Thoughts on Library 2.0

When I hear the term Library 2.0, I think of a continual and necessary evolution of libraries and the services they offer. In a blog entry concerning Library 2.0, librarian Michael Stephens writes, "One of the principles I would add to the Library 2.0 meme is that 'the Library is human' because it makes the library a social and emotionally engaging center for learning and experience." I find one of the key concepts of Library 2.0 to be participation from both librarians and the public who they serve. Stephens' idea that a library can be a place of social and emotional engagement is a really interesting and important concept, but it can only be realized through mutual participation. That participation can come through many different forms, especially as libraries progress in areas such as technology. The type of participation does not matter as much as the participation itself.