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How are Web 2.0 Tools and Technology Applied and Used in Academic Libraries for
Library Instruction?




Melinda L. Weatherford


melinda_l_weatherford@GeorgiaSouthern.edu






An Annotated Bibliography Submitted to:
Dr. D. A. Battle of Georgia Southern University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for
FRLT 7130 Y01







SPRING 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Statesboro, GA

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Abstract
I researched the use of Web 2.0 tools and technology in academic libraries and library
instruction because I work in a college library that I feel needs to incorporate more
technology into its services and instruction. I am presently interviewing for a faculty
technology librarian position at the college, so the topic is extremely relevant to my
career goals and current position. I used Georgias online library, GALILEO, to research
my topic and selected nine journal articles by searching ProQuest and Academic Search
Complete under the subject heading of Education. I applied various combinations of
the following search terms and phrases using SmartText searching and Boolean phrase
searching such as: Web 2.0 tools and technology in college OR academic libraries;
ebooks in college OR academic libraries; Web 2.0 OR technology in college OR
academic libraries; Web 2.0 OR technology in library instruction. The nine journal
articles I selected are extremely relevant to my topic. They are written by nine different
first authors, and seven of the articles were published after 2010. The other two were
published in 2008 and 2003.


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How are Web 2.0 Tools and Technology Applied and Used in Academic Libraries
for Library Instruction?

Buckley, M. J., & Johnson, M. (2013). The why's and how's of integrating downloadable
academic ebooks. Computers in Libraries, 33(1), 9-32. Retrieved from
http://www.infotoday.com/cil2013/
This article was written by two subject-specialist librarians from Nova Southeastern
University in Florida who addressed the need of academic libraries to provide
downloadable academic ebooks. The challenge of digital rights management (DRM), the
importance of marketing the ebook collection and providing user instructions were
addressed. FAQs, tutorials, and a comprehensive library guide were created to instruct
students on how to download ebooks. Catalog records were updated to indicate whether
ebooks were available, and blurbs about ebooks were displayed across website content to
increase awareness.

Canuel, R., Crichton, C., & Savova, M. (2012). Tablets as powerful tools for university
research. Library Technology Reports, 48(8), 35-41. Retrieved from
http://www.alatechsource.org/ltr/index
The growing use of tablet computers and mobile computing on college campuses was
addressed. The authors are librarians at McGill University in Montreal, and they
developed special workshops for librarians, staff, faculty and students to promote tablets
for research, school work, content management and organization. Special applications
designed to aid in research and study, and the restrictions of digital rights management
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(DRM) technology were covered in the workshops. The authors concluded that mobile
computing is the future and librarians must be engaged and knowledgeable regarding this
technology in order to keep their jobs relevant in the 21
st
century.

Collis, B., & Moonen, J. (2008). Web 2.0 tools and processes in higher education:
Quality perspectives. Educational Media International, 45(2), 93-106.
doi:10.1080/09523980802107179
The influence of Web 2.0 technology on higher education was reviewed in this article. It
examined the likelihood of Web 2.0 tools leading to innovation and practice in higher
education and the need to embed these processes into instructional practices by
demonstrating that they add quality. Computer literacy support for faculty who may not
be familiar with these tools was suggested. Students were already implementing these
tools outside of school, so it was concluded that applying specific methods to embed and
scaffold this technology into the curriculum would be important to prevent a dissection
between school and the real world.

Kidwell, C. (2010). Integrating Web 2.0 into a higher education library service: A case
study of Trinity College of Musics library Facebook page. Fontes Artis Musicae,
57(1), 76-85. Retrieved from http://www.iaml.info/en/publications/fontes
This article discussed how a music colleges library implemented a Facebook page to
communicate with students and promote the librarys collection and services. Content,
structure, and special library Facebook applications were covered including use of the
social bookmarking tool Del.icio.us, and applications that allow users to search the
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catalog directly from the Facebook page. The library discussed its future plans for
implementing Facebook and Web 2.0 by carrying it over into academic staff and teaching
in hopes of increasing focus on collaborative work inside the curriculum.

Lih-Juan, C., & Chwen-Chwen Chang, B. (2003). Web-based library instruction for
promoting information skills. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 30(4), 265-275.
Retrieved from http://www.projectinnovation.biz/index.html
Web-based instruction (WBI) for libraries was examined through the application of
online library instruction through library lessons, discussion, Q&A, reference desk, and
links to related websites. Analysis of web communication was achieved through content
related and unrelated questions, responses, feedback, chats and an online questionnaire.
It was determined that content must be relevant to major courses and success would
require planning and promotion. It was concluded that there is a case for interactive web-
based library instruction.

Quinney, K. L., Smith, S. D., & Galbraith, Q. (2010). Bridging the gap: self-directed
staff technology training. Information Technology & Libraries, 29(4), 205-213.
Retrieved from http://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/issue/current
This article discussed the implementation of a Technology Challenge program for
library staff at Bringham Young University to promote staff technology training in order
to address the gap between staff and student knowledge. Authors indicated the need for
Library 2.0 and Librarian 2.0 by integrating new Web 2.0 technologies. Staff and faculty
responded favorably to the program which encouraged them to voluntarily spend fifteen
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minutes per day engaging in training. They received points towards gift cards for every
minute they trained. Authors concluded the Technology Challenge to be successful
based on and participant assessments and feedback.

Salem, L., Cronin, B., & Bliss, L. (2012). Smarter together. Library Technology Reports,
48(8), 17-21. Retrieved from
http://alatechsource.metapress.com/content/W41833/
Authors discussed how tablets were developed into high-quality academic tools in a
library setting. A library tablet community was created which met regularly to discuss
tools and brainstorm about services. A student preference for mobile computing,
particularly with smart phones, was identified. The challenge of individual styles of use
while trying to create community use was noted. The community tablet use program
was ultimately a success with the goal of creating campus-wide technology initiatives.
The potential downfall was that technology changes so quickly it was hard to identify
what programs and services could be adapted long term.

Stephens, M., & Cheetham, W. (2011). The impact and effect of learning 2.0 programs in
Australian academic libraries. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 17(1), 31-
63. doi:10.1080/13614533.2011.547414
This article covered the results of a national survey in Australia about libraries which
participated in Learning 2.0 initiatives as a means to educate library staff on emerging
technologies. Management support, comfort levels, abilities and impact on library
services were explored. The program was deemed a success due to assessed results
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which included feedback from a focus group. The changes were determined to be more
personal than institutional, but these changes led to improved communication, sharing
and visibility.

Zabel, D., Shank, J. D., & Bell, S. (2011). Blended librarianship: [re]envisioning the
role of librarian as educator in the digital information age. Reference & User
Services Quarterly, 51(2), 105-110. Retrieved from
http://rusa.metapress.com/home/main.mpx
Blended librarianship is explained as combining old and new service models of academic
librarianship. The challenge of technology innovations as disruptions was confronted and
the need for librarians to shift their traditional skillset in order to learn to apply
technology appropriately in the education/teaching process was discussed. The authors
determined that it is critical for librarians to continually adopt new technology skills in
order to remain relevant, to take on an educational role, and to act as a guide to the
constantly expanding universe of information.


Implications for Applications to Educational Settings

After reviewing the articles I selected for my research, I noticed dominant,
reoccurring themes throughout. There is a tremendous need for academic libraries and
librarians to keep up with the technologies and applications that students are using and to
stay ahead of the game with emerging technologies. Academic librarians need to keep
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their jobs (and libraries) relevant by pursuing professional development opportunities to
ensure continued growth in the constantly changing field of information technology
(Stephens & Cheetham, 2011; Canuel, Crichton, & Savova, 2012). In order for Web 2.0
technologies to become properly embedded in the curriculum, faculty must see value in
them, and they must be effectively promoted to both faculty and students (Collis &
Moonen, 2008; Buckley & Johnson, 2013).
Web 2.0 tools can be successfully applied in an educational setting by training
library staff and faculty to become comfortable and proficient with these technologies
(Salem, Cronin, & Bliss, 2012; Stephens & Cheetham, 2011). They need to address
educational, research and learning needs by finding and promoting appropriate
applications. The ultimate goal is to use current technology to make learning and
teaching more efficient. These tools can also be used to assist in communication and
project collaboration among library staff, faculty, and students.
The development of special programs such as the Technology Challenge
initiative would be an excellent way to implement staff training (Quinney, Smith, &
Galbraith, 2010). In order to keep up with constantly changing Web 2.0 technologies and
their relevance to academics and learning, every librarian and library needs to transform
into Librarian 2.0 and Library 2.0 to meet the advancing information, education and
research needs of faculty and students (Quinney, Smith, & Galbraith, 2010).