Here’s another excellent article by Michael Stephens about where libraries and librarians need to be headed in this new technological era. That’s been called Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and Librarian 2.0, depending on where the desired emphasis is. Regardless of what facet you want to emphasize, there is a demonstrated need for libraries and librarians to change, using new technologies in ways that allow us to reach this new generation of library users and potential library users.

Michael’s article highlights the following important traits of Librarian 2.0:

Librarian 2.0 plans for their users
Librarian 2.0 embraces Web 2.0 tools
Librarian 2.0 controls technolust
Librarian 2.0 makes good, yet fast decisions
Librarian 2.0 is a trendspotter
Librarian 2.0 gets content

That’s just a list of the traits. Please read his full article to get the explanations of each trait and why it’s important for librarians today. And thanks, Michael, for faithfully nudging (or pulling or hounding) the library world into the place it needs to be: one with meaning and usefulness to all generations of library users! Also for promoting the efforts of others continuously on your own blog.

If you’re a librarian who uses technology at all, or even wants to, subscribing to Michael’s weblog, Tame The Web, is a de facto requirement. Use Google Reader or Bloglines or NewsGator or the Firefox extension Wizz RSS News Reader. There are lots of different ways to read RSS feeds now, so there’s no reason for you not to be reading at least a few feeds.

Help make the world (and libraries) a better place: read RSS feeds!