Library Alchemy

In which a Texas church uses technology to engage its users. Librarians, take note!

This is both cool and noteworthy for a number of reasons:

• Combines  intergenerational collaboration and fun marketing techniques
• Shatters stereotypes about seniors and computers
• Uses new technologies to promote and enhance a traditional institution
• Emphasizes what the website has to offer the user

Sunset delivers on its promises, too.  If you check out the church page, you’ll notice that its design is focused on what the user can do and learn there: read, listen, download, register, and–most importantly–find information easily. They’re even using Skype!

Church 2.0? Why not? Think about it: an organization, driven by a strong sense of mission, seeks to enhance the user experience for its members, and draw in new ones by taking advantage of emerging technologies. Sound like any other cultural institution you know of?

I know, I know: a library isn’t a church (or is it?). Perhaps I’m just pleased to see so many of my professional interests coming together in one place. If, like me, you’re fascinated by the relationship between religion and culture, you might like the God Spam blog, the source of today’s ruminations.

What are the dominant religious beliefs in the patron populations you serve? The underserved religious populations? How do/would you serve/support them? Are they using emerging technologies? If you don’t know, how could you find out?