Presentation given to RLUK17 conference at British Library, London, UK on the 10th of March 2017. The presentation looks at how technology will impact research libraries in the future, what approaches can we take to embrace these changes, and what kind of digital skills will we need to invest in to be leading research libraries of the future.

1. Role of Research Libraries in a technological future
Masud Khokhar
Head of Digital Innovation and Research Services
The Library, Lancaster University
masud.khokhar@lancaster.ac.uk
@mkhokhar

2. Bridging the skills gap
Technology and Leadership
Key challenges

3. Digital disruption and academia:
Are we ready for uberversities in 10 years? *
* Prof. Linda Kristjanson - VC Swinburne University - Article available here - 2015
** Ryan Craig and Allison Williams - Article available here - 2015
Data, Technology, and the Great Unbundling of Higher Education **

4. Is the technology hype real?

5. Gartner Hype Cycle - 2010
Gesture Recognition Cloud Computing
Microblogging Ebook readers
3D Flat panel TVs and displays
Wireless charging
Media tablet
Private cloud computing
3D Printing
Social Analytics
Augmented Reality
Biometric authentication methods
Location aware applications
Virtual assistants
Mobile application stores

6. l
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
Little subtitle here like lorem ipsum dolor
0.9 Zettabytes
Content is king
Research or Academic Leadership
2010
5.2 billion internet connected devices

7. l
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
Little subtitle here like lorem ipsum dolor
17 Zettabytes
Context is kingdom
2017
28.4 billion internet connected devices
Research with Digital Leadership

8. l
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
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180 Zettabytes
Cognitive load reduction & context brokering
Digital Leadership*
2025
80 -100 billion internet connected devices
* but not on its own

9. Gartner Hype Cycle - 2016
Context brokering Affective Computing
Data broker PaaS Commercial UAVs
Quantum computing
Gesture control devices
Conversational User Interfaces
Personal Analytics
IoT platforms
Smart workspaces
Natural Language Question Answering
Virtual Personal Assistants
Connected Home
Smart Data Discovery
Blockchain
Cognitive Expert Advisors

10. @mkhokhar 10
NMC Horizon Report - 2017 HE Edition

11. @mkhokhar 11
How does technology change our approach towards
research support and enablement?

12. @mkhokhar 12
The Library towards 2020
We will work with the research
community and other partners
to create collaborative
research environments, build
effective training programmes
and provide developmental
opportunities. We will
establish our Special
Collections as a key Library
strength.

13. @mkhokhar 13
Tackling the challenges (1/2)
Invest in Digital Leaders
Digital Futures paper
Hybrid of Macro and Micro
Elements
Through Creativity, Innovation,
Entrepreneurship and Partnership
Research/Data Scientists, Data
Visualisation Experts
Embed Behaviour Driven Service
Improvement
Analytics infrastructure of Library
Intelligent Library project
Investment in Cognitive load
reduction, personalisation and
context brokering technologies
CONTEXTC
A
B
C
APPROACH
CONSISTENT
BEHAVIOUR

14. @mkhokhar 14
Tackling the challenges (2/2)
Interoperability and service
experience is key
Embed in procurement processes
Natural Language conversations
TDM, LoD, Machine/Deep Learning
Data visualisations
Personalisation
Mixed Reality
Semantometrics
Embed Library in Research
Questions and Processes
* Digital Humanities
* Digital Health
Benchmark services, analyse data,
change analytics into intelligence
CSAT scores for service
improvements
MEASUREE
E
E
M
ECOSYSTEM
EXPERIMENT
EMBED

15. Bridging the gap between Libraries and IT

16. @mkhokhar
A
C
B
I
16
From Analytics to Intelligence
The Data to Information journey for smart decisions
Analytics Context
BehavioursIntelligence

17. @mkhokhar 17
Our Library Infrastructure
60 150 400 10
Virtual Machines
Virtual CPUs
GB Memory
TB Storage
Infrastructure as Code, Terraform, Kubernetis, Docker, VMWare

18. @mkhokhar 18
Digital initiatives
S
Study space
occupancy
J
Library Journeys
M
Mixed Reality
T
Natural Language
Touch points
G
Gesture Control
M
Mood aware
spaces
P
Personalisation
U
UDCs and Digital
Humanities

19. @mkhokhar 19
New areas to invest in
DS1 DS2 DS3 DS4 DS5 DS6 DS7
3104 822
Dataset downloads at
Lancaster University

20. @mkhokhar 20
Data Visualisations

21. Bridging the gap of Digital Skills

22. @mkhokhar 22
Survey results (1/3)
How confident are you that you have the skills that would be relevant to the needs of research libraries in 2025?
Very Confident
14%
Moderately Confident
63%
Not confident
19%
I am worried
4%

23. @mkhokhar 23
Survey results (2/3)
How confident are you to be able to cope with technological changes that would be coming our way by 2025?
Very Confident
24%
Moderately Confident
62%
Not confident
11%
I am worried
3%

24. @mkhokhar 24
Survey results (3/3)
In your own view, do you think that you can learn new technologies quickly?
No
1%
Yes
61%
Sometimes
38%

25. @mkhokhar 25
Digital Skills Development
Digital Leadership 01
02
03
04
Confidence Building
Digital Skills and Code Clubs
Micro-Learning

26. “There is no turning back from digital in HE.
The digital demand is real, and HE
institutions must start making the grade or
risk irrelevance in the digital era.” *
* Mike Byrne - Managing Director - Accenture - September 2016 - Available here
The question is not of an if but of when!

27. Thank you for listening. Questions?
Masud Khokhar
Head of Digital Innovation and Research Services
The Library, Lancaster University
masud.khokhar@lancaster.ac.uk
@mkhokhar