Social Media or Web 2.0 : Biggest issues to the Librarian

Libraries play an important role not only as a building material storage, but as the process of delivery of various forms of information such as books, journals, electronic, microform, online learning, etc. to their community. In the modern and sophisticated era, particularly in the era of the Internet and Web 2.0, services and facilities are offered more widely, demanding and complicated. The development of Web 2.0 technology also requires libraries to make changes in the delivery of information in a more up to-date, reliable, and dynamic manner which can attract their users. Web 2.0 technology is now a popular trend  and become a phenomena used by all segments of society in the world to socialize. The term of web 2.0 was first defined by Tim O’Reilly and John Batelle that looked at the dot-com bubble survivors in 2004 and saw in them an evolutionary triumph that they identified as Web 2.0 (O’Reilly, 2005). The term implies that Web 2.0 differs from an earlier web by being participatory, interactive, instantaneous, and emphasizes online collaboration and sharing among users. It is often termed “Social Media” and is seen as a place where people can connect and share the personal and day-to-day details of their lives with old friends, new friends, and complete strangers (Nesta and Jia Mi, 2010). 2 years later, O’Reilly defined Web 2.0 as an emerging suite of applications that are interactive, context-rich, and easy to use (O’Reilly, 2007). In a library environment, this technology or application is termed Library 2.0. The term “Library 2.0” was believed to be defined by Michael Casey in 2005 on his LibrayCrunch blog. According to Chad and Miller (2005), Library 2.0 as a concept, very different from the service we know today, that operates according to the expectations of today’s users. They state that with this concept the library will make information available wherever and whenever the user requires it. In addition, based on report form Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), Research Planning and Review Committee, “social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook is one of the most important technological changes that are affecting academic libraries at present and in the near future”.

A recently published report about online usage in Malaysia has revealed that the top visited web sites in Malaysia are social networking sites (comScore, 2009). The report also shows that as at mid-2009, there were 9.3 million Malaysian (out of 25 million of population) age 15 and above who accessed the internet from various locations and consumed an average of 1,066 pages of content and spending nearly 14 hours online during the month (Mohd Hafiz, Watsons and Edwards, 2010). According to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, in 2008, the penetration index of internet access among Malaysians has reached 62.8 per cent, a staggering 15 per cent of increase in 12 months while 50 per cent of broadband access will be achieved by 2010. Moreover, recent data from the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) from 1 to March 30, 2011, which monitors the network on ICT in Putrajaya Campus Network (PCN), found a total of 19.96 million transactions were performed on the access sites of social networking website. These monitoring found 3 access to the highest on the social networking website that were : profile.ak.fbcdn.net, www.facebook.com and static.ak.fbcdn.net. From this data and statistics showing that Malaysia people, amongst the fast developed Asian countries use the social networking as a medium of communication and sharing information.  

Therefore, libraries need to be more exposed to these developments and provide as many Web 2.0 applications to get closer to their users and improve the quality of online information delivery. But to successfull implemented this application in library not so easy and need carefully for design the purpose of having this application. Libraries management especially for librarian there are many big issues that must be recognise and faces. According to Dwivedi, Williams, Ramdani, Suraj Niranjan, Vishanth Weerakkody (2010), in thier study of Understanding Factors for Success adoption of Web 2.0 application, they mentioned perceived usefulness and ease-of-use are significant predictors of behavioural intention to adopt Web 2.0 applications, users‟ behavioural intention influences the usage of these applications, and ease-of-use influence behavioural intention both directly and indirectly through influencing perceived usefulness. So this is by mean, the issues for the librarian is how they want to adopt this technologies can be usefulness for thier user, is it this application can be easy-of-use by both parties, user and also librarian. And then, are the librarian are alert what are the user behaviour intention for use this application.

In addition, there are study about the changing role of librarians in the Digital World by Muhammad Arif and Khalid Mahmood (2010). In their study, they recommended, the ICT infrastructure in the libraries should be upgraded and training programmes on technical aspects and implementation of Web 2.0 technologies should be arranged on regular basis. These means, the issues that must be face by the librarian is, they must upgrade the ICT infrastucture in their library. So, with the upgrading, they not no so worried about the limitation of network capasity to run this application. Beside that, in my opinion also, an as my practicing in my library, the server or network capacity not so enough, and then if we want to store let say video collection to be uploaded as a podcast/vodcast services, that one of web 2.0 application, so the network will be slow and can interrupt for other services. To support this, i also have conducted some interview regarding this issue among public states libraries in Malaysia, most of them mention that ICT infratructure in their organization is not enough to support and running for all web 2.0 application. They just can create or develop the Facebook account because this application is online and not used so much bandwith capacity. But some of them are block the use of facebook in the library, even they provide this service to the user. This is  because, if their user spent more time access the facebook using the library network/wifi connection it can make thier network become slow.  This is also one of the biggest issues that they face. Another issues that raise by Muhammad Arif and Khalid Mahmood (2010), is training programmes on technical aspects and implementation of Web 2.0 technologies. I am aggree with their statement. Most of the librarian are aware about web 2.0 application. But how to implement or develop all of this web 2.0 application such as blog, podcast/vodcast, RSS, Wikis, social networking sites, Instant messaging, Mashup, etc, can be question. This is also can be a problem to the librarain. Not all of that application is easy to create or develop. Some of them, have too many technical part to be understand by the librarian. So, without a training programmes, the librarian cannot create or develop web 2.0 application in a good way. Library management should send their staf or professional staff (IT manager or Librarian) to a workshop and training of application web 2.0. In that training or workshop, they can get a valuable input or can increase their knowldge on how to develop the web 2.0 application sucessefully in the library. In my interview with Assistant Director (IT Department)  of National Library of Malaysia, Mr Mohd Ikmil Firdauz, he inform me, after attendant the Social Media Workshop organized by University Malaya Library, he and his staff get more clear and understanding of having this application to the Library. Before this, they just create  a social media website just follow the trend now, but after attend the workshop they have a proper guidelines, and objectives provides the social media tool.

Another issues that face by the librarian is about the policy and guidelines of having this application in thier organization. From my finding in interview with some of the librarian in Malaysian Public Libraries, there are no standard policy they have or refer to develop this application. They just develop by thier own initiative and follow the trend only. But some of them mention, in thier management meeting, they have disscus about this application and they use the meeting minute as thier guidelines for develop web 2.0 application. It also experience by me. I just create facebook account without any policy and  guidelines. I think this is another big issue to the library if they dont have any guidlines, policy or standards. Without at least a very basic guidelines or policy, they dont know what is the purpose, objective or might be they can lost of control of provide a good online service to thier user.

As a conclusion, social media or Web 2.0 tool, not just a trend common to the organization but also to every library in the world. Library racing providing or offering this services to thier users. But without proper planning, clear objectives, policy, guidlines, and have sufficient expertise in developing and maintaining these services, quality services of these application can be affected and the delivery of information to be executed can not be achieved.