Thing 16

I enjoyed visiting the Princeton Public Library's "Book Lover's Wiki". I most definitely think having patrons review books is a worthwhile endeavor for a library. So many patrons ask us librarians what we think of certain titles, and while I am a voracious reader, I can't possibly read everything, needless to say, and professional reviews, while very worthwhile, sometimes don't give you that "from the heart" impression that a regular reader would. I enjoy reading the reader reviews on Amazon, for example, because you get a nice range of opinions, and again, I like that personal touch. And, I thought the ALA New Orleans 2006 wiki was great for people not familiar with either the city or the conference. The tips on where to visit and where to eat, for example would have been most helpful to someone going there.
As far as libary applications, I would love, as I mentioned above, to enable patrons to add their reviews of a book. I also can see the value, from looking at other libraries' wikis, of the library as a community resource in that people could add informtion about events such as fairs, concerts or meetings.

Thing 15

"To a temporary place in time":
The library certainly IS everywhere nowadays, with home access, WiFi, e-books, etc., but thank goodness (and not just because I like my job and want to keep it!) there are still people our patrons can talk to and get help from. I like the author's use of the term "experienced tour guides", for after all, even though so much information is in a paperless form, patrons need someone who enough know-how to navigate them through all that's available to obtain the information that is most relevant to their needs. I also really appreciated the author's last comments about libraries of the future (4.0) having areas that are, frankly, sanctuaries from the hustle and technobabble going on around us. Give me a good book, a comfy chair, and a quiet area, and I'm in "hog heaven"!! And, I think it's safe to say, I'm not alone in my feelings.
So, what about "Library 2.0"? Well, let's keep up with new things that come along. Let's provide USER-FRIENDLY databases, online catalogs, free and easy access to any information and collaboration with other library systems to bring that book or movie or special bit of info to our patrons. BUT, let's never lose sight of the idea of a library as a place being used by people, run by people and for ALL the people, including those of us who just want a book to actually hold in our hands and savor and enjoy, either at home or in a QUIET area of the library, by using the greatest piece of machinery yet devised: the human mind.