The Net Gen Meets Melvil Dewey or We’re Not in Kansas Anymore Toronto Public Library: Information Services Conference Information Service in the 21st Century November 23, 2005 Re-Imaging the Library Michael Ridley Chief Information Officer & Chief Librarian University of Guelph

Re-Imaging the Library The Net Generation is different. They think differently, they act differently, and they want libraries to behave differently. The Bottom Line Who are these people? What are we going to do?

Re-Imaging the Library Melvil and Dorothy

Re-Imaging the Library I’m an academic librarian. Worse than that, I’m now a University administrator. However Disclaimer

Re-Imaging the Library The Disconnect “Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach.”...Marc Prensky

Re-Imaging the Library Digital Natives & Digital Immigrants “Our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language.”...Marc Prensky

Re-Imaging the Library “When simple change becomes transformational change, the desire for continuity becomes a dysfunctional mirage.” The Mirage of Continuity (1999) Hawkins & Battin

Re-Imaging the Library “The library of the future will combine … … with a managed digital space.”... a managed place …

Re-Imaging the Library Stewardship Democracy Service Rationalism Privacy Equity of Access Intellectual Freedom Literacy and Learning Our Enduring Values

Re-Imaging the Library Product of the Environment Video games Computers GenerationXGenerationX The Web Mobile devices IM Online communities Net Gen BabyBoomersBabyBoomers TV generation Typewriters Memos

Re-Imaging the Library Media Exposure sVideoGames Reading Television CellPhone

Re-Imaging the Library Teen’s Web Use 100% use the Internet to seek information on colleges, careers and jobs 74% of teens use IM as a major communication vehicle vs. 44% of online adults 54% of students (grades 7-12) know more IM screen names than home phone numbers

Re-Imaging the Library What They Want from the Net New & exciting Learn more/better Community Show others what I can do Be heard

Re-Imaging the Library Multitasking While Online Listen to music while online Watch TV while online Talk on phone while online Visit a site mentioned by someone on the phone Send an IM to person you’re talking to Visit website seen on TV Visit website mentioned on radio

Re-Imaging the Library Age vs. Online Preferences Mature 63% Boomer 55% Gen X 38% Net Gen 26% Students who were satisfied by web-based learning

Re-Imaging the Library Students Compared to Faculty MultitaskingSingle or limited tasks EngagingDisciplined SpontaneousDeliberate Pictures, sound, videoText Random access Linear, logical, sequential Interactive & networkedIndependent & individual StudentsFaculty

Re-Imaging the Library Learning Preferences Teams, peer-to-peer Structure Engagement & experience Visual & kinesthetic Things that matter

Towards the Digital Library Three Key Transformations

From Database/Repository to Environment (Managed Digital Space) Seamless (fully integrated with digital learning and research; beyond?) Community (resources, people, interaction, process, activities, services) Omnipresent (it will be wherever the users are) Dynamic & Organic (the users will construct it as much as we will)

From Information Management to Knowledge Management Explicit & Tacit Knowledge (beyond recorded information) Coherence & Sense Making (value added outcomes and benefits) People Centric (a focus on understanding not just data) Trusted Information Systems (status, reputation, influence, impact)

Wireless Communication (whenever, wherever, right now) From People Finding Information to Information Finding People Intelligent Agents Personal Information Systems (discovery, assistance, utility) Smart Information (telemetry, propagation) Managing People’s Interests (trusted information systems) Control (users not systems)

Web 2.0

Re-Imaging the Library Web 2.0 Blogs Wikis Syndication (RSS) Tagging Social Networking

Re-Imaging the Library Web 2.0: Implications The ILS is Dead Interoperability / Standards “We’re in Control.” Say What!? Living on the Bleeding Edge Lib 2.0

Re-Imaging the Library Paul Saffo Institute for the Future “The future belongs to neither the conduit or content players, but to those who control the filtering, searching and sense-making tools we will rely on to navigate through the expanses of cyberspace.”

Re-Imaging the Library Paul Saffo Institute for the Future “The future belongs to neither the conduit or content players, but to those who control the filtering, searching and sense-making tools we will rely on to navigate through the expanses of cyberspace.”

Re-Imaging the Library Paul Saffo Institute for the Future “The future belongs to neither the conduit or content players, but to those who control the filtering, searching and sense-making tools we will rely on to navigate through the expanses of cyberspace.”

Re-Imaging the Library Support and encourage blogging for all faculty, students and staff. Enable discourse, reading/writing, engagement, reflection. Learn the dynamics and the culture. Expect excitement, yawns.... and some fireworks.

Learning Commons

Re-Imaging the Library Learning Commons Not Information Commons

Re-Imaging the Library Strategic Directions Research-intensive Learner-centred University of Guelph

Re-Imaging the Library The University of Guelph is determined to put the learner at the centre of all it does, recognizing that a great university is a community of scholars, that research and teaching are intimately linked, and that learning is a life-long commitment. Learner Centred

D-oh!

Re-Imaging the Library a consolidation of services to support student learning, writing, research & technology a common, convenient and accessible location with extended hours of operation a vehicle for new collaborative opportunities Learning Commons

Re-Imaging the Library Learning Writing Research Numeracy Information Technology Five Pillars

Embedded Services Supplemental Services Integrated Services Generic skills; resources; information & awareness Specially designed sessions & workshops Collaborations with faculty & TAs embedded in the learning experience Framework for Design & Delivery

Re-Imaging the Library Integrated Desks Peer Helpers Service & Learning Paradigms Food, Drink & Noise Wireless & Laptop Loans Five Interesting Things....

Re-Imaging the Library Increased use of all resources Higher student achievement Integration of services (synergy) Understanding of student/faculty needs Integrated planning & budgeting Engagement & motivation Student satisfaction Measures of Success

Post Literacy

Re-Imaging the Library The Premise..... Just as the powerful capabilities of literacy effectively displaced primary orality, so too is it not only likely but inevitable that literacy will be displaced by a more powerful tool, capability or capacity.

Re-Imaging the Library Post literacy is not a decline from literacy The Corollary.....

1 st year seminar course vehicle for student learning in a small group setting multidisciplinary focus provocative ideas & active learning research program model UNIV1200 Beyond Literacy: Are Reading and Writing Doomed?

Re-Imaging the Library stories and songwords and texts communication was formalized around speakers (poets) and audience communication was formalized around objects and readers memory & performancelogic & composition active, external, temporal, physical (body) passive, internal, persistent, physical (object) “magical”“rational” Orality Literacy

Re-Imaging the Library clarity & precision expressive & nuanced persistent; overcome time & space individual & group; create community & enable individual identity active & passive advantageous Characteristics of Post Literacy

Re-Imaging the Library Disruption Suspicion & Distrust Loss Unsophisticated Early adopters Elitism & Power Mainstream Transition The Impact.....

Re-Imaging the Library Bio-Computing Unused Capacity of the Brain Telepathy / Collective Unconscious Genetic Memory Post Humans The Candidates.....

Re-Imaging the Library Neurally interfaced ICT complementing natural telepathy supported by genetic memory. The Conclusion.....

Candidates for Post Literacy Aliens

Re-Imaging the Library William Burroughs “Language is a virus from outer space.”

David Penniman School of Informatics University at Buffalo “To remain what it is, the library must change if it does not change, it will not remain what it is.” David Penniman University at Buffalo

The Net Gen Meets Melvil Dewey or We’re Not in Kansas Anymore Questions? Comments? Re-Imaging the Library Michael Ridley Chief Information Officer & Chief Librarian University of Guelph