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Most big libraries today have dipped their toes into the water with several "Library 2.0" initiatives such as the use of blogs, wikis, instant messaging, Facebook and so on. But I'm sure some librarians remain unconvinced of what this means to users. Are users necessarily welcoming libraries into their Facebook world? Do kids see libraries as adults intruding into their personal spaces?

Are users actively engaging in conversations with librarians and among themselves on library blogs? There are a few notable case studies out there, but by and large, its mostly one-way communication from librarians to users on many library blogs.

Wikis may be a good way to create next generation subject guides and pathfinders because they allow keyword searching and even semantic hyperlinking, but few library subject wikis have seen active community participation surrounding content creation. As Chad Boeninger, a reference librarian at Ohio University pointed out, users of his Biz Wiki prefer to leave content creation to him.

This doesn't mean libraries should stop exploring these Web 2.0 tools. I do see the value of what many Library 2.0 initiatives are trying to accomplish, but perhaps we could take a step back and examine why users aren't participating as much as we'd like in the first place. Perhaps libraries are not doing enough to invite participation?