When technology changes at an explosive pace, how can librarians stay on top of what might be the next device to walk through the school doors? Jennifer Koerber will focus on 3-5 emerging technologies, their place in libraries, and how to stay on top of what’s coming next as a part of evolving ourselves as librarians. Participants will brainstorm ways to evolve all their strengths, skills and interests into the next big thing.
Presentation at the MA School Library Association's Digital Day of Learning
11. What to Focus On?
Library trends & standards
Supporting library services…
…on users’ own devices & on library devices
Patron needs assessments
Emerging technology trends
General troubleshooting skills
Soft skills - presenting, public speaking, customer service
12. The Usual Library Places
MSLA, MLA, NELA and other local associations
ALA & its divisions http://www.ala.org/groups/divs
School Library Journal / Library Journal
http://lj.libraryjournal.com
ACRL Guidelines, Standards & Frameworks
http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards
14. Cast a Wide Net
Library News Sources
ALA TechSource (www.alatechsource.org/)
International, national, state, and local library
organizations
Professional journals
Mainstream News Sources
New York Times
Washington Post
The Huffington Post
The Atlantic
The Economist Tech Quarterly
Geek News Sources
Gadgets & reviews - Gizmodo, Engadget,
CNet, Gizmag
News - Slashdot, ZDNet, TechCrunch,
ArsTechnica, Hacker News on
yCombinator.com
Conferences
Library conferences
Tech industry conferences
15.
16.
17.
18. Tech Conferences
Tech: CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Interop (general
IT), Macworld, Velocity (web optimization), Defcon (security),
NANOG (networks), LISA (sysadmin)
Gaming conventions: E3, Gaming Developers Convention
(GDC)
Manufacturer release events: Apple Worldwide Developers
Conference (WWDC), Google I/O, Microsoft’s Tech Ed
21. Work Together
Existing training classes on tech topics
Drop-in gadget or petting zoo sessions
“Bring a Thing” to meetings (show & tell)
Peer training by other staff
Attend public classes at your local library or other libraries
“Class trips” to local retailers
23. Online Training
Lynda.com
Gale Cengage Courses
Goodwill Learn Free
(www.gcflearnfree.org)
General Assembly
Floqq (Spanish & Portuguese)
New Horizons
Udemy
edX
Khan Academy
24. T is for Training
(tisfortraining.wordpress.com/)
with Maurice Coleman of the
Harford County (MD) Library
System
NCompass Live
Weekly hour-long online show;
occasional Tech Talks
(nlc.nebraska.gov/NCompassLiv
e/)
Former librarians like Crystal
Schimph and Kieran Hixon at
Kixal (kixal.com/workshops)
Library-Oriented Training
TechSoup for Libraries
(www.techsoupforlibraries.org/e
vents)
Idealware
(www.idealware.org/online-
training)
ALA Online Workshops
(www.alatechsource.org/works
hops)
Lead the Change from Library
Journal
(http://lj.libraryjournal.com/lead-
the-change)
25. Library-Oriented Resources
Computers in Libraries 2015 had an entire track on connecting to your
community through technology; presentations available at
http://computersinlibraries.infotoday.com/2015/Wednesday.aspx #Track-B
The Accidental Technology Trainer: A Guide for Libraries, Stephanie
Gerding, Information Today Inc., 2007.
The Tech Set, #1-10 (2010) and #11-20 (2012), ALA TechSource.
From Set 1, Technology Training in Libraries by Sarah Houghton and
Library Camps and Unconferences by Steve Lawson offer suggestions for
training structures outside the norm.
27. From Me
Emerging Technologies: A Primer
for Librarians, Jennifer Koerber &
Michael P. Sauers, Rowman &
Littlefield, 2015.
“Manage the Device Deluge:
Professional Development,”
Jennifer Koerber, June 1, 2015
issue of Library Journal.
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/06/public-
services/manage-the-device-deluge-professional-
development/
28. Resource Review!
What resources do you already use to stay informed?
Do you balance library-oriented and non-library
resources?
What sources of information do you have that you’ve
never considered relevant before right now?
29. All On Library Time
Show that professional development
and staff technology proficiency are
management priorities.
31. Me = Not a Geek
Bachelors in Film and in English
Library Science concentration in
Youth Services and Public Libraries
For fun:
Beadwork
Live music / dancing
Writing
Photography
Technical theater
Collage / assemblage
32. How You Get There
Need-to-know basis
Build on what you know
Play – push the buttons
The occasional class & workshop
Become comfortable with discomfort
(In other words, exactly what we tell patrons)
33. Be Realistic
Start with current strengths
& skills…
Do the job, push yourself…
Focus on your strongest,
most passionate interests…
… and find directions in
which to grow.
… and don’t force yourself to
be what you’re not.
… and stay aware of what
else is out there.
34. Brainstorm!
3-2-1
Three skills you have outside of work.
Two interests/subject areas you enjoy.
One thing that really excited you today.
Based on your lists, what possibilities do you see?
Later today
Pick one possibility and list what you need to follow up on
it: training, research, money, time.
$50. Each segment contains code snippet. Teaches the logic behind coding, before any actual code.
More than 180K hi-res images in the public domain via NYPL
New York Libraries (NYPL, BPL, QPL), Chicago PL, and more around the country over 2015
How fast it can change.
How fast it can change.
Technical conferences – even if you don’t attend, skimming the session topics will tell you what’s important / coming
Specializing in content management, workflow, user experience, etc.
Focus on your strongest, most interested areas, but stay aware of what else is out there. Just as true for non-tech: I was always better at reference than RA.