The last few weeks, an idea has been slowly forming in my head – one that I’ll call inviting participation. David, what do you mean – inviting participation? Well… let me tell you.
A big chunk of web 2.0 has to do with different forms of participation. You can see this in the large, popular, user-created-content sites like myspace, flickr, or youtube – those sites depend on participation (i.e., content creators freely give away their creations) for their very survival. Even Time Magazine noticed this phenomenon, and named YOU as the person of the year for 2006 – all because you (i.e., we, i.e., me) are crazy content creators! Who knew?
I’ve also heard librarians discussing the same concept in the library community. In library-related articles, blog posts, and presentations I’ve attended and/or read this past year, the presenters/writers have been saying that Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 are all about starting conversations, building community, and telling our stories. But the writer/presenter tends to skip over what I think is the most important part – they never explain how to do it. Instead, they continue on with the next Powerpoint slide or paragraph (and believe me, I’m extremely guilty of this too, so all fingerpointing is aimed at me!).
For the most part, no one has actually explained HOW to start conversations, HOW to build community digitally, and HOW to tell your story in the digital space. In essence, how to invite participation using web 2.0 tools.
Here are two examples that illustrate what I mean by inviting participation. My first example goes back to this past summer when I did that song and video about web 2.0, Are You Blogging This. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that song invited a type of participation – a passive invitation to participate. Though I didn’t ask anyone specifically to do anything, the title of my song, Are You Blogging This?, apparently did – and people responded to the invitation! It’s one of my most popular posts to date, I have received 26 comments on my original blog post so far, and the video has been watched over 4000 times (3000 on YouTube, 1000 on blip.tv). But more importantly, the video was mentioned on other peoples blogs, too – usually with the blogger saying something like “Yes, David, I AM blogging this.”
My second example goes back a week or two when I was having trouble with my blog. I posted to my blog, asking readers to do two things for me: 1. leave a comment saying you saw my post, and 2. tell me what rss reader you’re using. And you guys did! I received 45 comments (and let me tell you, y’all use a WIDE VARIETY of RSS readers – wow!). That post is a great example of what I’ll call an active invitation to participate.
Here’s what I plan to do with my next few blog posts: I will talk about how libraries can invite participation in the digital space – how we can send digital invitations to our customers and invite them to the digital table to share “their stories” with us.
And – most importantly – I want YOU to participate! That’ll make this series of articles that much more fun, and you have some great ideas to share, I’m sure (you DID win that Time Person of the Year Award and all, so you must really know your stuff). Please feel free to chime in – agree, disagree, mention things I didn’t think of, etc – try out this participation stuff.
Next up:
joshua m. neff says
I think this is a great idea, David! I’m all for practical applications of theory and bringing the abstract down to the specific.
joshua m. neff says
I think this is a great idea, David! I’m all for practical applications of theory and bringing the abstract down to the specific.
John Evans says
David,
Here’s a way one might start some sharing. I found LibraryThing http://www.librarything.com/ via Alan Levine’s Cog Dog Blog http://cogdogblog.com/2007/01/03/librarything/.
It looks like a good social networking site for sharing books similar to Del.icio.us for websites.
Looking forward to reading more about your participation ideas.
John
taly weiss says
great work,
You really know how to motivate to action,
Good luck
Taly Weiss,
Social psychologist
taly weiss says
great work,
You really know how to motivate to action,
Good luck
Taly Weiss,
Social psychologist
PascalK says
Funny :
we’re doing the same thing at the same time :
http://bibliotheque20.wordpress.com/2007/01/29/montez-une-bibliotheque-20-pour-les-nuls/
The title of the ten posts to come are :
“How to build a Library 2.0 – for Dummies”
ie : No cash & no IT litteracy required!!
;-D
Cheers !
PascalK says
Funny :
we’re doing the same thing at the same time :
http://bibliotheque20.wordpress.com/2007/01/29/montez-une-bibliotheque-20-pour-les-nuls/
The title of the ten posts to come are :
“How to build a Library 2.0 – for Dummies”
ie : No cash & no IT litteracy required!!
;-D
Cheers !
Tasarim says
Thanks for helpful information you catch up us with your instructional explenation.
What people do is more important that what they say…
Best regards
Tasarim says
Thanks for helpful information you catch up us with your instructional explenation.
What people do is more important that what they say…
Best regards
Valintino says
Hello, Your site is great. Regards, Valintino Guxxi
Valintino says
Hello, Your site is great. Regards, Valintino Guxxi
davidleeking says
Valintino – thanks!
davidleeking says
Valintino – thanks!
kapi says
thanks
kapi says
thanks
Kurye says
Escuse me my english is bad. Bu yararlı bilgiler için site yayıncısına teşekkür ederim.
Kurye says
Escuse me my english is bad. Bu yararlı bilgiler için site yayıncısına teşekkür ederim.
effinglibrarian says
here is my invitation for others to participate on my blog: “apply the rules for being a sexy librarian to the video of the hand puppet: would you help (or not help) both patrons equally? If not, why not.”
at http://effinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/01/im-sorry-thats-video-of-what.html
effinglibrarian says
here is my invitation for others to participate on my blog: “apply the rules for being a sexy librarian to the video of the hand puppet: would you help (or not help) both patrons equally? If not, why not.”
at http://effinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/01/im-sorry-thats-video-of-what.html
Rspre says
here is my invitation for others to participate on my blog: “apply the rules for being a sexy librarian to the video of the hand puppet: would you help (or not help) both patrons equally? If not, why not.â€
at
Rspre says
here is my invitation for others to participate on my blog: “apply the rules for being a sexy librarian to the video of the hand puppet: would you help (or not help) both patrons equally? If not, why not.â€
at
davidleeking says
Uhm… Rspre – did you mean to just quote the comment above yours? Just asking…
davidleeking says
Uhm… Rspre – did you mean to just quote the comment above yours? Just asking…
Marka Tescil says
These article series about Web 2.0 very useful for us. Thanks a lot.
Marka Tescil says
These article series about Web 2.0 very useful for us. Thanks a lot.
John Evans says
David,
Here's a way one might start some sharing. I found LibraryThing http://www.librarything.com/ via Alan Levine's Cog Dog Blog http://cogdogblog.com/2007/01/03/librarything/.
It looks like a good social networking site for sharing books similar to Del.icio.us for websites.
Looking forward to reading more about your participation ideas.
John
yetenek sizsiniz says
These article series about Web 2.0 very useful for us. Thank you
ekonomi says
thank you.You really know how to motivate to action.. 😉
Teknoloji-Saglik-Cinsel says
I can’t wait to get my hands on that report! Thanks Brian!