Relevance of Web 2.0 for Library Services in Digital Era

Abstract

This chapter is on relevance of Web 2.0 for library services in digital era. Web 2.0 tools play crucial role in effective service delivery of librarians. The study covers awareness, utilization, benefits, and challenges that affect the use of Web 2.0 by librarians for effective service delivery. The concepts generally implied that Web 2.0 can be used by librarians as information acquisition tools to gather information from sources outside libraries (e.g., blogs and wikis), information dissemination tools (such as RSS feeds), information organization tools that facilitate storage and subsequent retrieval of information (social bookmarking and tagging), and information sharing tools that facilitate the bilateral flow of information between libraries and patrons (social networking and media sharing sites). This chapter examines the concept of digital libraries and highlights the major features of a digital library and how it can be used. The potentials of digital library are very crucial as means of access to knowledge and information that will facilitate development.