Social networking

It is very interesting that so many libraries exist in second life. This is an excellent way to reach the young community and others who may not physically want to visit the library.
As for myspace and facebook sites, these popular online meeting spaces are the perfect areas to target niche audiences. A different myspace page could be created for each age group or genre group accordingly. We could also have a general page for promotion of the library and this could link to the several niche pages. These social networking sites are perfect vehicles for book clubs and writing/study groups. Transfering this idea to second life brings these virtual communities of interest to a whole new level, with avatars and visual elements somewhat mirroring reality.

Online apps.

Online applications are another example of the internet's power in collaborative organisation. With the software based online, compatibility between users (as well as the ability to collaborate) is strengenthed. While powerpoint is easy to use, it can not be used socially (unless emailed continuously from recipient to recipient).
The ease at which documents can be created and distributed online, makes this software very suitable for the purposes of the library.
The application I created was promotional, and showed the public what was on offer, but these applications extend past this.
They could be used to create any number of informative texts on all sorts of subject matter, and could be geared at several age and interest groups.

mashups

Here is the fantastic mashup I created. Its point --- unknown, its purpose --- even cloudier. But it was a fun waste of time. I can see that mashups incorporating maps with images and information can be quite useful and fun. But my slow, traditional brain hasn't conjured up much use for most of the applications on hugefunlab - other than their fun factor.

Of course, that's not to say that they aren't useful for society at large, or for libraries and other community-based institutions. I guess they provide a means to a design end - that is, any one with a computer, internet access and digital camera can try their hand at graphic design. This means that we all have a chance to partake in activities that were once too expensive and require advanced skills.

podcasting

Podcasting is yet another web based technology that could be used in numerous ways in the library. We could use it for story time (for children who are house bound or couldn't make it), as well as for any talks or seminars we hold. We could also use this technology for promotional purposes, and to let the public know more about the library. Different podcasts could be geared to different audience groups, and we could create a series of talks about a subject without needing to set aside a physical time and space for our patrons.

Slamming the boards

An answer board site would work well for libraries. The ability for librarians to compile commonly asked questions online provides a non-spatial & non-linear aspect to providing information. This would be especially helpful for patrons who can't visit the library during opening hours, like shift workers, or those with physical disabilities.
The use of the web in documenting and facilitating these discourses means that not just library members would have access to the information.
This web space would also provide an invaluable source of customer feedback, as patrons could offer suggestions, or even question the vailidity of the information we provide.
Also, we could create a number of different forums, geared to different interest groups. These could be organized along demographic details such as age or cultural background. We could also identify a number of niche groups and organise along these, ie, such as historical romance, graphic novels/manga, or project managment. We could involve members of the public in these niche interest forums, which would create online communities of particular knowledge, without formal hierarchy - but with expert knowledge.

Delicious folksonomies

The use of social bookmarking sites like delicious would be very useful for libraries and study groups. In terms of a library environment, it could be used by the borrower to create reading groups or study groups. It could also be used by library staff to highlight categories of information.
The creation of folksonomies via these social methods is another interesting step away from formal systems of classification, and the future effect of this on our understanding of the universe.
Here is a link to my delicious page.