For Immediate Release
Contact: Rob Colding
Information Today, Inc.
(609) 654-6266, ext. 330

January 23, 2012, Medford, New Jersey—Information Today, Inc. (ITI) announced the publication of The Cybrarian’s Web: An A–Z Guide to 101 Free Web 2.0 Tools and Other Resources by Cheryl Ann Peltier-Davis.

In The Cybrarian’s Web, published simultaneously in print and ebook editions, Peltier-Davis introduces and describes 101 free internet tools with applicability to all types of libraries. She covers blogging resources, RSS feeds, photo and video sharing services, folksonomies and tag clouds, podcasting services, instant messaging solutions, wikis, mashups, virtual worlds, social networks, social bookmarking services, productivity tools, Q&A services, and more.

Each of the 101 listings includes an overview of a Web 2.0 resource along with illustrative screenshots, details of important features, and innovative examples of how libraries can and are using the resource to improve user services and build a stronger library community.

“Web 2.0 refers to a perceived second generation of web-based services that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users,” according to Peltier-Davis. “Some have ventured to draw the distinction between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 by describing the former as a place to go and get, and the latter as a place to be and do.” She adds, “It is not surprising that the potential benefits of Web 2.0 technologies have not gone unnoticed in the library community. There has been widespread consensus that these cutting-edge tools should be immediately adopted in a bid to retain core library users and cajole new users into the library.”

“This book belongs on every library innovator’s bookshelf,” says Stephen Abram of Cengage Learning in the book’s foreword. “Web 2.0 is first and foremost about the end-user experience and, so, for every reference librarian, trainer, director, web content writer, blogger, and library leader, review the opportunities in this guide as part of your strategic planning process. You’ll be glad you did!”

In addition to practical, easy-to-implement coverage of 101 free applications recommended by the author, The Cybrarian’s Web features tips and techniques for keeping current on Web 2.0 technology, a glossary of terms, a list of all sites and services referenced in the book, and an index. The author’s companion website (cybrariansweb.com) is designed to keep readers up-to-date on the latest Web 2.0 developments and as a place to share their own experiences and recommendations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cheryl Ann Peltier-Davis is the archives and digital librarian at the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. She has given conference presentations on a diverse array of library-related topics including Web 2.0 and libraries, core competencies for librarians, digitizing library collections, information management, and Caribbean public libraries. She is the editor, with Shamin Renwick, of the award-winning book Caribbean Libraries in the 21st Century: Changes, Challenges, and Choices, recipient of the Association of Caribbean University, Research, and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) award for Excellence in Research and Publication. She is the author of Caribbean Connector, a blog she created to connect Caribbean librarians and deliver relevant and timely information directly to their desktops.

The Cybrarian’s Web (512 pp/softbound/$49.50/ISBN 978-1-57387-427-4) is published by Information Today, Inc. (ITI) and is available wherever professional books and ebooks are sold. For more information, contact the publisher by calling (800) 300-9868; faxing (609) 654-4309; emailing custserv@infotoday.com, or visiting the ITI website at www.infotoday.com.