Steven Bell over at the ACRL blog has a great post about the real-time library. He includes a list of bullet points about the real-time library – he says “What are some characteristics of the real-time library?”
- The real-time library is socially networked but it’s about more than just owning social network accounts; the real-time library has an active presence and shares information in real time.
- The real-time library updates its status regularly.
- The real-time library offers targeted services to the networked community.
- The real-time library is accessible on real-time communication devices.
- The real-time library is ready and waiting – all the time – to deliver information services.
- The real-time library monitors the multitude of emerging real-time web services and experiments to find those with the potential to enhance service in real-time mode.
- The real-time library designs information services specifically for delivery and use on the real-time web.
- Real-time librarians are adept at creating relationships with real-time library users.
Go read the article, and give it some thought… here’s one thought to start us off: remove all the 2.0, digital, online stuff from this idea, and we’re simply talking about the real, physical, day-to-day experience of a normal (yet very good) library. Emerging online services are working to make this normal, active experience we have at the physical library the same when we’re online.
Are we there yet? How do we get there?