Digital natives. Digital immigrants. Libraries

Tefko Saracevic

Digital natives.Digital immigrants.

Libraries. The challenge faced by libraries in reaching

out to born digital

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Tefko Saracevic, PhDhttp://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/

tefkos@rutgers.edu

Tefko Saracevic

What?

Part I – The BIG picture Social forces

1. Digital natives, digital immigrants

2. Contemporary technology & society

Part II – The LIBRARY -Challenges & responses

3. Digital information resources4. Web access5. Information literacy6. Social media7. Conclusions

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Are young people (digital natives) really different?

How are library services for digital natives handled?

Tefko Saracevic

1. What do we mean? DefinitionsDigital natives

• Persons for whom digital technologies already existed when they were born, and hence had grown up with digital technology– also called “born digital”

“net generation” “millenials”

Digital immigrants

• Individuals who grew up without digital technology and adopted it later

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Generational differences expressed in technological terms

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Hotly debated - Sample of articles

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Prensky (2001) introduced the concept & terminology with little evidence

(2010)

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Growing number of studies –Sample of articles

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(2010)

(2009)

(2010)

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Characteristics - binary opposites Siân Bayne & Jen Ross (2007)

Digital natives • student• fast• young• future• multi-tasking• image• playful• looking forward• digital• action• constant connection

Digital immigrants• teacher, librarian, parent ...• slow• old• past, or ‘legacy’• logical, serial thinking• text• serious• looking backward• analogue• knowledge• isolation

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Controversy about digital nativesClaims – Assumptionson the one hand

• As native speakers of digital language, young people think and process information in an entirely different way from previous generations

• Because of that they have biological brain changes

Critiqueson the other hand

• Generational stereotyping– reality: claims/assumptions DO

NOT reflect it– oversimplified: should be

understood in diversity rather than dichotomy

• Assumes that all young people are wired digital masters who use technology mysteriously

• No scientific evidence

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Examples of digital natives in action

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a few more ...

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Rejection of simplified concept about digital natives/immigrants Selvyn, N. (2009), McKenzie, J. (2007)

• Empirical findings on assumptions: Not so! – Generational, not purely technical differences

• Picture of children and young people’s use of new technologies is more complex along:– socio-economic status & other “social fault” lines

• social class• geography• gender

– variety of uses– digital divide

• But term “digital natives” can be used as a metaphor12

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2. Contemporary technology

Web 2.0• Information and

communication technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity & information sharing in a new way

Lets people• Interact• Connect• Collaborate• Share • Contribute• Inform• Using variety of media

– text, audio, video, images

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Transformations Social • Variety of hardware &

software apps, tools developed to support many uses– commercial– educational– social

• Social software & sites• Transformed the Web• Created communities

Including libraries

• Growing number of libraries actively changed their web presence, including– social interactions with

various audiences, specifically including digital natives

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Another view of transformations

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Part II: Library challenges, responses

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Digital resources

User – appropriate content

Web access

User – centered design

Informa-tion

literacyUser – oriented guides

Social networks

In touch on user terms

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Digital INFORMATION resources

General• Information records in

digital form, as opposed to analog– used to accomplish,

support, help activities requiring information

In libraries

• Part of the collection• Many e (digital) forms

– books (eBooks)– eJournals– videos– images– audio

• Either digitized from analog or born digital

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Digital resources

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Concentration

I will concentrate here on eBooks in some depth

recognizing that there are other digital information resources of great importance for library users of all generations – I will mention them only

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And now from print books (pBooks) onto electronic books (eBooks)

• No sculpture, yet, commemorating eBooks

• But eBooks are the fastest & most massive globally spreading books in book history – e.g.

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Book sculpture - commemorating invention of modern printingWalk of ideas, Berlin

a virtual fair July, 4 to Aug. 4, 2010 , featuring over 3,000,000 eBooks; org. by World Public Library - Michael Hart (Gutenberg Project)

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Libraries as producers – first generationDigitization• Globally great many

libraries digitized books from own collection

• Many are rare, historical, classics– opened treasures to

public – well received

• But all together relatively small in numbers

• Subsidized

A few examples from many

• British Library Online Gallery – 30,000 items

• Gallica, bibliothèque numérique Bibliothèque nationale de France– 1.2 mill. items, 192,000 books

• Biblioteca Digital HispánicaBiblioteca Nacional de España– 28,000 items

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Mass digitization projects – second generation

Pioneered• Industrial scale of

eBook digitization – innovative

• applications of technologies

• a number of partnerships with libraries

• Raised many issues & disagreements

• Global reach & involvement

Major projects• Project Gutenberg

– first, gave ideas to all– about 140,000 books

• Million Book Project– global cooperation– about 1.7 mill. books

• Google Books– largest; international– many libraries & even

countries cooperate– about 12 mill. books

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Next generation: Interaction in eBooks

Major innovation

• Adding potential for interaction is a giant step in evolution of eBooks– using dynamic web vs. static

scanned displays– makes eBooks into

something else – Web 2.0

• Many geared toward digital natives

pBooks vs. eBooks

• Interactive capabilities embedded within eBooks provide clear & even huge advantages over pBooks

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Vendors (aggregators)

What?• Bring together eBooks

from different sources & publishers & make it available to libraries & others

• Some do it via specific software or apps

• Provide books by subscription, license, payment, and free

Who?• Large, universal ones

taking the role of super-bookstores– with some interactivity

• Smaller, more specialized, aimed at specific markets, topics– particularly libraries &

similar institutions– many most innovative,

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Sample of vendors … all online onlyGiants with global reach

• Amazon – a super store & bookstore, e- & pBooks– mid 2010: for every 100 pBooks

sold, 180 eBooks were sold

• iBooks – Apple repeating the music formula to books, some digitized heritage books (e.g. Project Gutenberg) + current; many for digital natives

Specialized or niche

• ebrary “get the most out of your digital content.” Several interactive capabilities for eBooks

• ClassZone – large global text book publisher turned to eBooks. Extensive interactive e-texts for middle & high schools

– geared toward digital natives. – interactive learning: “Textbooks come

to life.”

• They became the way for libraries to get & manage e-resources of all kinds

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(While we do not call them “vendors” or “aggregators” that is what they are)

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Example of ebrary interactive display & link tools for books (InfoTools)

• InfoTools links to other resources

• If selected El Niño from a text it will show:

– define – show a dictionary definition

– explain – show encyclopedia, – locate – maps– who – biography, Wikipedia– search – all kinds of sources incl.

images, video– create note – note taking

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ClassZone example of an interactive biology text for high school

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Libraries and eBooks

Digitized old(er) books• Support tradition, culture– enlarge collection– attract interest for “buried”

treasures– provide resources for

education, scholarship

• Major political point for justifying subsidy

• Many libraries have a large number

Newly published

• Support modernity– current demands

• Why buy or license? – provide innovative services– possible for multi locations– circulate as other books– go with digital natives– for some no alternative

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eBook advantages for librariesOperations

• Can’t be stolen, lost, mis-shelved

• Automatic circulation• No additional space• Management easier

– software from vendors

• Circulated as other books

Access• 24/7 from anyplace

– but often restricted to own users (university, city)

• High demand books easily managed– pBook= single concurrent

user; eBook = many

• Merges with other services – print, audio, video

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Very popular with users, particularly digital natives

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eBook disadvantages for libraries

Economics

• Lots of €€€, $$$ …• Funding a challenge• Technology investments

still high• New competencies,

(re)education needed– for both librarians & users

Balancing

• With print collection– still the major part for all

libraries

• Still a good proportion of users are not there yet – digital divide

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Digital natives and eBooks

Digital

• Part of their universe– young predominate, but

not only young

• Changing patterns how people read in general– & search for information

• But information literacy for great many still low

Tools for reading eBooks

• Becoming better & ubiquitous– devices: Kindle, iPad, Nook – software: Adobe Digital

Editions ...

• Integrated with life• eBooks are just books

– to be read anywhere

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Example of an eBook read by a digital native anywhereAlly reading her book at a football game where her sister was a goalie (score 3:3)

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Versions of libraries –bricks & clicks

Library as physical place• Physical building

– physical collection, tools– social, collaborative,

learning places for users

• Physical access to organized materials in the place

• Prisoner of physicality

Library as virtual space• Digital space/place

– digital collection– access tools – quite different

• Interaction beyond searching & browsing

• Virtual access to organized digital resources any place

• Prisoner of technology

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Web access

Great many libraries are hybrid

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Access dramatically differentPhysical place Virtual space

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Use dramatically different

Physical

• Users have to be there• Ambience has to be

fostered

Virtual

• Users can be anywhere– virtual visits & use of

great many libraries greater now

• But dependent on library Web site

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use down

use up

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Library Web pages: where users meet the library

Major design criteria• User-centered design

– needs, wants, & limitations of end users are given extensive attention

– organized by user tasks, frequency, characteristics

– search made clear

• Valid for all kinds of users

For digital natives

• Functional, clear, appealing, utilitarian – aesthetics & graphics

• Flexibility, efficiency in use• Expected high usability

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Good design absolutely critical for effective use

For many libraries: a new world

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Example of a dynamic library web site - Denver Public Library

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Leads to getting the selected eBook from NetLibrary, a vendor

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Example of a teen library web site - Denver Public Library

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Example of a children library web site - Denver Public Library

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Example of a US public library web site in Spanish - Denver Public Library

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OverDrive : Example of a vendor providing variety of resources & apps for libraries, schools etc. for access & variety of users, digital natives included

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University of California : Example of a site offering multiple browsing choices; brings together over 150 institutions – very popular in schools

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Example of a township & high school interactive site, Springfield, Pennsylvanian

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Among others it leads to this site where kids can click on their choice

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Gale : Example of a vendor, providing mobile apps for students (& others) to download on their devices to access their library & Gale resources

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What do we mean? Contemporary approach:

Digital literacy• Ability to use digital

technology, communication tools or networks effectively

• A person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment

• Tech savvy is not automatically digitally literate

Information literacy

• Ability to locate, understand, use & evaluate information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources using a computing device– for problem solving,

decision making, learning, even enjoying

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Informa-tion

literacy

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Goals for information literacy efforts

Recognition

• Accurate, trustworthy, verifiable information is basis for intelligent decision making, problem solving, learning

Competencies

• Identify potential sources of information

• Access these sources• Evaluate sources &

information• Organize information• Integrate for

application, learning

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Geared toward digital resources & specific audiences, e.g. digital natives

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Applied in libraries

• Online tutorials for given subjects• Online tutorials for given activities • Webinars (Web seminars) • Suggestions on making information literacy courses• Evaluation tools

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Example of a subject tutorial from a university library

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Example of a information literacy tutorial from a university library

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Example of a library research tutorial from Cornell University library

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Example of a regular Webinar about solving information problems

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Example of a video on making of information literacy tutorials(from Slideshare)

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What do we mean?

Social networks Results

• Developing a culture of critique & debate

• Much freer expression• For education:

– educational tools – back to student driven

model of medieval Europe? (José Ortega y Gasset)

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• Sites that focus on building online communities of people who:– share interests– activities– explore interests &

activities of others

Social networks

Many sites emerged & disappeared, few big ones dominate

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Means for:• Collaborating:

– Wikis

• Expressing, responding:– Blogs

• Communicating:– Twitter– Facebook – MySpace

• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

– updating

• Sharing:– Dropbox– Flickr– YouTube

• Bookmarking:– Delicious

• Subject guides– many libraries & others

• Instant messaging (IM)– many reference services

57Enhance human connections – but ...

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Library applications

• Transition the way services are delivered to users

• Marketing & promoting library services

• Many libraries participate in e.g. – blogging (list of library blogs)

– social media (Social networking librarian)

• Making the library site more interactive

• Increase the flow of information from users to library

• Connect with users:

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Example of social media in a public library – Denver Public Library

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Facebook applications to enhance library services

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Libraries on Twitter - over 620 libraries

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Example of a school library blog (CEIP Principe Filipe)

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And a video Librarians do Gaga ( Information School, University of Washington)

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7. ConclusionsDigital natives – digital immigrants

• Generational changes happened throughout history• We should be mindful of the changes in technological

“lifeworld” of digital natives– but avoid excesses in the debate - such as claiming substantial

transformation of social relations - &– concentrate on enhancing our understandings of the realities

of technology use in contemporary society (Selvyn, 2009)

• It is not threatening at all – could be used for advantage• But digital divide - have and have nots - is real for all

generations & must be taken into account

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Conclusions (continued): LIBRARY challenges, responses

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• They are ALL connected

• Responses have to incorporate ALL four elements

• Adjusted, directed toward users of various kinds

• User-centered

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This presentation in Wordle

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Thank you for inviting me!

Tefko Saracevic

BibliographyBennett, S., Maton, K., & Kervin, L. (2008) The 'digital natives' debate: A critical review of the evidence. British

Journal of Educational Technology, 39 (5), 775-786.Brown, A.L. (blog). Social networking librarian. Exploring social networking and technology in libraries. Available

at: http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/ Fernandez-Villavicencio, N. G. (2010) Helping students become literate in a digital, networking-based society: A

literature review and discussion, The International Information & Library Review, 42(2), 124-136.Kolikant, Y.B.-D. (2010.Digital natives, better learners? Students' beliefs about how the Internet influenced their

ability to learn. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(6), 1384-1391.McKenzie, J. (2007) Digital Nativism, Digital Delusions and Digital Deprivation. From Now On: The Educational

technology Journal , 17(2). Available at: http://www.fno.org/nov07/nativism.html Prensky, M (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon, 9 (5) Available at:

http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Prensky, M (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II: Do They Really Think Differently? On the Horizon, 9(6) Available at: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf

Selvyn, N. The digital native – myth and reality (2009) Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives, 61(4), 364-379.

Wong, M. (n.d.) Great web design tips Available at http://www.great-web-design-tips.com/

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For download

• This presentation can be found at my site:http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/articles.htm

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