1. Public Libraries: Strategic Considerations Stephen Abram, MLSCounty of Los Angeles Public Library Los Angeles, CA April 5, 2012

2. ChangeThese slides are available at Stephens Lighthouse blog 3. Several Things Should Happen Today You should have fun first. You should get too much information You should share with each other You should get new viewpoints and perspectives that challenge the norm You should question the status quo Uncomfortable is OK, annoyed too You are responsible for your own learning 4. We Only Get So Many Once-in-a-LifetimeChances To Do GreatThings 5. News FlashThe Internet and technology havenow progressed to their infancy 6. So how must library strategies change? 7. Conclusions Up Front1. Prioritize Programs not Collections2. Drive Reference with Data and Know Your Top Questions3. Balance of Physical and Virtual4. Invest Time in Demographics5. Put Technological Tools in Context6. Build Recreational Reading Away From Effort and Get Real About the eBook Issue7. Homework: Deal With It8. Transliteracy is a Key Opportunity9. Partnerships are about everything 8. Specific Challenges1. Setting Priorities and Making Sacrifices2. Innovation Culture, Pilots and Diffusion3. Program Hiatuses4. Backroom and Front Room Balance5. Alignment with Goals6. Measuring the Right Stuff7. Organizational Structure and Governance8. Investing in HR Development & Cross-training9. Sacred Cows (desks, books, )10. Promotion, Marketing, Communication, Advocacy 9. Change can happen very fast 10. Sensemaking 11. What is an EXPERIENCE? What is a library experience?What differentiates a library experience from a transaction?What differentiates public libraries from Google/Bing? 12. The Evolution of Answers 13. Why do people ask questions?Is your library experience conceptually organized aroundanswers and programs? Or collections, technology and buildings? 14. Why do people ask questions? Who, What, When, Where How & Why Data Information Knowledge - Behavior To Learn or to Know To Acquire Information, Clarify, Tune To Decide, to Solve, to Choose, to Delay To Interview, Delve, Interact, Progress To Entertain or Socialize To Reduce Fear To Help, Aid, Cure, Be a Friend To Win A Bet 15. What are your top 10-20 questions?What is the service portfolio modelthat goes with those? 16. The Bakers Dozen: LVA Top 131. Health and Wellness / Community Health / Nutrition / Diet /Recovery2. DIY Do It Yourself Activities and Car Repair3. Genealogy4. Test prep (SAT, ACT, occupational tests, etc. etc.)5. Legal Questions (including family law, divorce, adoption, etc)6. Hobbies, Games and Gardening7. Local History8. Consumer reviews (Choosing a car, appliance, etc.)9. Homework Help (grade school)10. Technology Skills (software, hardware, web)11. Government Programs, Services and Taxation12. Self-help/personal development13. Careers (jobs, counselling, etc.)14. Readers Advisory was 14th 17. Top 12 Patron Hobbies Recreational ReadingCooking & Recipes Computers Movies & Film Exercise, Cycling & WalkingTraveling, Tourism & VacationsTop Hobbies? Music Top Homework Questions? PetsTop Travel Destinations? GardeningWhat do you know? Television Shows Arts & Crafts Knitting & Needlecrafts 0 10 20 30 40506070 18. News Flash News FlashTech Shift Happens 19. Seth Godin on Decisions (June 8, 2011)o Which of these are getting in the way?o You dont know what to doo You dont know how to do ito You dont have the authority or the resources to do ito Youre afraido You believe that money matters mosto Once you figure out whats getting in the way, its fareasier to find the answer (or decide to work on adifferent problem).o Stuck is a state of mind, and its curable. 20. What Are Libraries Really For? Community Learning Discovery Progress Research (Applied and Theoretical) Cultural & Knowledge Custody Economic Impact 21. What Are Librarians For? Expertise Relationships Transformation Service (not servant) Vision Leadership Economic Impact 22. Columbus, Cook, Magellan and Libraries:Searching for the corners of the earth, the edge of the oceans and discovering dragons ... 23. Columbus, Cabot, Cortes 24. Magellan Columbus Cook 25. Questions for Libraries Today:1. Are our priorities right?2. Are learning, research, discovery changing materially and what is actually changing?3. What is the foundation of future library success . . . Books? Meh4. What is the role for librarians in the real future (that is not an extension of the past)? 26. Grocery Stores 27. Grocery Stores 28. Grocery Stores 29. Cookbooks, Chefs . . . 30. Cookbooks, Chefs . . . 31. Meals 32. Lets chatWhat is a meal in library end-user or educationand learning terms? 33. The newbibliography andcollectiondevelopment KNOWLEDGE PORTALSKNOWLEDGE,LEARNING, INFORMATION &RESEARCHCOMMONS 34. Chefs, counsellors, teachers, magiciansLibrarians play a vital role in building thecritical connections between information , knowledge and learning. 35. Service Metaphoro Cafeteriaso Take Outo Private Dining Roomso Private Chefso Variety 36. ProgramsWhat are the components of a program focus? What lifts PLs beyond the foundation? 37. You have the tools. 38. Stop Making it So Hard! 39. Trans-Literacy: Move beyond reading & PC skills Reading literacy News literacy Numeracy Technology literacy Critical literacy Information literacy Social literacy Media literacy Computer literacy Adaptive literacy Web literacy Research literacy Content literacy Academic literacy Written literacy Reputation, Etc. 40. StealThisIdea 41. E-Learning 42. List of content farms and general spammy user generated content sites: Experts Exchange (experts-exchange.com) All Experts (allexperts.com) eZine Articles (ezinearticles.com) Answers (answers.com) Find Articles (findarticles.com) Answer Bag (answerbag.com) FixYa (fixya.com Helium (helium.com) Articles Base (articlesbase.com) Hub Pages (hubpages.com) Ask (ask.com) InfoBarrel (infobarrel.com) Associated Content (associatedcontent.com) Livestrong (livestrong.com) BizRate (bizrate.com) Mahalo (mahalo.com) Buzle (buzzle.com) Mail Archive (mail-archive.com) Brothersoft (brothersoft.com) Question Hub (questionhub.com) Bytes (bytes.com) Squidoo (squidoo.com) ChaCha (chacha.com) Suite101 (suite101.com) eFreedom (efreedom.com) Twenga (twenga.com) eHow (ehow.com) WiseGeek (wisegeek.com) Essortment (essortment.com) Wonder How To (wonderhowto.com) Examiner (examiner.com) Yahoo! Answers (answers.yahoo.com) Expert Village (expertvillage.com) Xomba (xomba.com) ) 43. The nasty facts about Google &Bing andconsumer search:SEO / SMO Content FarmsAdvertiser-drivenGeotagging 44. StrategicAnalytics 45. What We Never Really Knew Before (US/Canada) 27% of our users are under 18. We often 59% are female. believe a lot 29% are college students. that isnt 5% are professors and 6% are teachers.true. On any given day, 35% of our users are there for the very first time! Only 29% found the databases via the library website. 59% found what they were looking for on their first search. 72% trusted our content more than Google. But, 81% still use Google. 46. 2010 Eduventures Research on Investments 58% of instructors believe that technology in courses positively impacts student engagement. 71% of instructors that rated student engagement levels as high as a result of using technologyin courses. 71% of students who are employed full-time and 77% of students who are employed part-timeprefer more technology-based tools in the classroom. 79% of instructors and 86 percent of students have seen the average level of engagement improveover the last year as they have increased their use of digital educational tools. 87% of students believe online libraries and databases have had the most significant impact ontheir overall learning. 62% identify blogs, wikis, and other online authoring tools while 59% identify YouTube andrecorded lectures. E-books and e-textbooks impact overall learning among 50% of students surveyed, while 42% ofstudents identify online portals. 44% of instructors believe that online libraries and databases will have the greatest impact onstudent engagement. 32% of instructors identify e-textbooks and 30% identify interactive homework solutions as havingthe potential to improve engagement and learning outcomes. (e-readers was 11%) 49% of students believe that online libraries and databases will have the greatest impact onstudent engagement. Students are more optimistic about the potential for technology. 47. What do we need to know? How do library databases and virtual servicescompare with other web experiences? Who are our core virtual users? Are there gaps? Does learning happen? How about discovery? What are user expectations for true satisfaction? How does library search compare to consumersearch like Google and retail or government? How do people find and connect with library virtualservices? Are end users being successful in their POV? Are they happy? Will they come back? Tell a friend? 48. Top-Level Benchmarks Gale-Cengage Browse Survey August 01, 2010 - August 31, 20109090 90 8990 909090 90 88 878785 8478777175 76 73 74 74 71 7272 72 70 70 6968 6562 59 59 48 484137333030 303030 0 49. Emboldened Librarians hold the key 50. So how must library strategies change? 51. Books 52. We have a shallow understanding of the Codex the book format(s)Transition from scrolls illumination codex and beyond 53. Strategic Challenges for Reference and Research Work in the Coming Decade 54. The BASICS Data Information Knowledge Wisdom NOT Behavior 55. Death of Reference Who What Where When Why How 56. How & Why Questions Now thats research The interview is more involved Transformational not Transactional Expertise counts The position and reputation of the deliveryprofessional is key Expertise is shared mutually Groups and patterns matter 57. 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 justinteractivity How would you enhance a book? 58. What is Changing?1. Evidence-based Reference Strategies2. Experience-based Portals: The New Commons3. Personal Service on Steroids4. Quality Strategies: Consumer vs. Professional Search5. Social Networks and Recommendations6. Trans-literacy Strategies7. People-driven Strategies8. Curriculum and Research Agenda9. Service and Programs 59. Recommendations Strengthen Your Personal Brand Reposition the Library and Librarian Dont Tie Yourself directly to Collections orPhysical Space Network with Your Users Socially Measure, Dont Count Engage in partnerships Know Take Risks 60. Books Reception of Reading and Experience Fiction paper, e-paper Non-Fiction Articles - disaggregation Media physical vs. streaming Learning Objects Stories vs. Pedagogy 61. Technology Context Cloud (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS) Laptops and Tablets Mobility / Smartphones Bandwidth (Wired, WiFi, Whitespace) Learning Management Systems Streaming video and audio vs. download HTML5 and Apps the battle Advertising auction models and product New(ish) Players (Amazon, Apple, G, B&N, Unis,states/provinces/nations) 62. The BASICS Containers for Pedagogy Created by Teams (e.g. 40,000 authors a yearfor Cengage alone) (yes thats a lot of lawyers) Copyright and complicated layering of millionsof rights (creators - pictures, graphics, video,tests, text, documents, etc.) Serious Lawsuits: Feist, Texaco, LSUC, Tasini,NatGeo, Authors Guild, GBS, etc. Complex extension opportunities (links toarticles, databases, library assistance, etc.) 63. Book Challenges Format Agnosticism Browsers: IE, Chrome, Firefox, Safari Devices: Macintosh, PC Desktops & Laptops Mobile: Laptops, Tablets (iPad, Fire, etc.) Mobile: Smartphones (iPhone, Blackberry,Android, Windows, etc.) Container: PDF, ePub, .mobi, Kindle, etc. Learning Management System: Blackboard /WebCT, D2L, Moodle, Sakai, etc. Purchasing (Amazon, B&N, Chegg, CengageBrain,Apple Store, University Textbook Store, etc.) 64. Should we tie users and students to aspecific and proprietary device oroperating system? 65. What is the priority? Price, Cost, Value, ROIManaging or Mandating the Adoption Curve Learning and Progress Societal Impact = 17%, 40%, 70%? 66. This era will see a Fundamental Reimagining the BookFor the present there will be those who resist and the resisters will be themajority. 67. Reimagine ServiceReference and Research 68. Consider the differences . . . Computer Commons Mall Service Commons Information Commons Knowledge Commons Learning Commons Science Commons Centre or Central? Physical / Virtual Hybrid 69. Mobility 70. A 1965 iPhone 71. What Changes with Mobile? Everything and Nothing 72. What doesnt change? The User User needs vs. user context Content (versus format and display) Questions and improving the quality of questions Creativity and human progress Stability = fossilization 73. What changes with mobile? The Ecosystem Communication devices move increasingly from feature phones to smartphones Personal computing moves to a hybrid environment of laptops and tablets (plus a few power desktop anchors) In libraries the dominant mobile task environments are based on answers, communities and e-learning 74. Content duh. Format and display considerations The reading experience (PDF, App, eBook, Wall, Tweets, etc.) The learning experience The entertainment experience Streaming versus downloading Instant and live (Bloggie) 75. Standards Apps versus HTML5 XML ePub, Kindle Book, PDF, HTML5, etc. Tablets versus e-Reader experience (human biology does not change quickly) 76. Concept of Place Geo-IP Google Maps integration Sign in and Authentication Rights and permissions management Concept of Place tied to User Geo-location 77. Identity Personal phone versus home/family phone Consequences for library cardholder management Are librarians and library value systems in conflict with the new ecosystem and market values? Will adults continue to respect and trust library straitjackets? 78. Frictionless-ness Commerce Square (from Jack Dorsey founder of Twitter) Embedded e-commerce ecology in smartphones Death of QR codes $5/gallon gasoline . . . and the library value proposition of free 79. Frictionless-ness commerce In App purchasing and/or seamless buying? Commerce in a virtual goods space (start with $billion market for gaming goods and extend to other goods Other goods are a parallel commercial and retail environment in goods relevant to libraries e-books, streaming media, audio like music MP3, lessons and podcasts, articles, learning objects, games, tests, etc. 80. Opportunity 1. Search personalization (e.g. Google) 2. Push personalization (e.g. Facebook) 3. Integration of sound, video, text, mail, communication, soci al and business cohorts 4. Advertising 5. Major changes in usability: Voice response like Siri, gesture interfaces, face recognition, geo-restrictions, sentiment search, semantic, linked data, data mining, etc. 81. Business Models Pressure on consumer and institutional models as purchasing agent Pressure on retailer model Subscription models for e-Content (like Netflix for entertainment but extended to e-books from Amazon, 24Symbols or Bookish, etc.) On demand and micropayment models Author embedded models like Pottermore Books as apps or as vehicles for ads & purchases 82. Google (Android partners, Motorola acquisition) Microsoft (Skype acquisition, Windows mobile) Facebook (post-IPO) eBay Apple (iTunes and App Store) Twitter (& Square) Research in Motion (as an acquisition target?) Amazon Open Source or any company on the fringes that is disruptive as a new player or an acquisition target) 83. Living in a parallel world Serving a hybrid world Changing their strategic planning models to add more stretch into the environmental scans, creative thinking and imagination Bringing staff and profession along the curve 12 steps . . . 84. Differential Adoption The generations are adopting at muchdifferent rates and for different purposes Boomers are the primary adopters of e-reading Adult women are a major market for e-gaming Students are resisting e-textbook adoption for now. Tablet adoption (ownership) doubled overChristmas 2011 (Pew) 85. On the sidelines of a war Watching the emerging commercial battlefield (foundation vs. application) Android, RIM, Windows, Apple iOS, other . . . The end of the flip phone or feature phone At the same time as the end of CD and DVD and more e-Books and e-content formats Dealing with new potential walled gardens for e-content (app stores, e-formats, single device stuff, etc.) 86. Playing with vendor apps Developing Library apps learn by doing Most good content vendors have first or second generation apps to play with and many are free Many ILS vendors too including ILS enhancement layers like Bibliocommons and LibraryThing. Its too early to form anything more than an opinion and those who dont play arent learning fast enough. Use a smartphone. 87. Pilot and experiment with mobile social cohorts in the library Clubs Classes (mobile training or extended learning) Reading cohorts and book clubs Associations Fundraising Meetings Teams (business or sport) 88. Actively lobby and educate to ensure that the emerging mobile ecosystem supports the values and principles of librarianship for balance in the rights of end users for use, access, learning and research. Support vendors and laws to be as agnostic as possible by ensuring that, as afar as possible your services and content offerings support the widest range of devices, formats, browsers, and platforms. 89. Design for frictionless access using such opportunities as geo-IP and mobile ready websites Test everything in all browsers mobile or not. Invest in usability research and testing and learn from it and share your learning. Watch key developments in major publishing spaces kiddy lit, textbooks, e- learning, fiction, etc. 90. This is an evolution not a revolution The REAL revolution was the Internet and the Web. The hybrid ecology is winning in the near term for operating systems and content formats. This is good since competition drives innovation. Engage in critical thinking not raw criticism. Be constructive. Critical thinking is not part of dogma or religious fervor or fan boy behavior. 91. This is an evolution not a revolution Perfectionism will not move us forward at this juncture. Really understand the digital divide and remove your economic and social class blinkers Get over library obsession with statistics and comprehensiveness. Get excellent at real measurements, sampling and understanding impact and satisfaction. (Analytics, Foresee, Pew) 92. This is an evolution not a revolution We need to revisit the concept of preservation, archives, repositories, and conservation. Check out new publishing models like Flipboard. Watch for emerging book enhancements and other features that will challenge library metadata, selection policies, and collection development. 93. Broadband You must clearly understand the latest US FCCWhitespace Broadband Decision THIS ISTRANSFORMATIONAL and going global Net neutrality, kill switches . . . Local wired, mobile access everywhere tothe home and workplace on a personal basis Geo-awareness: GIS, GPS, GEO-IP, etc. Wireless as a business strategy (Starbucks) Mobile dominates the largest generation 94. Speaking of e- Books... 95. Borders Kobo, B&N Nook, Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad, Sony, etc. . . . 96. GBS 97. Can we frame the e-book issue sothat it can be addressed rationally? 98. Books 99. Fiction 100. Non-Fiction 101. E-Learning 102. Be More Open to the Users Paths - Filtering 103. What Would You Attempt IfYou Knew You Would Not Fail? 104. A Third Path 105. Smelly OrYellow SexLiquid Appeal? 106. Considering the Whole Experience 107. There are no knights onhorses in technology. 108. The VAST majority of library use is virtual and is dwarfed by all information use 109. Reading trumps print books . . . 110. 7 Learning Styles 111. Stephen Abram, MLS, FSLAVP strategic partnerships and markets Cengage Learning (Gale) Cel: 416-669-4855stephen.abram@cengage.comStephens Lighthouse Blog http://stephenslighthouse.com Facebook, Pinterest: Stephen AbramLinkedIn / Plaxo: Stephen Abram Twitter: @sabram SlideShare: StephenAbram1