The document discusses how libraries need to shift away from their traditional focus on books and move towards becoming knowledge portals and community centers that are aligned with user behaviors and needs, such as by developing question-driven services and content and expanding their social media presence for information literacy programs. It also emphasizes the importance of advocacy, strategic analytics to measure impact and value, and collaboration over traditional social programs.
1. The Big Picture
Trends beyond Technology in Libraries
Stephen Abram, MLS
Barrington Public Library
Barrington, IL
These slides are available at Stephen’s Lighthouse blog Dec. 8, 2011
5. Symptoms of Dysfunction
Terrible advocacy
Slow and poor response to the e-Book
challenge
Generational disrespect and
misunderstanding
Workplace friction and avoidance
Too slow technology adoption
6.
7. Is there still life in
libraries in a fully web
world?
Yes, but . . .
16. What Are Libraries Really For?
• Community
• Learning
• Discovery
• Progress
• Research (Applied and Theoretical)
• Cultural & Knowledge Custody / Conservation
• Economic Impact
21. 7 Gifts to Libraries, Publishers & Booksellers
1. The book isn’t dead or dying. It is evolving.
2. Our users/customers are improving.
3. Technology is going social and can support social
acts.
4. The PC isn’t dead, but, again, it’s evolving and more
mobile.
5. We know more about our customers than ever
before.
6. Talent, Insight, Community, have social value.
7. Opportunities always exist more in times of change
41. Don’t piss them off.
Ok, sure. We’ve all got our little preconceived
notions about who librarians are and what they do.
Many people think of librarians as diminutive civil
servants, scuttling about “Sssh-ing” people and
stamping things. Well, think again buster.
Librarians have degrees. They go to graduate school
for Information Science and become masters of data
systems and human/computer interaction. Librarians
can catalog anything from an onion to a dog’s ear.
They could catalog you.
Librarians wield unfathomable power. With a flip of
the wrist they can hide your dissertation behind piles
of old Field and Stream magazines. They can find
data for your term paper that you never knew
existed. They may even point you toward new and
appropriate subject headings.
People become librarians because they know too
much. Their knowledge extends beyond mere
categories. They cannot be confined to disciplines.
Librarians are all-knowing and all-seeing. They bring
order to chaos. They bring wisdom and culture to the
masses. They preserve every aspect of human
knowledge. Librarians rule. And they will kick the
crap out of anyone who says otherwise.
42. Some hints from the research
Boomer vs GenY
Don’t use family metaphors
Offer non-compensation rewards, flexibility
Involve them in decision-making
Offer real development opportunities
Prioritize social media freedom, device
flexibility, and work mobility over salary
Listen, both ways – No telling!
Respect goes a long way. The right to advise
must be earned
43. “I didn’t quite my job because it was too
hard…I quit my job because it was not the best
use of my short life.”
Social Responsibility
Green
Involvement Programs (YPO)
Grapevine . . . Versus Control
Make room for mistakes
and you or your kids . . . What did you dream?
59. What does all this mean?
The Article level universe
The Chapter and Paragraph Universe
Integrated with Visuals – graphics and charts
Integrated with ‘video’
Integrated with Sound and Speech
Integrated with social web
Integrated with interaction and not just interactivity
How would you enhance a book?
How do Libraries play the game?
60. Can we frame the e-book issue so
that it can be addressed rationally?
62. Why do people read?
1. To learn
2. To engage in hearing other’s opinions (to agree or disagree or understand)
3. To develop more knowledge about myself and develop as a whole person
4. To be entertained and laugh, to engage and interact
5. To address boredom and the inexorable progress of time
6. To research and keep up-to-date
7. To participate well in civil society (everything from news to voting)
8. To be informed (and maybe smarter)
9. To understand others (individually and culturally)
10. To escape our day-to-day lives
11. To stimulate the imagination and be inspired or spiritual
12. To write and communicate better through reading others
13. To teach
14. To have something to talk about
15. To connect with like-minded people
72. The nasty facts
about Google &
Bing and
consumer search:
SEO / SMO
Content Farms
Advertiser-driven
Geotagging
Whack-a-Mole:
Farmer
Panda
Panda Silver
73. What are your top 10-20 questions?
What is the service portfolio model
that goes with those?
74. The Baker’s Dozen: LVA Top 13
1. Health and Wellness / Community Health / Nutrition / Diet /
Recovery
2. DIY Do It Yourself Activities and Car Repair
3. Genealogy
4. Test prep (SAT, ACT, occupational tests, etc. etc.)
5. Legal Questions (including family law, divorce, adoption, etc)
6. Hobbies, Games and Gardening
7. Local History
8. Consumer reviews (Choosing a car, appliance, etc.)
9. Homework Help (grade school)
10. Technology Skills (software, hardware, web)
11. Government Programs, Services and Taxation
12. Self-help/personal development
13. Careers (jobs, counselling, etc.)
14. Readers Advisory was 14th
75. Top 12 Patron Hobbies
Recreational Reading
Cooking & Recipes
Computers
Movies & Film
Exercise, Cycling & Walking
Traveling, Tourism & Vacations
Top Hobbies?
Music
Top Homework Questions?
Pets Top Travel Destinations?
Gardening
What do you know?
Television Shows
Arts & Crafts
Knitting & Needlecrafts
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
84. How would this look?
Top Reference and Research Questions
Do you know them? Or do you know retail
sales numbers or circulation numbers better?
Encyclopedia
Shelf Talkers & databases / eBooks
Being rational about homework
Men – we’re pretty bad at that.
The new Senior
88. Fun Program Ideas
Act Like a User Day (signs, sign up, ADD, kids)
Librarian for a Day – Homework Peer Coaching
Fraud and ID Theft Prevention
Facebook for Teens – Study, Sharing and Social Safety
Facebook for Adults – Work, Reputation, Jobs
Signage
Top 20 Questions Portals Focus Groups
eBay (Cameras, How to, Books, etc.)
Perennial Trade / Garden Days
Flickr Trading Cards
Who’s here @the library (photos, FB, tweets, recommenders, talents, etc.)
Collections Slap Down
Research Success for Adult Learners
Download Faire / Digital Days – download to phones, tablets, laptops, e-readers.
23 Things TNG
89.
90.
91. The Virtual Handout
The Value of Public Libraries
http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-
public-libraries/
The Value of School Libraries
http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-
school-libraries/
The Value of Academic and College Libraries
http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-
academic-and-college-libraries/
The Value of Special Libraries
http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-
special-libraries/
Library Advocacy: Save the Library Campaigns
http://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/01/save-the-
library-campaigns/
96. Summary
Respect the generations – learn from eachother
End User Psychographic Centricity
Focus on the Questions (Needs, CRM)
Build or Buy Knowledge Portals (Meals)
Emphasize Content Quality (not books)
Expand Social Media Programs on Information Literacy
Advocate and Align with the Listener
Tell Stories, Have users tell stories
Invest in Strategic Analytics – Measurements of
Impact, ROI and Value
Collaborate vs. socialize
103. Stephen Abram, MLS, FSLA
VP strategic partnerships and markets
Cengage Learning (Gale)
Cel: 416-669-4855
stephen.abram@cengage.com
Stephen’s Lighthouse Blog
http://stephenslighthouse.com
Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Plaxo : Stephen Abram
FourSquare, Gowalla: Stephen Abram
Twitter, Quora, Yelp, etc.: sabram
SlideShare: StephenAbram1
104. “IF ONLY …. I had taken the other job.”
“IF ONLY …. I had chosen another college.”
“IF ONLY …. I had gone to college!”
“IF ONLY …. I never broke up with her.”
“IF ONLY…… I never moved here.”
“IF ONLY …. I encouraged my kids to stick
with music lessons.”
“IF ONLY …… I hadn’t said that!”
105. Here are seven tips to help you move through the Land of “If
Only” to the Land of Today!
1. Use your broken dreams, disappointments and “what ifs” as
stepping stones towards a better future. 2. Those who are stuck in
the “woulda, coulda, shoulda’s” often have a hard time forgiving
themselves for not knowing better or not doing any better, which
seems so obvious in hindsight. Self-forgiveness is vital.
2. Remind yourself that you do not know what would have
happened if you chose the other path – it could have been worse.
3. Refuse to play the “Blame Game.”
4. Realize that to be steeped in “if onlys” is to be stuck with
unproductive regret.
5. Allow yourself to grieve.
6. Embrace “The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life!” Accept the fact that
life is not smooth and predictable.