Prospects and Challenges of Web 3.0 Technologies Application in the Provision of Library Services

Abstract

The chapter examines the prospects and challenges of the application of Web 3.0 technologies as they relate to semantic web, federated search, mobile application, and their impact on library services. The principles, features, application, potentiality, and challenges of the technologies vis-à-vis library services form the broad objectives that guided the chapter. Following a brief retrospective review of the developments of web technologies, the chapter discusses Web 3.0 from the context of semantic web, cloud computing, federated search and virtual reference services. It broadens the prospects of Web 3.0 as it affects the provision of web-based services like its flexibility as solution to digital content volatility and ability to widen cloud-based services using open source electronic library software among others. Having expatiated the challenges Web 3.0 portends for web-based library services, the chapter concludes with the need for librarians and users to co-create value for participatory librarianship.