A Different Kind of Web: archival navigation in a web 2.0 world.

• Author: Hawk, Madelyn M.
• Position: A Different Kind of Web: New Connections Between Archives and Our Users - Book review

A Different Kind of Web: New Connections Between Archives and Our Users, edited by Kate Theimer, is an excellent snapshot of the current environment of archival repositories embracing Web 2.0 technologies. This text examines Web 2.0 through the lens of archival engagement and exploitation of the technologies that Web 2.0 comprises.

Containing short essays and commentaries, together with 13 case studies of archival adoption of Web 2.0 technologies, this book is an outstanding read for everyone considering utilizing these ever-evolving Web 2.0 technologies in their organizations. A foreword written by Archivist of the United States David Ferriero highlights the importance, relevance, and timeliness of this text.

Web 2.0 = New Ways to Engage

Theimer opens her preface to the book by offering this provocative observation: "Most of this year's incoming college freshmen will never have known a world without Google." It is a remarkable realization for many individuals who remember the inception of the World Wide Web and have witnessed its rapid growth over the last few decades.

Members of the archival community and beyond can easily remember a world without cell phones, Facebook, and YouTube.

For those in their late teens, such technologies have always existed and are instinctive, a part of every day life toted in their back pockets.

The continual evolution of technology is bringing about radical new ways for people to connect with one another, and, as A Different Kind of Web illustrates, radical new ways for libraries and archives to reach and engage users, especially continually more tech-savvy college undergraduates

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Case Studies Illustrate How

The case studies in the book illustrate the experiences of libraries, special collections, and archives as they utilize such Web 2.0 technologies as blogs, YouTube, Second Life, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Wikis, and the newly coined CataBlog. The case studies conform to a structured format that includes an overview of the repository, the business drivers for establishing the project, setting the stage, results, challenges, lessons learned, and next steps.

Much can be learned from the case studies about the utilization of these technologies to engage a wide and varied user base and about making these technologies conform to the institutional needs. In the case of the Library of Congress (LOC) and Flickr, the LOC was able to play a role in development of the Flickr Commons and its...