How Emerging Trends and Technologies Will Affect the Library.ppt

How Emerging Trends and Technologies Will Affect the Library
John Burke
ALAO SSIG Spring Workshop
May 8-9, 2003
Coping and keeping up
Where’s the wind blowing?
What’s new? How do I prepare? Will I be working in a library in 10 years? 5?
Contrasting examples; stories that teach
A list of lessons learned and steps to follow
Library technology truths
Dual technology needs: streamline our workflow and serve the public
Add popular technologies both by demand and proactively
We create our own systems on occasion
Budget pressures often slow changes
New items both replace plement
Both products and puters are a key technology today, but not the only crucial one
Truth #1:Not all technology works as expected
Failure – the Rudolph Indexer
View 175 catalog cards at once
12,000+ cards in single indexer
Too expensive; never caught on
ess – Shared cataloging
MARC records
OCLC
Cooperation continues
Technologies on the rise
Handhelds – Palm Pilots, Pocket PCs, Cell phones, Tablet PCs
working
Open source software
MP3s
DVDs
E-books
Full-text reference books and periodicals
What can we learn?
Three possibilities for each new technology:
Essential technologies that last (DDC, OPAC, etc.)
“Flashes in the pan” that never materialize (Rudolph Indexer, bubble memory, etc.)
Transitional technologies that have shorter lifespans (8-track tapes, records, etc.)
We hope to choose 1 early, accept 3 before it’s too late, and avoid 2 altogether
Truth #2: It’s hard to know what patrons will want or need
Trends in society
66% of Americans puters at home or work (over 54% use the )
Reading habits: more “scanning”
90% of children and teens puters
50% of homes have DVD players
42% of . adults are not users (Pew Study)