Where do students find out about courses they might take? Potentially, from just about anywhere: friends, bulletin boards, department Web sites, advisors, e-mails, or flyers posted in the halls. Of course, some of these sources are more trustworthy than others. Where should students go to get reliable information that can help them make wise…

In the spring of 2006, Hennepin County Library (HCL) in Minneapolis set out to create a compelling new reader's advisory website. Inspired by Web 2.0 principles, the library wanted to engage users as active participants, to integrate resources in ways that made sense to them, and to blend staff- and patron-contributed content to create an…