Staying Relevant Staying Relevant In the Online AgeIn the Online Age

Shel IsraelShel Israel

shelisrael1@gmail.comshelisrael1@gmail.com

http://globalneighbourhoods.nethttp://globalneighbourhoods.net

US Libraries Alive & WellUS Libraries Alive & Well

5x Amazon customers5x Amazon customers $14b spent. More than running shoes$14b spent. More than running shoes 1 in 7 people in US have library cards1 in 7 people in US have library cards Passion about librariesPassion about libraries But there’s a cloud… But there’s a cloud…

The Internet CloudThe Internet Cloud

Hovering over institutionsHovering over institutionsTraditional mediaTraditional mediaGovernmentGovernmentEducationEducationAuthorityAuthorityLibrariesLibraries

Choice: change or be irrelevantChoice: change or be irrelevant

Issues Facing Libraries Issues Facing Libraries

Youth disengaging Youth disengaging Misc. search easier than DeweyMisc. search easier than Dewey Talented librarians leavingTalented librarians leaving Jurassic Park syndromeJurassic Park syndrome Book scansBook scans YouTube 125. NYT 1YouTube 125. NYT 1

The Internet…The Internet…

Is an infinite repositoryIs an infinite repository Can extend every library bookshelfCan extend every library bookshelf You share knowledge & thoughtYou share knowledge & thought Is very Inexpensive Is very Inexpensive Removes brick & mortar barriersRemoves brick & mortar barriers

What is social media?What is social media?

An online space for conversationsAn online space for conversations 2 guys at backyard fence2 guys at backyard fence About conversations, not tech About conversations, not tech 2 yrs from blogs to warehouse2 yrs from blogs to warehouse SAP Survey: youth driving changeSAP Survey: youth driving change

A few blog statsA few blog stats 12m US adult bloggers. 60m readers12m US adult bloggers. 60m readers 150m American web users150m American web users 89% of businesses see blog importance 89% of businesses see blog importance

rising rising 6-12% of US 6-12% of US blogblogs. s. Over 1.4 million posts daily Over 1.4 million posts daily 22 of 100 top websites are blogs 22 of 100 top websites are blogs 37% began reading blogs in ‘05 & ‘06 37% began reading blogs in ‘05 & ‘06 Blog readers average 23 hours weeklyBlog readers average 23 hours weekly

The Online Generation The Online Generation

Freshmen younger than the WebFreshmen younger than the Web Online more than on TV Online more than on TV Peer influence rulesPeer influence rules Teflon resistance to authority, Teflon resistance to authority,

marketingmarketing Lifetime habits forming nowLifetime habits forming now

Why Libraries are Still Vital Why Libraries are Still Vital

Nothing beats face-to-faceNothing beats face-to-face Human guides v. Google barsHuman guides v. Google bars Computers lack common senseComputers lack common sense Communities need a commonsCommunities need a commons Access for ‘left out’ peopleAccess for ‘left out’ people Change needed soonChange needed soon

To Engage the Online Generation To Engage the Online Generation

Join their conversationsJoin their conversations Use SM to keep locals currentUse SM to keep locals current Become expert resources on toolsBecome expert resources on tools Curate infinite bookshelves Curate infinite bookshelves

Libraries of the FutureLibraries of the Future

‘‘Community Livingrooms’Community Livingrooms’ Internet keyholesInternet keyholes MultimediaMultimedia Book-form agnosticBook-form agnostic

Case Studies Case Studies

CSLibrary CSLibrary http://http://cglibrary.org/polariscglibrary.org/polaris Casa Casa Grandes Colo librarian. Twitters to engage in Grandes Colo librarian. Twitters to engage in community conversations. 30% uptick in community conversations. 30% uptick in traffic, mostly youngtraffic, mostly young

LO-Fi Librarian LO-Fi Librarian http://www.lo-fi-librarian.co.ukhttp://www.lo-fi-librarian.co.uk (UK Law Librarian): Blogs, follows users on (UK Law Librarian): Blogs, follows users on Facebook ‘not to look cool, but to deliver Facebook ‘not to look cool, but to deliver services, communicate with/users and raise services, communicate with/users and raise her library's profile’her library's profile’

More Case StudiesMore Case Studies YALSA (Young Adult Librarian Services Association (YALSA (Young Adult Librarian Services Association (

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?vwww.youtube.com/watch?v=YCFHhfoj788=YCFHhfoj788 has a has a blog, follows tags for social networking posts, has a blog, follows tags for social networking posts, has a podcast, Twitters (@yalsa), and posts bookmarks at podcast, Twitters (@yalsa), and posts bookmarks at del.icio.us del.icio.us http://http://del.icio.us/yalsadel.icio.us/yalsa. Recently held panel talk . Recently held panel talk on Second Life on Second Life

The American Library Association lists their social The American Library Association lists their social networking tools on a wiki networking tools on a wiki http://wikis.ala.org/readwriteconnect/index.php/Main_Paghttp://wikis.ala.org/readwriteconnect/index.php/Main_Pagee

Hennepin City (MN) Public Library, Hennepin City (MN) Public Library, http://www.hclib.org/extranethttp://www.hclib.org/extranet uses blogging, podcasting, uses blogging, podcasting, & MySpace accounts. They have a web-based catalog so & MySpace accounts. They have a web-based catalog so patrons can add book reviews Amazon style. Users can patrons can add book reviews Amazon style. Users can search their catalog directly from Facebook.search their catalog directly from Facebook.

Social Media Can…Social Media Can…

Let friends share what they’re readingLet friends share what they’re reading Let readers review books for each Let readers review books for each

otherother Let community tell library what it Let community tell library what it

wantswants Help libraries stay relevantHelp libraries stay relevant

Blogging’s PowerBlogging’s Power

TaggingTagging Listen & respondListen & respond RSS so people keep currentRSS so people keep current Link to conversationsLink to conversations Twitter, mobile & microformatsTwitter, mobile & microformats

A global network of librariansA global network of librarians

Metcalfe’s LawMetcalfe’s Law Meet others like yourselfMeet others like yourself Share you passion & authorityShare you passion & authority Learn about innovations elsewhereLearn about innovations elsewhere Collaborate to solve problemsCollaborate to solve problems

Special ThanksSpecial Thanks To the 40 people who helped me on my blog & To the 40 people who helped me on my blog &

Facebook Facebook Ivan Chew, Rambling Librarian —Singapore Ivan Chew, Rambling Librarian —Singapore

http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2007/10/whhttp://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2007/10/what-i-would-tell-librarians.htmlat-i-would-tell-librarians.html

Lo-Fi Librarian www.lo-fi-librarian.co.ukLo-Fi Librarian www.lo-fi-librarian.co.uk Shawn Lea Everything and Nothing Blog Shawn Lea Everything and Nothing Blog RohitRohit BhargavaBhargava Influential Marketing Blog Influential Marketing Blog Randi Mason, MLS, PRSARandi Mason, MLS, PRSA Connie Benson http://conniebensen.comConnie Benson http://conniebensen.com JustinThorp, http://drinkingoatmealstout.com JustinThorp, http://drinkingoatmealstout.com