Exploring Web 2.0 Applications

Web 2.0 Application Exploration #1: www.nowpublic.com
I liked the approach of news as it happens including typos and the international focus of the site. For example, at 2:46 pm, 11/24/08, the lead story was Germany's dissatisfaction with the Christian Democratic government.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story on Segway inventor Kaman and his energy efficient island of CT.
This could easily work as a source to inspire students assigned "news essays" who don't actually want to read a newspaper and would prefer a topic of interest to them which may not appear in the top news headlines. For extra credit the student might add their views online.

#2 lulu.com
We often have customers seeking to become an author or get a book published. For many customers, the publishing side of the process is not self evident, particularly the new online opportunities in self publishing which famous authors have used for years. ("Remembrance of Things Past" was originally self published.) A source such as Lulu with the "Writer's Market" and books on how to get published will answer this common customer request.

Our Mission

The Orange County Library System, a public enterprise, brings value to the residents of the district through collections, staff, services and facilities. The Library connects our changing community to the evolving world of ideas, information and technology. Through continuous innovation, the Orange County Library System will create a well-informed, well-connected community, making Orange County a great place to live, learn, work, and play.

What part of the mission statement do I connect with? The second sentence for me expresses what I do everyday - connect people to ideas, information and technology.

How do I see us creating a well-informed, well-connected community? By continuing to offer virtual resources which go beyond the public library such as Expanded Academic and eBooks. The interest level of our users today is often highly specialized whether it is the elementary school project or the home hobbyist. As many people will tell - anyone can go on the Internet. When they contact the library they've already done that and are seeking more information. Introducing the customer to sources which can be used for detailed research and cited as a book or scholarly publication is a critical part of creating a well-informed community.

Offering language learning resources and events of interest to everyone fosters a well connected community.