20 Things to Watch – Make that 21.

Stephen Abram is always ahead of the curve.  Here he lists 20 Things to Watch for that may affect the library world.

I have added my own #21 at the very end. The ones that interest me the most from his list are:

• #1  Mobile – I think this one actually is the most critical space to watch. The I-phone is beginning to change the way that all media types are being delivered. Ease of use, access to voice, email, photos, music and video in a powerful, portable device. This changes everything. It isn’t the book reader, but it is the “information” reader and communicator. If your library isn’t plugged into this channel, only bad things can happen. Mobile as a “platform”. How will you be there?

• #4  Tagging – with our customers and students so used to personally ranking and ranked material, we have to figure out a way to get this integrated into our catalog listings and our programming.

• #9  Social networking – our libraries have a tremendous oportunity to link like minded groups of customers or students together. Then help link those individualzed groups to customized information, stories and learning.

• #11  E-books – like it or not, the world is moving to digitized content. Libraries better figure out how to collect and share this digitized content or we will be passed by and move on toward extinction. If you don’t think this is important – check out the digital phone fiction genre that has been created in Japan. “Cellular Storytelling”  

• #20  E-Learning – this is another revolutionary paradigm shift. Based on a customer focused, lifelong learning model, we can all continue to grow and learn. Based on the exponentially changing world we face – we better keep adapting and learning new skills. I believe the E-learning model will create customized methods of learning with customized programs of learning. How about a “digital information specialist degree with a minor in international politics or environmental economics”. I expect the learning combinations will be fascinating. Will your library find a way to be a part of this. Start experimenting now.

Now I would like to add my own entry.

• #21 – Localized content – I believe that school and public libraries will start collecting, tagging and sharing the content that is created locally by the members of the community they serve. These are the stories, biographies, local history, photos, music, video, artwork(stored digitally) and more. This tapestry of content will be the fabric that binds our communities and generations together. There truly are compelling, inspirational, and exceeding valuable reflections, ideas, art and stories that will enrich our lives and our communities. Libraries will be at the heart of this.

What do you think are the most interesting and important trends to watch for over the next 2-5 years?

Visuwords – “show” the meaning of words

I thought we needed another fun thing to consider. 

This comes from the Hey Jude blog. Visuwords is an online visual dictionary. Literally it shows in picture form the meaning and connections of words. It could prove thought provoking for all the visually learners we encounter. It also acts as a very interesting thesaurus because of the connections it shows. Check it out: Visuwords

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go ahead and try it. Pretty fun stuff!

3 Steps for 21st Century Learning – video

   

The following video comes from the Teacher Hacks blog by Jackie H.  Although the blog was only posted for a few months during last summer, it still contains some very good information about ideas to consider when deciding how to bring technology tools into any learning situation. Some of these ideas could work for library staff development.

Have you decided how you can incorporate new learning tools into your programming?

Libraries might ask – What is a “digital native” and where are they? video

Marc Prensky called digital natives – students who are are native speakers of technology, fluent in the digital language of computers, video games, and the Internet.  Librarians might not know who they are, or if they are even in their library. 

If you are not sure who these “digital natives” are, then watch this video called: are you relevant? 

Might this explain why we are having such a hard time attracting and growing the 20’s something age demographic into libraries?

 Some questions to ponder:

• What is your library doing to engage, attract and support this underserved group of your comunity?
• Are there any digital natives on your staff?
• Who on your board speaks on behalf of these customers?
• How have you marketed to them, and for what kind of content, events or services?

Oh, and if you need a hint about whether those digital natives are in your library? Check who is wearing watches.

 

  

Anyone willing to share your successes and failures?

A response to: The Vanishing Librarians

I have decided I would weigh in on what is sure to be a contentious article by John Berry at LibraryJournal.com.  The comments that follow the article are already thoughtful and articulate. The rhetoric is surely turned up a notch as well. Here is the link: The Vanishing Librarians – by John Berry

If I understand correctly, some key points that John makes are:

• Library positions are being dumbed down or as he says “deskilled”.
• Libraries are being “managed” by successful business types from various industries, with backgrounds like: retail, academia, fund-raising or law rather than “professional librarians”.
• Historical library functions like cataloging, circulation desk positions, the reference desk and heaven forbid – the “sacred” role of materials selection, have all come under assault due to automated systems, outside vendor services and cuts to staffing.
• The success indicators of libraries have become measured in things like “products collected by patrons  now called “customers”” rather than the “usefulness or impact of the service on the quality of life”.
• His surprise at how librarians are standing by without raising alarm or concern at the “erosion of standards”.
• And the subtitle of the article: “The library becomes a dehumanized supermarket or a chaotic bookstore”.

Without any mention of the following issues, I am unclear whether Mr. Berry takes into consideration some of my observations over the last 6-7 years after being in hundreds of school and public libraries.

In many – but not all – libraries, I would make the following general trend observations:

• General library funding has remained flat or is decreasing while all general expense items: materials, payroll, related benefits, utilities, and general maintenance costs have risen putting a real squeeze on all resources.
• Collections are generally becoming dated – with a considerable amount of the nonfiction materials becoming obsolete.
• As staffing levels are cut – general service levels to “customers”, including open hours have declined.
• Computer technology for customers, both hardware and software remains behind the curve: both computing speeds and software functionality isn’t keeping up with the general public’s own computing resources.
• Most libraries are dreadful at marketing (telling customers) about their available materials and services. Libraries have been slow to consider or to use the new technology, low to no cost, marketing strategies that are being used by small and big companies and nonprofit organizations.
• Many small library websites are generally: low content, outdated and lacking in any of the modern service based internet features most customers now use and take for granted. Things like: customer reviews, customer based rankings, two way conversations and most importantly appealing, effective, promotion of products and services.
• Many libraries are not operating in the 24/7 “always on” world like many other commercial ventures that customers now expect. We have instant messaging, next day overnight,  streaming video rentals, drive through anything and nearly instantaneous news from anywhere in the world. The world seems to be turning very quickly these days. I can’t say the same thing about many libraries.

I would argue that at least some libraries are failing to keep up with the needs of their customers based on some real issues and challenges they face. Other libraries have found a way to move forward.

In light of my observations, I continue to be amazed at how some librarians are so resistant to change. I respect the sacredness of the work that good librarians do. However, when librarians fail to update their own skills and stay abreast of the current developments and improved functioning of libraries – some of the shine comes off that “luster”. I am confident that those craftsmen and artists who painstakingly hand wrote and illustrated the manuscripts and written volumes of the middle 1400’s decried that dreadful printing press as it became prevalent. Or how about that pesky, “how dare they take away our card catalog” debate that librarians had.

With scarce funds, wouldn’t a library be negligent in their responsibility and use of taxpayer funding if they didn’t:

• Pursue efficiencies related to basic operations: circulation,  cataloging and more.
• Look for “best available” ways to offer services and library functions for their customers.
• Consider new technologies and methods to provide real direct services to customers, wherever they are.

I continue to believe many great libraries pursue a strategy of continuous improvement based on the current needs, as well as the expected future needs, of their customers. New technologies and new vendor solutions offer improvement opportunities for libraries. I also believe that the library profession itself holds the keys to being able to codify, analyze, find, and use the vast amount of future information that we will face in our lives. Librarians will be the ones who can help us “customers” make sense of it all. Customer support for, along with the financial and positive political benefits that customer support brings, is critical to the future of our libraries. Without serving our customers needs and operating in a style and manner that customer want, libraries jeopardize their own success and future.

How about a 16 yr. old Technology Expert for your school or public library?

Some librarians (school or public) have been keeping up to date with the changing landscape for technology over the last 12 – 18 months. The concepts labeled Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 have some meaning. For those folks, names like Skype, Meebo, Twitter, I.M. reference, social networking, wikis, podcasts also have some meaning (OK most of the terms do). 

For other librarians (school or public) who have just been so busy trying to keep up with the increased demands of their jobs due to budget and staff cuts, many of the above terms are like a foreign language.

I read two posts with similar, great ideas from two Stephens on how to get more librarians up to speed with some of these ideas. 

Stephen Abram at Stephen’s Lighthouse had a post called Technology Petting Zoo. The Petting Zoo is a meeting where the public library staff bring in an assortment of tech tools: digital phones, MP3 players, gaming consoles or digital cameras. They also bring in the user guides and have the staff take turns offering demos and giving everyone a chance to “play” and feel more comfortable with these gadgets. His post outlines how there could be several of these types of themed meetings.

Stephen Heppell, a leading online educator in Europe, on his blog has a post called Ten Top Tips, aimed primarily for schools. Here is one of his tips:

 “arrange a staff development day that introduces colleagues to Facebook, Flickr, SecondLife, Bebo, Big Brain Academy, explains why “poking” isn’t rude any more, has a clinic to clarify predictive txt (!), explains why children have stopped emailing, and so on. Ask them to give it a purpose, not just another sterile “how to” workshop, and ask if it can be fun please – the last one I visited somehow had an 007 theme worked into it! Great fun, great insights…  “

I would add….why not have one or a group of your top students or Y.A. customers, preferably in the 15-17 yr. old range, prepare and lead the meetings? These kids (termed “digital natives”) live and breathe this stuff. These tools are part of their everyday world. Obviously they would have to be coached on “going slow” for us old geezers. It is also recommended that they have a real meeting agenda and rehearse their presentation. This could even be a “for credit” project for school. I think most of us would be amazed at how easily these tools have become a part of their everyday life with their friends. When was the last time you saw a teenager who wasn’t in the middle of text messaging with their friends???

Encyclopedia salesmen hate wikipedia…

Seth Godin on his blog points out that advancing technology and tools have displaced and made people angry for a very long time…..think “middle Ages” and “monks”….:) I wonder: Is there anybody/anything that school and public librarians are angry about?

He writes the following:

And CNET hates Google
And newspapers hate Craigslist
And music labels hate Napster
And used bookstores hate Amazon
And so do independent bookstores.

Dating services hate Plenty of Fish
And the local shoe store hates Zappos
And courier services hate fax machines
And monks hate Gutenberg

Apparently, technology doesn’t care who you hate.

Posted by Seth Godin on January 13, 2008 | Permalink