Recommendations

The following is a set of recommendations for Web 2.0 technologies to be added to Warringah Libraries. Links will be provided to the libraries that these ideas are taken from.

Children's

Yarra Plenty Regional Library features various children's games. These are educational in nature. Notably, this includes user-generated content, including the abilities for users to create their own stories. I could see this being a great addition to Warringah Libraries - there's already a dedicated set of activities for children, so the implementation of online games would fit in, and actually distinguish itself by being purely electronic. The ability to create stories is something that the library has already embraced (the writing competition), so again, I could see this having a precedent for implementation.

Note that Yarra has used similar principles in its homework section, namely using games as an educational tool. Hennepin County Library also utilizes similar software.

Adult Fiction

Sutherland Shire Library doesn't provide this service itself, but does link to services that represent Web 2.0 concepts. I'm referring to its what should I read next? section, with links to sites such as NoveList (fiction/non-fiction) and Who Else Writes Like? (a search for similar authors). Note that this also includes works for children, and in some cases (e.g. NoveList), would require the patron's library card number.

I can see these services being provided to good effect at Warringah Libraries. It wouldn't require much work on the library's behalf, it would require them setting up links for web services rather than creating those services themselves. While this may require dealing with some of the host sites (e.g. a means to access NoveList through a Warringah Library member card), I'm sure it's something that patrons could appreciate.

Information

Sutherland Shire Library utilizes a pathfinder...sort of. The pathfinder is inactive, and it isn't really what I'd call a pathfinder in that it's presenting information by itself rather than the links to that information. But this kind of information is something I could easily see fitting in with Warringah - it already has a local studies section, it already has a means of information submission, and it already has a local studies section on its website. The ability to submit links to information is an example of Web 2.0, so I could see this as being a good way to foster community involvement.