21 st Century Libraries Internationally: The Challenges and Opportunities

1. 21st Century Libraries Internationally:The Challenges and Opportunities Roberta A. Stevens President American Library Association

2. The Backdrop: “A Perfect Storm” • Escalating costs • Shrinking financial support • Consolidation of materials and sources • Surging usage • Growing demands for service • Increased expectations about the level of service

3. The 20th Century Model • Manufacturing and agriculture dominated (particularly in the early to mid-century) • Work was generally routine and “hands-on” • Individuals had one or two jobs in their lifetimes (usually at the local level) • The organizational structure was top-down and hierarchical • Being educated meant pursuing formal degrees

4. The 21st Century • Job competition is global • Hold numerous jobs in a lifetime • The organizational culture is multifaceted: bottom-up, top-down, and side-to-side • A growing expectation of expertise in several or more rapidly changing fields • Flexibility, adaptability, and technological and interactive skills are viewed as essential attributes • Lifelong and self-directed learning • LIBRARIES HAVE A KEY ROLE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

5. 20th Century Institutions Responded to 20th Century Problems • Invisible and ubiquitous communications have replaced cumbersome logistics and limited communications • Niche versus mass marketing is growing • Centralized management is being superseded by self-organizational structures

6. The Library as a 21st Century “Platform” Institution • Institutions flourish when they solve people’s and communities’ problems by: • Enabling the exploration of options • Informing the selection of satisfying choices • Giving people access to the tools of participation and collaboration • Facilitating the formation of ad hoc, short-term and long-term communities to address specific concerns

7. Key Concepts in Library Design • The shift from buildings constructed around library operations and services to facilities that reflect how people learn and interact • Spaces for solitary users and collaboration • Connecting people physically and virtually • High-quality and attractive facilities with good lighting, comfortable and ample seating, numerous electrical outlets, wireless access, signage, maps and directories, lockers, coffee shops or cafes

8. The Library as a Place: Physical and Virtual • 24/7 “round-the-clock” access to collections and services, including online catalogs and databases, digital reference, and downloadable e-books • Availability of e-lists, blogs, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, iTunes U, and RSS feeds to reach out and communicate with users • “Fish where the fish are”

9. The most common question from the media: Why do we need libraries in the age of the Internet with everything online?

10. How do we build the comprehension of what libraries do? • Know user and nonuser audiences • Understand current needs and not the stated needs of the past (needs analysis) • Use the information to clarify opportunities, align resources with strategies, and guide decision making • Identify legacy operations and services that can be reduced or eliminated • Develop partnerships to maximize resources, leverage assets, and build goodwill

11. Marketing Your Library • Who are the target audiences and can they broken into market segments? • What are the audiences’ needs? • Is there a price or cost for the access to the services? • How will the services be distributed and how convenient is the distribution? • How will the audiences find out about them? • What are the benefits to the “customers”? • Can you partner with a business, organization, or institution in your community or on your campus? • Where is the funding coming from and will it be sustained?

12. 21st Century Librarians • Are “blended” librarians who combine technological skills with the bedrock values of access to knowledge, preserving the human record, intellectual freedom, the right to privacy, and dedication to fostering an educated citizenry to sustain democracy • Have skills in budgeting and the management of human resources and projects as well as the ability to communicate with a wide variety of audiences • Are experts in digital technologies and multimedia • Reflect the shift from the 20th to the 21st century workplace

13. Be an Advocate for Your Library • Share your vision of the library’s role with clarity and passion • Frame messages for the target audiences • Use data to provide evidence of the value and impact of your library (the return on investment) • Tell stories that illustrate your points • Cultivate relationships with users, administrators, and community leaders • Know how to deal with opposition and controversy and answer tough questions • Presidential initiatives “Our Authors, Our Advocates” and “Cultivating Your Local Notables” (ilovelibraries and ALA websites)

14. Supplementing the Library’s Financial Support • “Frontline Fundraising” online toolkit • Formulating a fundraising plan • Identifying prospects and enlarging the base of contributors • Gift opportunities • Recognizing donors • Location on ALA’s website: Issues & Advocacy

15. Questions for Libraries in the 21st Century • Will libraries become museums of the book? • What are the symbols that define the role of libraries? • Can we use the experiences and messaging from the private sector, media, and entertainment industry to convey a 21st century image? • How do you preserve the iconic status of libraries? • Why support new or renovated buildings? • What are collections’ models with digital materials and publisher restrictions? • What are examples of institutional renewal and resurgence? What factors enabled this to happen? • Who were the leadership figures at critical moments?