Gather is described in this article dated 12/12/05 (the date could be a problem - over 2 years is a LONG time ago in techtime) as a "mix between a lifestyle portal and a content aggregator...". This is a good description I think. Both Gather and Ning are multitasking sites that offer groups, blogs, photoshare, tagging... They add another layer to the opportunities the web offers. In the article "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library" the statement is m
ade that the social web "represents a cultural shift towards expression, collaboration and interaction...users are not satisfied with simply reading web pages. They are beginning to expect the opportunity to interact online with...(why not?) their library." This is another of the topics that opens boxes for people who think and talk about librarians of tomorrow. Clearly all aspects of social networking are available to the library --- but which ones are useful? From user/patron/open tagging to collection direction and selection -- some of these areas are still considered sacred by many in the profession. Folksonomy can be a very controversial topic. Collaborating has always required studied awareness of dynamics mixed with grace and tact. Think committees. Campion's article suggests three steps toward becoming interactive libraries: education, application, endorsement. The advocates of Library 2.0 agree that this direction is progress, the detractors have many arguments against. Some of the conversation stoppers use words like "fad" and "hype". So here we are at a Step 1: education=23 Things on a Stick. These 23 Things have, I'm sure, set ideas spinning through the our heads. Will we be able to move on to application? Will our supervisors and directors - after opening these doors and windows to us be able to collaborate with us toward the library of the future?
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