Web 3.0, where are you? I'm waiting....

I am so ready for Web 3.0. Think how nice it will be to have an internet that works with you, that can think in a more "human" way. Instead of having to think of different terms for what you want, the internet of Web 3.0 will already have a good idea of what kind of information you are looking for and will be able to find exactly what you want with little effort on the part of the user.
With the ease of searching the Web 3. o will likely bring the world of information, what will people need librarians for anymore?

Although searching will be easy, the most important aspect of Web 3.0 is the interpenetration of information. I believe this will be the future of the librarian. Instead of being an expert on finding and organizing information, the librarian will have to help patrons evaluate what they find. Web 2.o connected people and Web 3.0 will connect information and how knows more about information than a librarian? No one, thats who. Even though Web 3.0 promises to make searching easy as pie, I still believe that librarians will be needed as much as ever to help patrons deal with all the information that is provided to them. The librarian will move from finder to evaluator. Since Web 3.0 is still in the works, it will be interesting what fields within the library community will find it useful.

A New Librarian

I was reading a very interesting article about the future of librarians. In this age of knowledge saturation, a new librarian has emerged, the "knowledge librarian." This new librarian will have to be a "content czar." While anyone can preform a search on their topic of choice, this knowledge librarian will bring organization to the vast amount of knowledge that is available. Through the organization of information, the knowledge librarian can also make new connections between pieces of information that will enhance the follow of knowledge across different areas. Information is the new "raw material" of this new knowledge-based economy. The growth of information and its quick and efficient retrieval proves what a necessity having well trained librarians on staff.

In the past, many companies did away with their librarian, but now, as the pool of information grows faster than the average person can manage it, more and more people are beginning to see what benefits a library can and will bring to their organization. Even though librarians and their services are becoming crucial to the growth of a business or industry, the librarian can not simply stay behind a desk and wait for the opportunity to come along. Those that will benefit from this new knowledge-based world are the ones that get out into the companies and communities and find their own opportunities. Librarians must be willing to engage others and find ways to connect the information dots.

I believe the librarian of the future will be positioned to be a key player in this information and knowledge driven economy because the librarian will have the unique ability to handle any type of information that comes their way.

Sweet, Sweet Metadata

Since I am the Metadata Maven, I thought that I should address this subject in some way. I recently took a metadata class at the University of Alabama with Dr. MacCall (great teacher). I really enjoyed the class in which I learned more about Web 2.0 than I could have ever hoped to learn on my own. Although the class was taught in a more "this is the future of metadata and not the creation of metadata itself" I still became fascinated with the topic. I work in a archive at the University and I spend all day looking at metadata as I scan documents into their database. I really would like to explore this topic in some type of job where I would be able to interact with both people and metadata.

The field of metadata is developing before our eyes. Its not like cataloging, where the rules have been set down and everybody follows them. When dealing with metadata, everyone has their own way of doing things. Standards are developing, but they are by no means suitable for every user. Its going to take several years before we even begin to really get into figuring out how to deal with metadata and how to make its creation efficient for more people.

Libraries... My Future

I am too indecisive about my future and what should occupy my time. What is my life's calling? I often wonder if any job will make me truly happy. I believe this is because I am normally happy with whatever I happen to be doing at the time. When I worked in a pharmacy during high school, I thought that I would be happy as a pharmacist, when I worked in a HR department during college, I thought that would be my life's work. I hold neither of these jobs, but now I am working towards becoming a librarian. I enjoy library school and I am having fun with my classes and I enjoy what is being taught to me, but I can't help but wonder, do I enjoy this because I really like it, or is it just because this happens to be what I am doing right now?

When I began my MLIS, I thought that I would like to become an archivist and bury myself in some climate control room for the rest of my life. As I have moved through the program, I am beginning to think that may not be the best path for my life. I always told people that I don't much care for having to work with others every day, but I am beginning to think that I might just be a people person, so the climate control room is out for me. I have recently taken a class on metadata and I am now finding that topic to be very interesting. But I wonder if thats only because I just finished a class about the subject. One area that I am beginning to find more and more appealing is library usage and user outreach. I think that I might really enjoy getting people excited about using the library and finding ways to get more people to utilize the resources that libraries offer. Perhaps this career path will make me happy.

Its both a blessing and a curse to be happy in every job. I might not ever find that "perfect" job that fits me like a glove, but its a nice thing to know that no matter what, chances are that I will be happy with whatever job comes my way.