new librarians: this is your time
Post on 23-Sep-2014
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A stripped down version of a presentation I gave to students in Latvia - it's a fantastic time to be shaping the profession of librarianship, so this slide-deck is about the world and the way it's changing, trends for the future, and how to make the most of being a librarian.TRANSCRIPT
This is your Time! New librarians:…
Ned Potter
@theREALwikiman
Talk for the University of Latvia’s Information science students
April 2012
Has there ever
been a better
time to be a
librarian?
I am a networked librarian
physically I’m here
Harry Fairhurst Building, University of York Library
but I’m virtually everywhere…
I am stronger (and more useful) because I am connected
When this came out, the world’s population was less than half was it is now.
Now every day 350,000 babies are born - into an…
Information
economy
New technology has never been so focussed on access to and use of information
"The internet and technology have now progressed to their
infancy"
(In development terms, we think we’ve gone from here… to here) (When actually we’re still here…)
By the end of the day
There’ll have been nearly
4 billion searches
We used to be scared of Google, dismissive of it- then we accepted its value but said ‘but you still need libraries!’
But really we should be confident in our own value, and just tell people how we can help them use Google better.
Because we live in a world of
INFORMATION OVERLOAD
If we’re to generate more unique information this year
we
Than in the previous 5000 YEARS put together
000
Then now more than EVER
the world needs information
professionals to sort, assess,
collate and present information
For a lot of people, trying to get good information off the net is like trying to drink
from a waterfall
information professionals have never been so vital
TOO MUCH INFORMATION
is as bad as too little
Your job is to help people with either.
Librarians are no
longer the gatekeepers of information
The gates are wide open. Our job is to light the path for people once they’re through.
We used to be the information vault
NOW WE’VE BECOME THE LAUNCHPAD
Current And
Future Trends
We are no longer defined or limited by our library buildings
The embedded librarian.
(Independent, roving, or just online.)
People want to choose their own tools – libraries will position themselves within the technological landscape
MOBILEMOBILEMOBILE
Programmes not collections, services not content
It used to be just about information, now it’s about leverage: turning information into knowledge
Most of all, though, we will be the guide
Most of all, though, we will be the guide
(We don’t own the mountains; we just take people where they need to go because we’re experts in the terrain of the information landscape.)
And we still have, you know, books, too.
We’re changing to suit people.
But it isn’t easy – it’s hard to attract new demographics whilst retaining the old ones.
In 2010 a UK survey asked
What would most encourage you to visit the library more?
In 2010 a UK survey asked
What would most encourage you to visit the library more?
The winner, with 32%
In 2010 a UK survey asked
What would most encourage not you to visit the library more?
In 2010 a UK survey asked
What would most encourage not you to visit the library more?
The winner, with 23%
So this is your
time – how do you
get the most out
of it?
MODERN LIBRARIANSHIP IS AWESOMEAlmost whatever you like to do, you can tie this in with librarianship.
Helping people, inspiring people, design, social media, writing, community, speaking, research, –and anything else you can think of.
Pursue your passion via the information profession.
LIBRARIANSHIP IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE“...people, people, people, you wouldn’t believe the amount of interviewees who sit before me talking about books and procedures who never mention people, interaction or users/patrons once. Its a big giveaway to me that they don’t understand what librarianship is about and aren’t right for the profession.” – Andy Priestner, University of Cambridge
IT IS ALL ABOUT TECHNOLOGY“Libraries should wake up to technology” – David Cameron
Guess what Dave, WE ALREADY DID.
THE COMPETITION IS TOUGHMore people qualify in librarianship each year than retire.
YOU NEED TO BE READY TO FIGHT“There is no such thing as abstaining from library advocacy. You are either doing it, or ur doin it wrong.”Me
YOU HAVE TO BE OKAY WITH CHANGE“The mission is static. The implementation is dynamic.” – Andy Woodworth
“All bets are OFF.” – Phil Bradley
YOU NEED TO NETWORK“It’s not about exploiting who you know, or shameless self-promotion, or accumulating and dispensing as many business cards as possible. It’s about sharing advice and support. And that support can be as small an act as smiling and listening intently to a nervous speaker. Or leaving a comment on a blog post.” – Adrienne Cooper
THERE ISN’T A CAREER LADDERIt’s more like a climbing wall.
JOIN A PROFESSIONAL BODYIf you join LLA, SLA-Europe, IFLA, the ALA or any other library association, you’ll be plugged in to the profession.
YOU NEED TO GET ON TWITTERTwitter is the one social network to rule them all – because it carries links to the best content on all the rest of them. All the arguments you’ve ever heard against Twitter can be rebuffed with the phrase: “It’s a conversation.”
START A BLOGYour blog is your platform, your outlet, your chance to document your views for the world to discover. Amazing things can come from having a blog!
Essential Resources
•Simon Barron’s list of Librarians using Twitter (well): http://twitter.com/SimonXIX/library-and-info-pros •New to Twitter? Here’s what you do: http://thewikiman.org/blog/?p=979
LLA
www.lbbjss.wordpress.com .
New Professionals chapter (follow its chair, @daceudre, on Twitter for more)
SLA-Europe
http://www.sla-europe.org/tag/first-five-years/ SLA’s First Five Years resources
IFLA
http://www.ifla.org/new-professionalsIFLA’s New Professionals Special Interest Group
ALA
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/committees/rts/nmrt/index.cfmALA’s New Members Round Table
So many blogs…
Try these for some New Professional stuff:•http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/•http://www.bohyunkim.net/blog/ •http://thewikiman.org•http://librarianbyday.net/
•http://bethaninfoprof.wordpress.com •http://woodsiegirl.wordpress.com/ •http://www.beyondthejob.org/•http://hacklibschool.wordpress.com/
LIBRARY ROUTES PROJECT
Over 150 information professionals from around the world have documented their career paths at
www.libraryroutesproject.wikkii.com
LIBRARY DAY IN THE LIFE
Follow thousands of librarians to see what they really get up to in an average day in the life of a 21st century info pro, at
http://librarydayinthelife.pbworks.com
LISNPN
A dedicated global network for New Professionals, with forums, downloadable resources, competitions, and face-to-face meetups:
www.lisnpn.spruz.com
ONE LAST
Piece of advice
ANYTHING!There are so many tools freely available, the filter between idea and reality is almost non-existent. As soon as you think of something good, make it happen.
DO SOMETHING.
LISTENING.
THANK YOU FOR
ALL ICONS VIA
WWW.THEWIKIMAN.ORG
@theREALwikiman
PRESENTATION BY NED POTTER. FOR MORE IDEAS ABOUT INFORMATION, GO TO
Continue the conversation on Twitter:
Timepiece: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/101610 LP: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr_television/418198748/sizes/o/in/photostream/ Baby: http://www.flickr.com/photos/seafrost/515393926/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Computer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61444548@N00/118999076 Highway: http://www.flickr.com/photos/91351004@N00/452412873 Web 2 icons: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zipckr/3925513417/sizes/l/in/photostream/ NY times building: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scallop_holden/2330962137/sizes/z/in/photostream/ 18th century pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30432726@N05/2860104097/sizes/z/in/photostream/ 5: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simax/3390895249/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Waterfall: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joiseyshowaa/3646698276/sizes/o/in/photostream/ Broken shelves: http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_mistress/1248479255/sizes/o/in/photostream/ Empty shelves: http://www.flickr.com/photos/create_up/1478123817/sizes/o/in/photostream/ Help: http://www.flickr.com/photos/81398303@N00/1878956841 Compass: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7542997@N03/2473782602/sizes/z/in/photostream/ Lock: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamchenkov/300476203/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Path: http://www.flickr.com/photos/schmollmolch/4242099982/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Vault: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anonymouscollective/2291896028/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Rocket: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathancohen/3997542246/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Globe: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97177054@N00/5051447015 Seatle Library: http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/371038175Computer hands: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43698630@N00/839984821Latop: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37182073@N06/4441387125 Google: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31991771@N00/2856173673 Google in a box: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16429872@N04/4670747540/sizes/m/in/photostream/Coffee: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30928442@N08/3668169284 Vancouver: http://www.flickr.com/photos/selva/90046278/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Spain: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30982194@N05/4147356245 Berlin: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67499195@N00/4119691598 Seattle: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vs/29582361/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Stockholm: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94852245@N00/530293086 Vancouver interior: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecstaticist/3458914518/sizes/o/in/photostream/
All photographs are via creative commons
ALL ICONS VIAIcons via www.iconfinder.com
TEXTURES ADAPTED FROM CC IMAGES BY ERVIN BARTIShttp://www.flickr.com/photos/bartiservin/ THIS PRESENTATION IS
AVAILABLE UNDER CC ATTRIBUTION LICENCE