Serving the Marketplace. (soapbox edition part deux)

“No profession can survive if it…fails to acknowledge and adapt to radical, fundamental change in the marketplace it serves".

Okay, many of us have said the same when it comes to Thing #15. We get it. Web 2.0 is here and we must be able to adapt. As Dennis blogged, “resistance is futile”.

First, FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE.
By the mere application of 23 things, we are fundamentally changing the way we think about the Web and how we can better inform our customers and ourselves about what’s going on out there. Internally, we are totally on the right path. SI is technologically advanced - wikis, blogs, tag clouds, etc. (thanks LTS).

But what about our customers? Web 2.0 is commonplace among many of our patrons…so why aren't we MORE involved in it. What good is learning about these “things”, if we’re not using them.

Next, RADICAL CHANGE.
How about changing the way we serve our online patrons? I’ve spoken to customers who are put off by our website (they link directly to the catalog), because it’s “outdated”, “not intuitive”, “boring”. We have a new image we need a new website. I know changes are being made to improve our web presence. But will it be enough? Ever see the sites of our HAPLR competitors... I’m just saying...

Of course, we don't have to JUMP into the "cutting edge" pool. Fundamental and radical changes can be slow and steady (like the turtle), but let's stay with times, not behind it.