Futureproofing Your Library Association for Rural and Small Libraries Annual Conference September...

Futureproofing Your Library

Futureproofing Your Library

Association for Rural and Small Libraries Annual Conference

September 19, 2008Joan Frye Williams and George Needham

Futureproofing (no hyphen…)Futureproofing (no hyphen…)

ARSL is ahead of the curve!

Introducing…Introducing…

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Beloit College Mindset List, 2008Beloit College Mindset List, 2008

Who cares?Who cares?

OCLC ReportsOCLC Reports

Reports available for free download at: http://www.oclc.org/us/en/reports/

Why this study now?Why this study now?

It’s More Fun to Rethink than to Retrench

It’s More Fun to Rethink than to Retrench

The support pyramidThe support pyramid

Chronic Nonvoters

Super Supporters

Greater Good

Kid- Driven

Library as

Office

Just for Fun

Look to

Librar-ians

FinanciallyStrapped

Detached The WebWins

Nonvoters

ProbableSupporters

Super Supporters

Barriers to Support

From Awareness to Funding (OCLC, 2008).

Supporters ≠ Users!Supporters ≠ Users!

The basicsThe basics

Hang in there

Work cooperatively

Identify our supporters

Mine the latent support

Competition will only increase

Institution InfrastructureInstitution Infrastructure

Emphasize Mainstream Convenience

Emphasize Mainstream Convenience

Engines, Not OPACsEngines, Not OPACs

Fewer BarriersFewer Barriers

•Minimal gate-keeping

•Fast delivery

•Simple rules

•Presumptionof innocence

Members and GuestsMembers and GuestsMembers and GuestsMembers and Guests

Frill NecessityFrill Necessity

Emphasize EfficiencyEmphasize Efficiency

Simplified WayfindingSimplified Wayfinding

•Less clutter

•Civilian terminology

•Situational directions

•Power paths & nodes

•Layout by activity, not collection

“Green” Buildings and Practices“Green” Buildings and Practices

Past FuturePast Future

Emphasize ParticipationEmphasize Participation

Connected ReadersConnected Readers

Social Information DiscoverySocial Information Discovery

Real-Time Activities BuzzReal-Time Activities Buzz

•Live circulation activity, e.g. Yorba Linda PL “book feed”

•Today’s hot topics

•Live program excerpts

•New titles just in

•Wireless strength

Altruism ROIAltruism ROI

Emphasize ResultsEmphasize Results

Evidence-Based Planning and Marketing

Evidence-Based Planning and Marketing

This Isn’t About Who’s Right

But About What Works

This Isn’t About Who’s Right

But About What Works

Information TransformationInformation Transformation

Emphasize Self-ActualizationEmphasize Self-Actualization

Participatory ReferenceParticipatory Reference

•Users in control

•It’s ALL about learning

•Collaborative conversations

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Alan Kay

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Alan Kay

Changing your point of viewChanging your point of view

Passionate LibrariansPassionate Librarians

Thanks!Thanks!

Let’s continue the discussion at:

http://scanblog.blogspot.com,

needhamg@oclc.org,

joan@jfwilliams.com

or

http://feeds.feedburner.com/InfoblogGeorgeAndJoan