Thing 15: Perspectives on 2.0 and the future of libraries

This whole blog is about that topic, so I think for the writeup on this item, I will point to a few of the articles that I have enjoyed reading on this subject.
On the future of virtual reference
Library 2.0 Course Syllabus
Specifically, this module of the course, Library 2.0, lists some great articles for further reading.
10 Programming Concepts Librarians Should know, form the blog of Ryan Deschamps, who always has something useful and instructive to say.
And, of course, this whole issue is not free of controversy. Librarian 1.5 responds to a particularly notorious contrarian, Walt Crawford:

I look forward to the continuing discussion on Library 2.0 and how we can improve library services to the library users/patrons with the ideas and concepts that we find in the open source movement, creative commons, web 2.0 and other sources which has not been available before.

Also interesting is an exchange between The Annoyed Librarian and the Other Librarian:

A recent post called “The Cult of Twopointopia” hits on alot of important weaknesses in the 2.0 rhetoric, particularly where they overstate the benefits of using Web 2.0 technologies or refuse to accept how rational individuals may choose not to join the Library 2.0 bandwagon.

But like most things rational, her readers sometimes revert into irrationality. Thus, from a rational criticism of the so-called Library 2.0 movement/manifesto follows an irrational trashing of anything having to do with Web 2.0 services and user-centered library services, and any defense of library 2.0 becomes evidence of group-think or outright stupidity.

And I think that sums it up nicely- Web 2.0, Lib 2.0, blogs, wikis, My Space- it's all part of the necessary discussion as we all plan the future.