FutureLibrary

Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe….Not August 25, 2009

I recently attended the Local Government Web Network Conference in Sydney. #lgwn09 for our twitter users. Without going into detail, all the speakers were great. Special mention to b3rn and broccolini for a most interesting session on inexpensive web-based tools.

Hopefully web2.0 champions will leave conferences such as these more clued up and enthusiastic to spread the word. This information revolution we are embroiled in will only succeed if people know how to interact with it. We no longer possess the tag as gatekeepers of knowledge any more. We are educators through which others may become self sufficient in information gathering and dissemination.

Now, how do we get this valuable information from the conference room to the masses? How do we spread the word to the web2.0 “proletariat?” Hmmm, instead of a band playing in the shopping square, have people speak about Government 2.0, followed by cool web 2.0 tools, for example. But make it short and to the point, plus provide some balloons for the kiddies.  You’ll get through to more people than if it was done in the local library or conference center. It’s no longer a nerdy subject. It’s mainstream. It’s time the library moves forward and helps spread the word, which may mean getting out of it’s comfort zone.