User 2.0: Innovative Library Sites (Part 2 - Public Libraries)

As promised in my post on February 20th User 2.0 Innovative Library Sites (Part 1- Academic Libraries) here is Part 2 of the preliminary list of Innovative Library Sites – this time for public libraries. Thanks again to David M. Drados, PhD student at Rutgers University, SCILS, and Lynn Silipigni Connaway of OCLC. This list was compiled from suggestions of librarians from the dig_ref listserv, from journal articles, and librarian colleagues.

Again, this list is not meant to be definitive, is a work in progress designed to start a discussion. Your comments and suggestions are welcomed!

• Ann Arbor District Library (MI) Uses the open source Drupal content management system with incorporates blogging, tagging, user comments, and RSS feeds. Its location page is tied into Google Maps.


• Arlington Heights Memorial Library (IL)
  Features “Vlogs” – Video casts.


• Atlantic City Public Library (NJ)
  Site features podcasts as well as RSS feeds.


• Denver Public Library (CO)
  Has RSS feeds for library news and local events, podcasts, teen MySpace Account.


• Goshen Public Library & Historical Society (NY)
  Maintains several blogs on various topics—book reviews, computers, library news, and also has a MySpace page.


• Hennepin County Library (MN)
  Has blogs for library news and teens, RSS feeds built into the catalog along with user reviews/comments, a MySpace account and, podcasts.


• Memorial Hall Library (MA)
  Library director maintains a Blog and site has a wiki with an accumulated collection of reference question called "Andover Answers," teen podcasts, and a MySpace page and an online community calendars.


• Mesa County Public Library District (CO)
  Has a library director blog, a staff "librarian's love" blog, and links to online book clubs.


• Salida Regional Library (CO)
  Links to Library Elf which allows users to track due dates on checked out items; local digital archive link, downloadable audio books, director (weekly) newspaper articles, and staff recommendations.


• Stevens County Rural Library District (WA)
  Maintains a library news blog and a public wiki project designed to create a guide to Stevens County, including local history.


• Westerville Public Library (OH)
  Features director, teen and adult services blogs, library Flickr and MySpace presence, RSS feeds, podcasts and videocasts, user rating of catalog items with links to Amazon, B&N, Novelist and Syndetics for reviews.


• Worthington Libraries (OH)
  Has a teen blog along with an associated MySpace site.