Library Catalog Now on iPhone / Touch / iPad image courtesy: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The Library Catalogue as Social Space: Promoting Patron Driven Collections, Online Communities, and Enhanced Reference and Readers' Services, by Laurel Tarulli,Libraries Unlimited, 2012.
What do reviewers say:
>>"With the growing use of Web 2.0 by library patrons, integrating this technology into the catalog is the best way to reach patrons, and Tarulli helps both novice and seasoned librarians to achieve success in any library setting."
- Booklist Online
>> "If you are thinking about what to do with your catalog to make it more interactive and relevant, this book is for you. Recommended." - Teacher Librarian
Extract:
This book is a guide to the library catalogue that all public library professionals will find enlightening and useful. Its technical services perspective provides a different point of view as compared to traditional public library literature, which is often written by frontline professionals. For example, it poses and examines this thought-provoking question: should library catalogues be considered the primary gateway to the library's information, rather than the library website? Author and collection access librarian Laurel Tarulli examines next-generation or "social" catalogues, discussing the theories and concepts behind them, their impact on core library services, and their potential in shaping future libraries and library services. Geared toward frontline and backroom staff, this book helps readers understand next-generation catalogues and see the collaborative opportunities that are possible between the frontline and backroom. Written to be much more than a "one-time" read, this resource book provides practical ideas for beneficial collaboration and implementation of social features in library catalogues.
