though we might like to draw a clean cut distinction between knowledge and information,this may prove to be problematic, because there is a thin line between the two concepts. but, i would like to believe that knowledge is more distilled,refined, tested,and valued.the record management process clearly demonstrates how information can differ from knowledge.appraisal,the last stage in record management, is meant to establish those records or information with lasting value for permanent preservation based on their archival value. this records represents what i call knowledge.
knowledge management, therefore, is not a very recent issue, but it has been there with us for centuries. librarians and archivists have been practicing it for donkey's years. it is only recently, that it come to hit us that what has been being archived and stocked in library has been appropriately knowledge but not information as such.
knowledge management also recognizes the fact that human are primary carrier and creator of knowledge, consequently the emphasis on knowledge sharing. this aspect has been the norm in our older generation who existed before the invention of the written word.the ancient knowledge was passed on orally. the only change brought about by advent of printing and information communication technology is ease and convenience of capturing, storing and handing it down to future generation.

Web 2: some definitions

2010-02-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

Web 2: some definitions

According Macaskill & Owen (2007), Dale Dougherty coined that term web 2.0, in 2004, while Tim O’Reilly and associates, popularized it. However, it should be noted that most writers associate the coining of the term with O’Reilly media. Tim O’Reilly defines Web 2.0 as ‘ the network as platform, spanning all connected devices; Web 2.0 applications are those that make the most of the intrinsic advantages of that platform: delivering software as a continually-updated service that gets better the more people use it, consuming and remixing data from multiple sources, including individual users, while providing their own data and services in a form that allows remixing by others, creating network effects through an "architecture of participation," and going beyond the page metaphor of Web 1.0 to deliver rich user experiences.' (America Library Association 2006 citing Michael Stephens).

According to Carpenter & Steiner (2007) Web 2.0 is ‘Second generation of Web-based services and tools that emphasize online sharing and collaboration among users. It also refers to the transition from static HTML Web pages to a dynamic Web that is organized and based on serving Web applications to users’

‘"Web 2.0" is transforming the Web into a space that allows anyone to create and share information Online—a space for collaboration, conversation, and interaction; a space that is highly dynamic, flexible, and adaptable’ (Coombs 2007)

‘Web 2.0 is a term that people loosely apply to these new, easier to use web-based tools for content creation (also known as user generated content), connecting with people (also known as social networking), collaboration and many other forms of people to people interaction’ (Imark 2009)

‘A condensed definition of Web 2.0 is that it’s simply a term for generating discussions that represent all of the very latest and reasonably foreseeable widespread functions and devices that people utilize in an online modality’ (Lorenzo 2007)

Melville Committee (2009:15) maintain, as many other authors, that there is no agreed definition of web 2.0, and contended that web 2.0 is also known by other names which include the Social Web and social software. The committee states that: ‘ social software has been defined as ‘software that supports group interaction’.6Elaborations include ‘software that allows people to interact and collaborate online or that aggregates the actions of networked users’;7 ‘a set of internet services and practices that give voice to individual users’;8 and, in the specific context of learning, ‘networked tools that support and encourage individuals to learn together whilst retaining control over their time, space, presence, activity, identity and relationship.’

“Refers to a supposed second-generation of Internet-based services - such as social networking sites, blogs, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies - that let people collaborate and share information online in ways previously un available’ (van Wyk 2009 quoting from thehatchergroup.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/glossary-of-new-media- terminology/)

References
Carpenter, C& Steiner, S. 2007. Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Push E-Resources. smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/1853/13640/2/236-fri-11_05.pdf (accessed 18 feburary2010).
Coombs, K.A. 2007. Building a Library Web Site on the Piilars of web 2.0. www.infotodayjconi (accessed 18 feburary2010).
FAO.2009.Information Management Resource Kit: Web 2.0 and Social Media for Development. http://www.imarkgroup.org/ (Accessed 18 February 2010)
Imark. 2009 see FAO.2009.
Lorenzo, G. 2007. Catalysts for Change: Information Fluency, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the New Education Culture. http://www.edpath.com/stn.htm. (Accessed 7 January 2010)

Macaskill, W & Owen D.2007.Web 2.0 to Go. www.lianza.org.nz/library/files/store.../Web2ToGo_WMacaskill.pdf (accessed 7 January 2010).
Melville Committee 2009 see United Kingdom. Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience 2009
United Kingdom. Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience .2009.Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World. Chairman: David Melville. www.clex.org.uk (accessed 18 feburary2010).
Van Wyk, J. 2009.Engaging clients through Web 2.0 tools: The Education Library, University of Pretoria. http://www.saoug.org.za/presentations/Engaging_clients_through_web2.pdf (accessed 18 feburary2010).

social web

2010-02-26T08:27:00.000-08:00

social web, i think, is a better term for web 2. it aptly captures the spirit of web 2. social network sites run on web 2 wheels, which connect people and keep them in touch. these sites enable us to find our long lost school and college mates, meet and connect with like minded persons. besides, we do a number of things on these sites like swapping videos, pictures, music, chatting and emailing.

social web or social media is more representative term of the web 2, because it combines most, if not all, of those activities and tools that are web 2 technologies. web 2 is a social phenomena, and we are social animals and this might in part explain the resounding success and appeal web 2 has had.

the beauty of web 2, or social media or web is the ease of adaptation, the demystification of cryptic world of computer programming, and incorporating of the most defining and differentiating aspects of human being, that is socializing.

so why don't we drop the web 2 tag and replace it with social web or media ?

libary 2

2010-02-25T09:43:00.000-08:00

there seem to be no agreed definition of library 2, but there is a consensus on what
library 2 is intended to accomplish. This, i believe,is the most important aspect on the whole issue of library 2.

my understanding of this concept, is simply taking services to where the users are. if you are not chatting in one of the social networking sites, you might be Googling, or uploading music, your photos, videos or sharing the same. You could be using your computer or your mobile phone to do all these. so most of the times we are existing in the cyberspace.

By implementing library 2, the library will be taking its services to where the users are. Besides, the library will be making itself more relevant, and will become more visible.