Abstract:
This study identifies which libraries of Bangladesh use Web 2.0 technology and that don’t as well as also reveals that what kind of Web 2.0 technologies have been adopted in these libraries. The aim of the study was to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of using Web 2.0 technologies in the private university libraries of Bangladesh. To accomplish the purposes, an interview method was employed with the help of a structured questionnaire, consisted of 100 (One-hundred) interviewees who were skilled to use Web 2.0 technologies. Out of them (100), Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals were 35 (Thirty-five), Academics were 15 (Fifteen), and Students were 50 (Fifty). Data has been analyzed using the combination of quantitative and descriptive analysis. The results indicate that most of the LIS professionals have been using social networking tool, E-mail group, and Blogs & Wikis, while Video sharing tool, Image sharing tool, RSS Feed, Book Review, Social Bookmarking, and Instant Messenger are less beneficial. Majority of them felt that Social Networking Tool, User Comment, Email Group, RSS Feed, Blogs & Wikis, Book Review, and Instant Messenger were very useful for the library services, whereas Video Sharing Tool, Social Bookmark, and Image Sharing Tool were less beneficial for the library services. Results on academics’ and students’ perceptions reveal that they use social networking tool, E-mail Group, Blogs & Wikis widely, while Video Sharing Tool, Image Sharing Tool, Instant Messenger, User Comment, Book Review, and RSS Feed are less used. The study also reveals that the majority of the academics and students use Web 2.0 tools to work, study and for social purposes. Very few of them use Web 2.0 tools only for social/fun. Based on the perceptions of LIS professionals as well as academics and students, the results of this study were demonstrated using a SWOT analysis. It has been found that the main strength of the Web 2.0 technology is the ability to meet the requirements of the clients, and allows them to stay updated on library news. Accordingly, the weakness of the Web 2.0 diminishes face-to-face socialization among individuals. One of the greatest opportunities of the Web 2.0 technology is the ability not only to use social/fun but also to perform professional work and study in libraries of Bangladesh. Lastly, the threat of Web 2.0 is that sometimes it becomes out of control for the librarians. As the possibility of hindrance is low to use the website of library, anybody can post irrelevant information through Web 2.0.
