Connected

!Conn

ected!

Observations on Libraries,

Information Technology and Our

Preferred Future

Michael Ridley

Chief LibrarianUniversity of Guelph

“When simple change becomes transformational

change, the desire for continuity becomes a dysfunctional mirage.”

The Mirage of Continuity (1999) Hawkins & Battin

Steve Mann - Cyborg

Collaborative,computer mediated

reality

The future of the human is the

cyborg

The “always on” Internet

service

equity of access

privacy

democracy

rationalism

intellectual freedom

literacy and learning

stewardship

Interactive!

Empowering!

Information rich!

Reflective?

Knowledge poor?

Way cool!

Control?

Way cool!

BuildingCommunity

in theVirtualWorld

“The library of the future will

combine a managed place with a managed digital space.”

Agora Project Proposal

(University of East Anglia)

Transformational change

Revolutionary impact

Evolutionary implementation

Understanding a Key Problem: The Electronic

Piñata

Paul SaffoInstitute for the Future

“The future belongs to neither the conduit or content players, but to those who control the filtering, searching and sense-making tools we will rely on to navigate through the expanses of cyberspace.”

sense-makingsearchingfiltering,

Towards the Digital Library

From

Database/Repository

to

Environment

(Managed Digital Space)

Seamless(fully integrated with

digital learningand research; beyond?)

Community(resources, people, interaction, process, activities, services)

Omnipresent(it will be wherever the users are)

Dynamic & Organic(the users will construct it as much as we will)

From

Information Management

to

Knowledge Management

Explicit & Tacit Knowledge(beyond recorded information)

Coherence & Sense Making(value added outcomes

and benefits)

People Centric(a focus on understanding not just data)

Trusted Information Systems(status, reputation, influence, impact)

Wireless Communication(whenever, wherever, right now)

From

People Finding Information

to

Information Finding People

Intelligent AgentsPersonal Information Systems(discovery, assistance, utility)

Smart Information(telemetry, propagation)

Managing People’s Interests(trusted information systems)

Control(users not systems)

• Key challenge to the legal basis of libraries

• Contract law vs. copyright law

• Private rights vs. public rights

Copyright & Intellectual Property

Copyright Act

WIPOGATS

WTO

TRIPSUCITA

• International law

• Global trade

• Trans-national Corporations

Copyright in a Digital Environment

The Bottom Line:

Digital resources are not covered by existing Copyright law nor by

institutional CANCOPY agreements.

$• Inflation

• Currency devaluation

• Support for libraries dropping

• New budget responsibilities (esp. IT)

$ $$

$$ $

226% increase in the cost of a

journal

192% increase in journals

expenditures

7% fewer journals

purchased

17% fewer monographs purchased

0%

150%

250%

-50%

$ from print to electronic

sustaining legacy & digitalcollections & services

$

local & collaborativespending

$

more, more more$

Words that Cause Apoplexy in Librarians

“Its all on the Internet …

…. and for free!”

So Now What?

The Innovation AgendaResurgence of the Public Good

Scholarly PublishingOntario Digital Library

Why am I so unbearably optimistic?

InnovationAgenda

Links to Library vendor databases

More than political posturing

Real investments in knowledge economy

Libraries as a key component

Trend #1

Examples

• Canada Foundation for Innovation

• Industry Canada - Indirect cost of research $200M ($400M base in 2003?)

• Ontario Innovation Trust

Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP)

• 64 universities

• $50M Project

• $20M from Canada Foundation for Innovation

Transformational consortial purchasing

What has CNSLP provided?

• significant acquisition of information resources

• rigorous & advantageous procurement process

• model license agreement

• proof of concept (national consortial purchasing)

Information Resources Acquired

• ~700 full text journals (chemistry, physics, general science & technology, engineering, health, environment, economics, law & social sciences)

• 2 full text reviewing journals (mathematics)• 3 citation indexes (covering ~8,500 journals in

arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences)

0

5

10

15

20

$M

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7

Information Resources

Negotiated Costs

Best Offer

Final Cost

82.7

57.3

42.1

0

20

40

60

80

100

$M

All Products

Total Negotiated Cost

Value

Best Offer

Final Cost

26%

Issues for CNSLP

• growing the project: investing and buying more

• sustainability beyond CFI funding

• additional discipline areas: social sciences, humanities, health care

Resurgence of the

Public GoodLinks to Library vendor databases

Social change

“Gift” economy

Libraries as a key component

Trend #2

Civic Duty

Global Perspective

Tenacious

Optimistic about the

Future Realistic about the Present

ScholarlyPublishing

Links to Library vendor databases

Reclaiming scholarship

Coordinated political action

Libraries as a key component

Trend #3

The Copyright Forum

• collaboration of associations representing the user community

• preserve concept of copyright by including digital resources

• maintain existing exceptions for educational institutions

OntarioDigitalLibrary

Links to Library vendor databases

Bridges rather than boundaries

Collaboration and cooperation

Access and equity

Innovation

Trend #4

www.odl.on.ca

www.accessola.com

What is the ODL?

• A digital network of information services and resources

• A partnership of all libraries in Ontario (university, college, public and school)

• A service for all Ontario citizens

What are the Benefits?

• Province wide consortial licensing of information resources

• Innovative, collaborative services supporting access and use

• Technological support (standards & interfaces)

• Training (technical and information literacy)

For Libraries?

What are the Benefits?

• One local point of entry to quality, electronic information resources and services

• Resources and services that are credible, available and adaptable

• Equitable access from anywhere in Ontario

For Users?

Strengthening

the Local Library

The School Library

The College Library

The Public Library

The University Library

The Shared Ontario Digital Library Infrastructure (resources & services)

The Hospital Library

What are the Challenges?

• Focus on benefits to the users

• Build and sustain library collaboration

• Maintain government attention

• Increase real investments

Next Steps for the ODL?

• business plan ($200K)– Requested by MTCU– Consultation & commitment

• implementation ($50M over 3 years)

• fully operational ($50M annually)

“When simple change becomes transformational

change, the desire for continuity becomes a dysfunctional mirage.”

The Mirage of Continuity (1999) Hawkins & Battin

W. David Penniman,Dean, School of InformaticsUniversity at Buffalo, SUNY

“To remain what it is,

the library must change…

it will not remain what it is.”

if it does not change,

Connected

!Conn

ected!

Observations on Libraries,

Information Technology and Our

Preferred Future

Michael RidleyChief Librarian

University of Guelphwww.uoguelph.ca/~mridley

mridley@uoguelph.ca

(519) 824-4120 x2181