How Emerging Trends and Technologies Will Affect the Library

1. How Emerging Trends and Technologies Will Affect the Library John Burke ALAO SSIG Spring Workshop May 8-9, 2003

2. Coping and keeping up • Where’s the wind blowing? • What’s new? How do I prepare? Will I be working in a library in 10 years? 5? • Contrasting examples; stories that teach • A list of lessons learned and steps to follow

3. Library technology truths • Dual technology needs: streamline our workflow and serve the public • Add popular technologies both by demand and proactively • We create our own systems on occasion • Budget pressures often slow changes • New items both replace and complement • Both products and processes • Computers are a key technology today, but not the only crucial one

4. Truth #1:Not all technology works as expected

5. Failure – the Rudolph Indexer • View 175 catalog cards at once • 12,000+ cards in single indexer • Too expensive; never caught on

6. Success – Shared cataloging • MARC records • OCLC • Cooperation continues

7. Technologies on the rise • Handhelds – Palm Pilots, Pocket PCs, Cell phones, Tablet PCs • Wireless networking • Open source software • MP3s • DVDs • E-books • Full-text reference books and periodicals

8. What can we learn? • Three possibilities for each new technology: • Essential technologies that last (DDC, OPAC, etc.) • “Flashes in the pan” that never materialize (Rudolph Indexer, bubble memory, etc.) • Transitional technologies that have shorter lifespans (8-track tapes, records, etc.) • We hope to choose 1 early, accept 3 before it’s too late, and avoid 2 altogether

9. Truth #2: It’s hard to know what patrons will want or need

10. Trends in society • 66% of Americans use computers at home or work (over 54% use the Internet) • Reading habits: more “scanning” • 90% of children and teens use computers • 50% of homes have DVD players • 42% of U.S. adults are not Internet users (Pew Internet Study)

11. “Thumb tribe” • Technology  Society  Biology (?) • oyayubizoku – Japanese (or “clan of the thumb”)

12. How do we adjust to the trends? • Mixed bag • Stress customer service • Patrons want self-suffiency • Patrons need guides and helpers • We need to be flexible – alter workflow, policies

13. Truth #3: Libraries face many concerns and choices

14. Trends in libraries • Nearly universal Internet access in public libraries • Graying of profession (63% of librarians are > 45) • Less spending on books, but higher circulation • Budget cutbacks • More and bigger electronic resources to buy • Audiovisual spending is growing • 24/7/365 access and assistance • Buildings – need flexible, tech-friendly spaces • Digital reference – chat, email • Focus on adaptive devices and web design

15. Major issues to solve • Copyright • Confidentiality – USA Patriot Act, etc. • Access – “digital divide” • Library budgets • Archiving of digital resources (& long-term access) • One-stop access to resources – easy interfaces • More fee, less free resources • Spam, cyberterrorism, and the regulated Internet • Marketing the library, finding niches • Cooperation among libraries

16. Where to turn? • It’s always been this way to some degree • Libraries must have a voice in solutions • Stay in communication • Stay a little behind, but still see who’s up front • Be informed (Technology Awareness Resources handout at www.users.muohio.edu/burkejj/)

17. Truth #4: Not every library needs the same technologies

18. A tale of two libraries • Cerritos Library, Cerritos, CA (cml.ci.cerritos.ca.us/static.htm) • Oscar Johnson Memorial Library, Silverhill, AL (www.gulftel.com/bclc/bclibraries/silverhill.html)

19. Different on the outside . . .

20. . . . And on the inside

21. Both have computers . . .

22. . . . But only one has a dinosaur.

23. What does our library need? • Know thy community • Consider the budget • Don’t fear change • Remember Truth #1 • Take a few leaps of faith

24. Truth #5: All visions are imperfect, but we need them

25. Visions of the Future:Yesterday • Charles Ammi Cutter (1883) • The Buffalo Public Library in 1983 • Guessed wrong: • Sprawling, many floored library • An army of uniformed pages • Scrupulously clean and dust free • Multiple “reading rooms” • Guessed right: • Fax machines, interlibrary loan, photocopying • Mass electric power • Based his thoughts on what he could see

26. Visions of the future:Today • Raymond Kurzweil (2000) • The “Terminator” future • 2009 – wearable computers • 2019 – books are rarely used • 2029 – implants connect us to the Internet • Libraries fade away • Unabated development of technology • We’ll have to wait and see

27. Vision #1: “It’s Alive!” • Primary access to information is electronic • Most users access materials remotely • Private companies offer content and access equal to and beyond that of libraries – competition and outsourcing • Our interaction with the Internet and networked information sources becomes a single interface, perhaps voice responsive • Library cannot compete as a public space – home becomes central

28. Vision #2: Ozymandias • Things fall apart: current tech cannot be sustained • Bleeding edge stops bleeding • Archival issues end e-resource use • Declining funds push libraries to print only • Terrorism makes networks unworkable • Libraries survive as they always have, and grow as centers of information and learning • A step back, or a step ahead?

29. Vision #3: Today & tomorrow • Public, academic, school, & special libraries • Near-universal Internet access (thanks to us) • Many electronic resources • Declining periodical collections • Growth of e-books and other publications on handheld devices • Remote access to resources is available, and growing in use • Library is still a vital spot for the community

30. The future for support staff • Jobs increasing (66% of library workers now) • Workload shift continues (more formerly MLS-only duties) • Entry requirements increasing (in places) • “Graying” & retention issues • Opportunities to seek MLS (if desired) • Pay may rise, but slowly

31. Lessons Learned • Not all technology works as expected • It’s hard to know what patrons will want or need • Libraries face many concerns and choices • Not every library needs the same technologies • All visions are imperfect, but we need them • Consider the essentials of our work as you innovate

32. Five New Laws of Library Science • Libraries serve humanity. • Respect all forms by which knowledge is communicated. • Use technology intelligently to enhance service. • Protect free access to knowledge. • Honor the past and create the future. • Revised: Walt Crawford and Michael Gorman

33. Further reading • Gorman, Michael. Our Enduring Values. Chicago: American Library Association, 2000. • Wisconsin Library Services. New Tech News. (www.wils.wisc.edu/pubs/ntn/) • Burke, John. Neal-Schuman Library Technology Primer. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2000.

34. Questions or Comments? John J. Burke, MSLS Assistant Library Director Gardner-Harvey Library Miami University Middletown (513) 727-3293 burkejj@muohio.edu http://www.users.muohio.edu/burkejj/