Web 2.0 Technologies of Parramatta City Library

Parramatta City Library uses a great variety of Web 2.0 technologies to enhance the quality of their services to their patrons and invite their participation in a range of virtual services. They have looked to connect and network with their patrons by creating a Twitter page of their own. I believe social networking sites are one of the most effective 2.0 web technologies due to their popularity and user scope.

Parramatta City Library also has its own blog, Parra Reads which addresses the Adult Fiction Service area needs, it provides booklists, reviews, author event and book clubs available to join. Its information is quite detailed and its layout is attractive to the eye. It also provides RSS feeds to keep their users up-to-date with newly added content.

For children and teenagers the library has provided an very useful web-based online tutoring service called the Online Classroom (powered by YourTutor). It provides students help in Maths, Science, General English, Research and study skills. Students are able to participate in a live, one-to-one individual learning session with a tutor using the Online Classroom. The Online Classroom, much like MSN messenger, allows the tutor and student to text chat, share web pages, transfer files and use drawing tools. There is much advertising and promotion available on the website and I believe that this service would be highly utilised by teenage patrons and will appeal to patrons with school-level children. This technology also provides children with useful reference information.

I believe Parramatta City Library have utilized effective 2.0 technologies to attract their users and stimulate user participation. They may soon be introducing new Web 2.0 technologies, but this will most certainly rely upon the funding, staff time and effort available to invest in developing new web technologies. The library does not provide Web 2.0 technologies catered to their much younger patrons which is very much due to their young age but they do offer many events for young children such as storytime which I believe will always prove to be an effective method of interacting with their younger patrons (and parents).
They also do not provide 2.0 tech relating to their local studies -this may be in the making but for the time being they provide a webpage on the Local Studies and Family History Library, which provides details about the library and it's events such as workshops, talks and displays throughout the year.