Social Bookmarking by the La Grange Park Library: A Mission Deliciously Accomplished

     The La Grange Park Library doesn't just have a mission statement, it also has a vision statement - and I must say it is one of perfect clarity.
As libraries transform themselves in accordance with the changing nature and format of information itself; a stodgy old mission statement - however high-minded and egalitarian - will just not do. There are new goals to be achieved and new learning to foster.
     Here is the "Vision" of La Grange:

Persons of all ages living in the Village of La Grange Park will have access to:

Evolving technologies and traditional resources encouraging their personal and professional development,

Materials promoting "recreation of the mind" supporting their quality of life;

Community information and opportunities for social interaction enriching community spirit and support civic participation.

     La Grange uses Delicious, the popular social bookmarking site, in order to accomplish these goals. It is one of the "evolving technologies" mentioned in their statement, and with their bookmarks and tags they are indeed providing access to this technology. They are lighting the path and leading the way into what can be for many a scary unknown territory. Familiar library services appear in tags and bookmarks and their function is two-fold, at least. They act as friendly and welcoming signposts along this strange new road, but they are also real, functional links that provide access to the traditional resources also mentioned in the vision statement above. 

     The following is a list of La Grange Park Library's top ten tags:

Notice the familiar resources such as readers advisory, local history, tax forms, book reviews, consumer, and homework. These are all things that one would traditionally expect from a library - and remember - this is but a mere sampling of the top ten tags. 

     The social nature of bookmarking helps La Grange provide the access to social interaction, civic participation, enrichment of community spirit, and personal and professional development, that they strive to make available to their patrons. Their benevolent desire to enhance the quality of life and support the recreation of the minds of their patrons are aptly served by their use of this technology. Thus, the use of social bookmarking to further the mission of the library, in this case, is not only beneficial:  It is ideal.