Web 2.0 Tools and Strategies for Archives and Local History Collections
ISBN: 9781555706791
Published: 2010
6 x 9 | 246 pp. | $84.95
To connect with and successfully serve the growing generation of native Web 2.0 users, archivists, and other professionals responsible for historical collections must learn how to accommodate their changing information needs and expectations. In this clearly written, jargon-free guide, Kate Theimer, highly regarded author of the prominent blog on archives and technology, demystifies essential Web 2.0 concepts, tools, and buzzwords, and provides a thorough introduction to the ways in which they offer new ways to interact with traditional audiences and attract new ones.
"Given that this is the first book to address the topic of Web 2.0 and archives, this is where Theimer truly delivers--one of the greatest values of this book is its practicality and applicability in one's daily work. She effectively provides a roadmap for evaluating, implementing, and managing Web 2.0 services in an archival setting; as such, this book would make a useful addition to an archivist's or institution's library."
The American Archivist, Spring/Summer 2011
Theimer reviews the fundamental principles of important Web 2.0 tools. She includes plentiful examples of how archives around the world have been successfully using each one, and provides step-by-step tips on what you need to do to implement it in your own institution. There is guidance to help readers assess their current Web presence and evaluate how Web 2.0 tools can fit into an overall outreach plan. Advice for integration and implementation spans the gamut of Web 2.0 tools, including:
• Blogs
• Podcasting
• Wikis
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Flickr
• YouTube
• Mashups
• Widgets
Theimer also includes screenshots and checklists to further clarify each topic, as well as Sidebar Q&A’s with organizations that have successfully utilized Web 2.0 tools, including the Library of Congress, Florida State Archives, Seattle Municipal Archives and many more. There are also suggestions for developing metrics to evaluate the success of your implementation, as well as appendices that list additional Web resources. If your goals include connecting unique archival material with people interested today, this book is for you.
