Making your mark:survival techniques for
librarians
By Lesley Robinson
ASL Annual Seminar 22 February 2011
www.lesleyrobinson.co.uk
2018: the BlackBerry
2020: copyright
2022: blogging
2049: physical newspapers
2050: GoogleRef: Peter Watson: Extinction timeline in “Future Files”
Extinction timeline
19th century
20th century
2019
Libraries:
Disruptive innovation
Business models are changing
More risks are being taken
So what does all this mean for libraries?
Disruption
Yes….
What do users want….?
Community
Ease of use
Personalisation
Fast solutions
How should librarians respond to all this?
“All this disruption and development alters how we access and organise information”.
“The library of the future will be a platform for participation and collaboration, with users increasingly sharing information amongst themselves, as well as drawing on the library’s resources”.
Charles Leadbetter. “We Think”. The future is us”. 2008
Gatekeeper Collaborator
Online searcher Trainer
Custodian of collections Facilitator
Service provider Information advisors
Information gatherer Problem solver
Library process Business process
Inward looking Networker
Old New
Librarians: old and new
Vital skills
Strong customer focus
Good communicator
Interpreter of services
Information broker
Marketing
Networking
Presentation skills
Understanding technologySeeing the bigger picture
Innovation/solutions focus
Influencing Project management
Mind your mindset to be ‘future ready’