Virtual Path and Häme-Wiki as Examples of Library 2.0 Services in Finland

Purpose — The purpose of this study is to describe the development of contents, visibility and use of two Library 2.0 services, Hame-Wiki and the Virtual Path map service, launched by Hameenlinna City Library and based on crowdsourcing, service convergence and the application on Web 2.0 technology. Design/methodology/approach — The development of the contents of the services were analysed by observing the increase in articles and other items published in them. The interest in these sites and their use were studied by the number of their contributors, users and downloads and by link analysis concerning inbound links. To gather users’ experiences, a Web survey was directed to the registered users by e-mail. A questionnaire for all users was linked to the front page of both services. Qualitative theme interviews were conducted with the staff of Hameenlinna City Library to elicit their experiences concerning the use of the services and their impact on the work community. Findings — The reception of the services was evidenced by the daily increasing number of published articles and maps, also indicating crowdsourcing. Their use was clearly described by the increasing download figures and inbound links. Both services offered users information not available elsewhere. The study is limited by the low number of responses in the Web surveys. Practical implications — Practical implications originate from the concrete examples of content sharing, crowdsourcing and service convergence which have not been much studied in library context. Originality/value — The practical implications of the work also contribute to the value of the paper for developers of Web 2.0 services and service convergence.