Martin Kesselmanmartyk@rci.rutgers.edu+732-917-6456

Engagement, Embedded, Empowerment:Information (Library) Roles in Transition

• Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Librarian at Rutgers University, NJ, USA

• Head, Library Team, USAID EHELD (Excellence in Higher Education for Liberian Develop.)

• 35+ years in science librarianship, 20+ years in international librarianship and a frequent author and contributor in these areas.

• • Editor of the book, Global Librarianship (2004), • Editor: Library Hi Tech News

• Fulbright Award, Brunel University, UK in 1991• USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant (2006),• • IFLA (International Federation of Library Association): co-founded Information Literacy

Section, Chaired, Reference & Information Services Section, Member, Sci-Tech Section.

• Past chair of AgNIC (www.agnic.org), a unique collaboration of academic libraries and organizations worldwide that makes agriculture content accessible and available online.

TOPICSIntroductory Remarks -- Changing Information Landscape

Engagement, Embedded, Empowerment Cultural Shift

Disruptive Technology, Knowledge Ecology

Case 1 -- Rutgers Course: Food & Nutrition Business Information

Case 2 -- USAID EHELD (Excellence in Higher Education for Liberian Development) Agriculture Library Development

Case 3 -- Public Library Maker Spaces

Case 4 -- Agriculture “Library in A Flash” Proposal

CHANGING INFORMATION LANDSCAPE

● Information and Learning Divides -- Need evidence-based practical info, urban vs. rural, less education and few libraries

● Digital Divides still exist, cellphones prevalent but lack of smartphones, tablets, computers

● Gender Divides – women have greatest illiteracy, lack education

● Environmental Divides –Industry vs. Rainforests

● Aid Divides – Gifts Help, but POLITICS!!

● Digitization / Repositories / Data / Preservation

● Building-focused to User-focused, What’s in a name?

● Value of libraries and culture of service unknown and misunderstood to many

● Bridge: people with people with information, AgriPerfiles/IICA

● Holistic Information need for global issues e.g. climate change

● Libraries: Information literacy, critical thinking, innovation, and life-long learning, engagement, embedded, empowerment

CHANGING LIBRARY LANDSCAPE

The digital library at my institution is excellent. Librarians are not needed much; they have done such a good job of implementing the digital interface. Occasionally something goes wrong and we need to consult with them.

Our librarians are like a fine engine in an expensive car - you seldom notice they are there, the performance is so good and you are enjoying the ride.

To beat the metaphor into the ground, maybe they need the digital equivalent of a big horn & remind us from time to time.

Comment from a User

Engagement Empowerment, Embedded: BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

● Learning to work in the “white” spaces of the organization chart.

● Relationship to return on investment and demonstrating value to the organization

● Ever been on a team or committee with members outside of the building? When was the last time I went to them?

Push or Pull? -- Community Engagement

● Listen rather than push ideas, Guide communities to solutions to gain trust.

● Knowledge is abundant. Should we limit discoverability? Teach users how to filter information based on needs (critical thinking).

● Personalized and customized information when users need it and what and how it is delivered.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: SMART PUSH / PULL TECHNIQUES

●Millions of Conversations on the Web

● Single user to collaborative learning, MOOCS -- Massive Open Online Courses. Learning is personal and adaptive. Degrees or credentials?

●Need for Evidence-based practical Information

● Public Libraries as Learning Gateways

Empowerment: Library Gateways

✕ ‘”Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down” (Ray Bradbury)

✕ “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I…I took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference” (Robert Frost)

✕ “Let’s make a dent in the universe” (Steve Jobs)

TECHNOLOGY EXPANDING & EMERGING

●More Mobile

●More free access to information: open science, open data, open education.

●More social – Conversations, Twitter, Facebook, More access to learning, Greater ease of use.

● BUT requires information literacy and critical thinking skills (libraries)

“People in Fiji would rather go without water to have a mobile phone” “Mobile devices bring with them the feelings of quality, relevance and stability” (Ela Volatabu, Librarian, University of the South Pacific, Fiji, M-Libraries 2011 Conference, Brisbane, Australia)

“Mobile devices are the single most transformative technology for development in Africa” (Jessica Colaco, IHUB, Kenya. M-Libraries 2011 Conference, Brisbane, Australia)

“Africa has the highest growth rate of mobile phones in the world” “Africa is book poor but cellphone rich” (Denise Nicholson, University of Witwatersand, South Africa. M-Libraries 2011 Conference, Brisbane, Australia)

✕ Connections of people, processes, data, things.✕ Applications embedded into everyday life✕ Sensors: MEMS (microelectromechanical

systems)✕ Smart Homes and Buildings -- Smart Libraries? ✕ Bluetooth everything✕ Eye-tracking and motion systems

✕ Brain Engagement: Learning by Osmosis ✕ Augmented reality/Google Glasss✕ Smart Whiteboards✕ Smart bands and watches /Tech-wear✕ 3D printers✕ NFC, Near field communication✕ Drones

Already some library / education applications

Low-Threshold Appropriate Technologies

• Uses a variety of tools/strategies rather than a single system

.• Follow the energy. Watch where the energy in the system is.

• Be strategic, persistent, enthusiastic.

• Build knowledge networks of people who care.

• Notice everything that happens and consider why. Tell great stories about what you observe.

• (Adapted from Euan Semple, June 28, 2011 blog post and others)

Case 1 -- Rutgers Course: Food and Nutrition Business Information

Course Opportunity and Need

● USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant Librarian Initiates

● Need NJ food leaders who speak science & business

● Start up Food Companies have Information needs

● Interdisciplinary Teams: Food Science, Nutrition,

Economics

● Library Student Embedded in the Team

● Blended Learning -- teamwork, board rooms, conference

● Results -- Innovative Ideas and solutions, Companies feel

they should pay to participate

CASE 2: USAID/EHELD Agriculture Library Development, Cuttington Univ.

Cuttington Univ. Library Development● Librarian Embedded in curriculum for new College of

Agriculture and Sustainable Development (CASD)

● Leap-Frogged offline network downloaded materials / tablets

● TEEAL, offline “library in a box” from Cornell’s Mann LIbrary,

● Required course CASD 304: Information Use and Technology

● No broadband Internet and no professional to teach, only option was the “flipped classroom” shifts learning to students.

● Flash drives as “personal notebooks”

● Learning: ongoing process with technologies to keep current.

● Finally, 2 agriculture students trained as librarians since 1983

Case 3: Public Library Makerspaces

Maker Movement and Libraries● Piscataway Public Library MIY: libraries provide content,

now’s your chance to create content, summer maker camp

● Public libraries: equal access to information and knowledge

● Makers: hobbyists and students collaborate and use tools and

materials and develop creative projects, can produce value in

the community, positive impact on parents.

● Design and build, combining crafts (cardboard, puzzle pieces,

cartons, fabrics), engineering, music, performance, sci-tech.

● Sample tech: tiny computers (Rasberry Pi, Intel’s Edison) plug

in TV, keyboard, ports, 3-D printers, robots/Lego Mindforms

MAKERFAIRES

● No MakerFaires in CR or CA, Can

be public library sponsored

● Makerspaces in CR:

Intel Computer Clubs (San Jose,

Mora)

Fab Foundation FabLab (Cartago).

● Create a library makerspace? --

Possibly crowdfund e.g.Crowdrise

Case 4: Libraries in A Flash Proposal

PROJECT SUMMARY● Transborder farmer to farmer peer learning & mentorship

● Searchable curated open access full-text practical info and learning materials on flash drives, based on XTF software

● Meet needs such as crop yields, business, pests, food security. Sharing knowledge from Costa Rica to Nicaragua

● Mobile app / website with social media.

● University students create practical info, public libraries support farmers as part of community engagement

● Potential: Cloud-based Virtual Information Grange

XTF Experience -- EAKO:Engineering Access to Knowledge Offline

Rutgers “Library in a Box’ 2000 searchable documents funded by Engineering Information Foundation, now fits on an 8gb flash drive

Project Opportunities

● Costa Rica, as a relatively rich country and strong infrastructure providing regional support to Nicaragua

● Public Libraries Power Development, BeyondAccess.Net

● Builds on initiatives such as SIDALC, IAALD, IICA, EIFL

● UCR Students work with onion/potato farmers in Cartago

● Open Source and Creative Commons: XTF, CASD304

● A prototype model for other countries, language not a barrier

● Learning Communities: Farmers● Community Builders: Public Libraries and extension, where it exists.● Content Providers: IICA, UCR, Earth, CATIE, UNAN, RENIDA, AgNIC (PubAg)● Supporters / Promotion, Champions: Ministries, Community Leaders, Others● Observors: IFLA, FAO, NGOs, Others● Dissemination: IFLA (Lyon Decleration), EIFL, INASP, Info New Wave, blog, ● Evaluation: by farmers and libraries via assessments and rubrics, external review

● Innovation: Partnerships first, Technology (flash drives, mobile) is second, Potential of Cloud-based Virtual Information Grange of Agriculture Librarians

● Funding: 30K+ needed for prototype from foundations, NGOs, others

MAJOR PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

● Federico Sancho, IICA, co-PI● Martin Kesselman, Rutgers University Libraries, co-PI● Priscilla Cascante, IICA Library Manager● Nicoya Public Library, Guanacaste, CR● San Juan Del Sur Public Library, Nicaragua● University of Costa Rica● CATIE● Earth● Universidiad Nacional Agaria, Nicaragua● Renida, Nicaraguan Network of Agriculture Librarians (IICA)● Champions, Disseminators and External Evaluators

GRACIAS