The Library 2.0 Anti-Massacree Movement

Noticed that the number one popular news items at the Wired Magazine site today is "Public Library Geeks Take Web 2.0 to the Stacks", essentially an article about PLCMC's "Learning 2.0" program.

Since our own library system will using Learning 2.0 as the basis for a curriculum later this year, it's both timely and unsurprising to have mainstream tech media notice how numerous libraries are taking advantage of this curriculum and toolset. Other efforts, such as "Five Weeks to a Social Library (the first free, grassroots, completely online course devoted to teaching librarians about social software and how to use it in their libraries)", currently being explored by our reference staff, are close relations to PLCMC's effort.

To anyone curious about what's happening in library technology, these tools are a gift. You don't have to wait for somebody to tell you what to do or where to look. It's worth recapitulating the goals of PLCMC's technology director Helene Blowers:

• exposing staff to new tools
• encouraging play
• empowering individuals
• expanding the knowledge toolbox
• eliminating fear

And its worth noting that its great if your boss offers you an MP3 player to do this. But you don't have to wait. These free teaching programs offer us a model for delivering educational content at no cost to the end user, using free off-the-shelf tools. Go play!