The Social Science Library is using Web 2:0 tools for several purposes:

1. To explore new ways of consulting with our users, we are trialling an online forum (launched 20.02.08), and hope that it might also prove to be a useful space for users of the SSL to discuss ideas or issues with each other. Whether it will work or not depends entirely on whether our users wish to participate...

Link: SSL Forum

UPDATE: This site has been closed (Hilary Term 2009). After limited initial interest, students did not wish to use the forum as a channel to communicate with the library or each other. The library printed comments book continues to be used on a daily basis!

2. To provide information about the library in an engaging way, we have created an induction video for freshers and posted it on YouTube (launched 17.04.08). It has been watched more than 1,000 times to date, and has a 5 star rating.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8POQ9YB7V0

3. To faciliate easy communication between staff working at the issue desk, and to avoid cluttering up everyone's email inboxes, we have created an SSL issue desk blog (launched 02.04.08). The chronological format, and the ability to add keywords and comments, particularly suits this activity.

Link: restricted to SSL staff.

UPDATE: This blog has been hugely beneficial and is used daily by all staff. Out of all our Web 2:0 trials, this is the one which has worked really well on a long term basis, as it meets a clear need for a defined community.

4. To promote services and resources, and to help keep readers informed about library-related activities, the Social Science Library provides an RSS feed using Oxitems. We hope to implement RSS feeds for new acquisitions (both purchased and legal deposit) by subject and area later this year.

Link: http://www.ssl.ox.ac.uk/

5. Reference enqurieis of general interest are now summarized on the Question Mark@SSL blog, which acts as a referral and contact point for other readers with reference enquiries. Readers of the blog are encouraged to add comments to help their fellow social scientists.

Link: http://questionmarkssl.blogspot.com/

UPDATE: No posts since November 2008