Library catalogs in the Web 2.0 environment

Abstract

The study discusses the recent developments that have occurred or are expected to occur in library catalogs in the Web 2.0 environment, which include supporting beneficiary participation in content, which is one of the most important characteristics of Web 2.0, as well as creating new ways of interaction and communication between libraries and their beneficiaries.

The study dealt with an introduction to Web 2.0 and discussed the problem of defining the concept of Web 2.0. The study then reviewed the most important applications of Web 2.0, which are: Blogs, free writing, RSS site summary, online social networks, content description.

The study then discussed the effects of Web 2.0 on library catalogs. The study talked about four aspects of how catalogs are affected by the concept of Web 2.0, in terms of providing new places to make catalogs available, creating new roles for beneficiaries of library catalogs, the emergence of new forms of catalogs, and developing automated systems for libraries.

Then the study began to review the actual applications of Web 2.0 in foreign library catalogs. These applications were limited to four main aspects, which are: making library catalogs available via social networking sites, using the site summary (RSS) in library catalogs, adding content descriptors, sharing Bibliographic data. Finally, the study presented the only two Arab models of Web 2.0 applications in library catalogs, which are the Nile University Library catalog and the British University Library catalog in Egypt.