Draft Proposal

PROVOCATIONs: Library Leadership in the International ArenaThursday May 22, 2014NATO LibrariesStephen Abram, MLS

Topics to be Explored:

Teaching & learningOnline learning, changes in teaching, experiential learning, etc.

TechnologyTop trendsDigitization & Digital media

Publishing Trends

The marketplace for education

Academic research

Scholarly communication

Learning spacesPhysical & virtual

1Share articles, posts, videos, links, ideas, input & discussion points on these topics in Blackboard Exploration Areas2What leadership is needed?Top down or bottom up?Culture of experimentation and pilots?Relationships?Network effect?Competencies and Skills?Attitudes or Aptitudes?

What is the nature of conversation?3NATO is very complex and complicatedSecret and PublicManagement and ImplementerLocal and distant service populations end usersTrans-national and globalDifficult barriers to successYoure a rare instance of a multi-type system (that lacks a system basis)Special Libraries (Government, Military, Policy, etc.)Academic Libraries: College, University, Professional and continuing Education School LibrariesPublic LibrariesInfrastructure Librarians (IT, IS, Content, Intranet, etc.)

4Partnerships and CollaborationThe only choiceInternal partnerships matter dont give power or seek power act as a peerPurchasing and developing products and services alone is the MOST expensive ways to achieve. Its also the slowest.ASK and No is not an answer, or at least a full answer.5The 8 Elements of a Well-launched Project

An IdeaClarify the SituationConvert the Idea to a Statement of WorkClarify what the task is NotState the Expected Results, key milestones and major deliverablesSelect the People needed to complete the taskAllocate Resources to do the job wellSpecify how Success will be measured, rewarded and sustained over time

Differences in the Private and Public Sector Approaches to DevelopmentPrivate SectorCompetitive advantage is the idealInnovation is key to long-term existenceFocus on clients and marketshareBusiness strategiesResponsibility to shareholders or owner/investorsIncreasing revenueRisk orientedEconomic success is a prime personal motivatorCompetitors, partners and alliese-Business is the challengeFocus on resultsPublic SectorCollaborative advantage is the idealGood service is the key to long-term existenceFocus on citizens and social contractPolitical agendas and government imperativesResponsibility to parliament and to citizensWise use of tax dollarsRisk averseMaking a positive impact on society is a strong motivatorOther departments, levels of government, unionse-Government is the challengeFocus on processStop the Insanity

Tech is a toolTech is an opportunityInnovation involves riskThe biggest risk is not taking any.

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1213Stop Having and Engaging in BS DiscussionsLibraries are more relevant than everWe have no good reason to be on the defenceReading is UPE-Books arent replacing p-Books - the dynamic is a new hybrid marketplaceE-Books have benefits that p-Books dontLibrarians are being hired and doing wellChange is our traditionThis new normal requires specialized professionals like us.14Comprehensive Digital Strategies: More than just Content!

Digital is more complicated than Print.16Biggest Issue: Getting Lost in the Reeds

Understand the difference between Search and Find Roy Tennant and I have been saying for years: Users want to find not search. Librarians enjoy the challenge of search and try to create mini-librarians. Information literacy is different than contextual information fluency.The user experience is mostly elsewhere. Learning, research and decision-making processes trump search.Understand the difference between the roles of discovery services and native search Search & Find Integration of internal/external information Search is the identification of potential objects to read or view in either a known item retrieval scenario or more importantly an immersion environment where choices are made. Until recently, we handled immersion environments in the context of defined subsets of content (a single database or small group). Discovery services are one step before search the identification and discovery of the resources (databases) that are worth searching.And the Algorithm Understanding Failure19

The power of algorithm is in the target user needs, the institutional needs, and the behavioral history

. . . Not the underlying content

Are there any real national initiatives to understand and differentiate library end user behaviors from Google commercial constructs? (yes but )Get the naming and labeling right Vendors must develop unique names and brands for their services to meet positioning, marketing and sales needs to you. There is no need for you to fall in line and pass through these names or worse try to train end users to know hundreds of them! Can anyone defend using these titles to be the single most important label for end users? MLA, Scopus, Compendex, ABI/Inform . . .? Honestly! The needs of trademark law dont match the needs of users to identify resources.Are you using numbers strategically?Statistics versus measurementsSatisfaction and Impact Visual versus dataStories build on data springboardsAre your numbers showing customer satisfaction or just activity?Do you trust your numbers (Its easy to mess with an interface and increase hits or whatever statistics youre using.)How can the vendor help your numbers issues and insights?

Topics to be Explored:

Teaching & learningOnline learning, changes in teaching, experiential learning, etc.

TechnologyTop trendsDigitization & Digital media

Publishing Trends

The marketplace for education

Academic research

Scholarly communication

Learning spacesPhysical & virtual

21Share articles, posts, videos, links, ideas, input & discussion points on these topics in Blackboard Exploration Areas

Until lions learn to write their own story, the story will always be from the perspective of the hunter not the hunted.2223Library Advocacy: The Lion's Story Are you framing your library's story well? Are you sharing measurements about your impact, or still beating the drum of raw statistics that show funders where to cut? Are you using great gift of social media to engage and get your message out. Has your library's marketing and communication plan stepped up to the 21st Century? Are we ready for advanced data mining of our websites, circulation and membership records? Are you ready for the reach beyond outreach? What are the skills and competencies that library teams need? First . . .Lets stop using the word advocacy

Lets discuss influence and being influential . . .Second . . . Lets start using verbs to describe ourselves in the context(s) of our members, audiences and communities.2526

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SmellyYellowLiquid?OrSexAppeal?28Third . . . Learn and use the language of benefits not features, functions and processes.

Fourth . . . Lets build on our legacy of trust and respect and our foundation of collections and places to shine 31

Foundations32

House33

HomeFifth . . .Lets emphasize the humans that make the magic happen . . . Library staff35Librarian and Staff Magic Should Not be Invisible

Grocery Stores

36Cookbooks, Chefs . . .

37Cookbooks, Chefs . . .

38Meals

39Sixth . . . Lets focus on VALUE, IMPACT, and POSITIONING (VIP)

Whats the music and magic you hear? Play? Do?

RockStar Librarians

Are you locked into library financial mindsets?41What about value and impact?

42Or shall we stick with this?

43Its the stories that happen inside your library that matter . . . Not just the ones you have on the shelves.Tell those storiesEncourage the heart . . .Better yet . . . Collect the stories in your users voices

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48Sustaining RelevanceBeing RelevantCommunicating VIPReal relationshipsBeing a real professionalPersonal and Institutional Impact: Strategies and TacticsLets talk . . .

Why is the staff invisible on your virtual presence?

5152Important Strategic IssuesInvesting for successStrategic budgetingDeveloping a culture of controlled riskLearning to de-invest, sacrifice, stop, and grow.A library is a growing organism.Library LandWhat changes, disruptions and shifts are already in the environment? Short ListMillennials & changing user behavioursCloudAlgorithmic search and mappingStreaming media content and new formsAdvanced text not just easy e-bookseLearning & MOOCsGamificationMobility and fluid contentDiscovery and metadata vaults (DPLA, OCLC, Eurpeana)

New forms of spacesWhat kinds of community spaces are needed in the future?Can you support learning spaces, community meeting spaces, performance spaces, maker spaces, real advisory spaces, true relationship and consultation management . . .?Metadata vaultsWhat if all metadata and content discovery is freely available using open APIs through the OCLC WorldShare vault and the Digital Public Library of America / Europeana vault of open and free metadata?What does your experience portal look like? Top questions?What Should Library Priorities Be?And what would you sacrifice?1. Liaison and Relationship Management: EngagementUp Your GameKnow your local community demographicsFocus on needs assessment and social assessmentsPrioritize: Love all, Serve all, Save the World means nothing gets donePriorities are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, & Time boundLook for partnerships that add value

Focus and Understand on the Whole Experience592. Programs --- More, more, moreUp Your GameAlign with Collections every collection must be justified by programsForce strategic investment budgetingLook for partnerships that add valueDont go it alone. Focus on large scale sustainable programsConnect to the longer process not just eventsVirtual and in-person - in the Library and reaching out with partnersSCALE: eLearning and Surveys e.g. citation methodsWhat are the real issues? Craft versus Industrial Strength Personal service only when theres impact Pilot, Project, Initiative versus Portfolio Strategy Hand-knitted prototypes versus Productione.g. Information Literacy and Fluency initiativesDiscovery versus Search versus Deep SearcheLearning units and program dissemination Citation and information ethicsContent and repository archipelagos Strategic Analytics Value & Impact Measures Behaviours, Satisfaction Economic and strategic alignment3. Experience PortalsThe Virtual User is differentUp Your GameAlign with Collections But add virtual experiencesLook for partnerships that add valueEnsure the program delivery person is embedded including librariansWhat are your top 20 question domains? Start there.Dont go it alone. Build scalability and sustainability.Look for replicability every neighbourhood

4. Learning StrategiesUp Your GameStart offering diplomas and certificatesLook for partnerships that add value like HR and ITOffer real educational opportunities not just adjacenciesWhat does your community need for economic advantage?What courses to you offer or recommend? (TED, Khan Academy, MOOCs, Coursera, Udacity, edX, Learn4Life (ed2go), Online High Schools, Homeschooling, etc.)5. Get real about PartnershipsUp Your GameLearn two-way relationship and consultation competenciesUnderstand Communities and have deep partnershipsUnderstand Pedagogy in the context of government and educational goalsKnow where your programs are headingConsider deep partnerships especially IT and HRConsider coaches, peer, and tutoring partnerships

6. Take Branding to the Next LevelUp Your GameThe strong library brand but add dimensionPersonal branding Who are your stars? Promote them. You?Program brandingTake risks for attention (AIDA)Embed your brand beyond the library walls and virtuallyThe Virtual HandoutThe Value of Public Librarieshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-public-libraries/The Value of School Librarieshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/06/the-value-of-school-libraries/The Value of Academic and College Librarieshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-academic-and-college-libraries/The Value of Special Librarieshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/07/value-of-special-libraries/Library Advocacy: Save the Library Campaignshttp://stephenslighthouse.com/2010/04/01/save-the-library-campaigns/8. Start to get the cloudUp Your GameMove the ILS to the CloudLinkedData models OCLC WorldShare, Europeana, DPLA, etc.Look at TCO and look at all costs incurred and not just hard costsReview opportunity costs in soft costs

9. Develop and Use PersonasUp Your GameStop using meat cleavers and use paring knivesExamples: A meat cleaver is undergrad versus grad vs. facultyA meat cleaver is kids, teens and adultsA meat cleaver is medical versus legal

10. Upgrade Your Teaching SkillsUp Your GameLearn how to reach and teach onlineTeach how to learn onlineTeach how to research onlineEveryone in academic libraries should be focused on teaching/researching first, then libraryLearn more systems than one!Be obsessive about consultation, recommendations and adviceSocial alignment rules and use the tools11. Know your data but data is not enoughUp Your GameUse your data to derive insightsMine your data for measurementsJustifyProve value and impactAvoid print and in-person measures alone12. Uncomfortable Bonus: SacrificeUp Your GameDog, Star, Cow, Problem Child?Reduce investment in successesIncrease investment in early strategic innovationBe patient and learn, it can take yearsLook at TCOLook at all costs incurred and not just hard costsReview opportunity costs in soft costs

Research Support74CRMAppointmentsLiaisonStrategyYour WebsiteandIntranet75

Recreational Reading76

Story Hours77Record your Story HoursYouTube Your Story HoursTie in to collectionParentingChildrens HealthContinuing EducationMoms and Caregivers Social Glue Teddy Bears, PJs, Pets, ToysHow do you find kids books?

Learning78

MOOCsMaker79

3D is 4DSTEM vs. STEAMCreativeEntrepreneursChanging Life ArcsAnd so much more

Authorship & Writing80Douglas County and Colorado ModelsLulu, Amazon Singles, Self-publishingFifty Shades of GreyThis is an economic activity

Events and Programs81Hand-knitting Sweaters or an Industrial Revolution for librariesConsider scalability and replicabilityCooperation on a massive scaleMobility of programmingThinking big over 1000 attendees or 30?Mobile MakerspacesMobile staff talentHobbies82

Photography & Video83

Green WallsVideo editingRepositoriesContestsGenealogyTourism

Learning or Education or Homework84

Top Questions PatternCommon Core CurriculumPromotion and Social Media85Websites and e-mailFacebookPinterestTwitterTumblrVimeo / YouTube / VineInstagramEtc.Engagement86

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Stephen Abram, MLS, FSLAConsultant, Dysart & Jones/Lighthouse ConsultingCel: 416-669-4855stephen.abram@gmail.comStephens Lighthouse Bloghttp://stephenslighthouse.comFacebook, Pinterest, Tumblr: Stephen AbramLinkedIn: Stephen AbramTwitter: @sabramSlideShare: StephenAbram1

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