Given topic: Library services in a competitive digital environment Lorcan Dempsey Celtic Connections Conference Cardiff 17 May 2006

Database > website > workflow  Self assembled: personal digital identities  Prefabricated: course management, clinical practice, etc URL addressable Social

Attention Read-write

Three parts Perceptions Homework Real change?

Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources OCLC Market Research & Harris Interactive November 2005 (Thanks to Joanne Cantrell)

Survey Respondents – by Geography Canada United States United Kingdom Australia India Singapore 491 1, Total 3,348

Canada United States United Kingdom Australia India Singapore 468 Age 14 – 17: 13 Age 18 – 24: 35 Age 25 – 64: 377 Age 65 and older: percent confidence level, +/ percent Survey Respondents – UK Age Groups

Canada United States United Kingdom Australia India Singapore 396 Age 14 – % Age 18 – % Age 25 – % Age 65 and older - 0% 95 percent confidence level, +/ percent College Students 42 College Students Survey Respondents – College Students

Familiarity and Use of Electronic Resources ( , web, search engines, etc.) multiple choice Library Perceptions Library Familiarity, Use, Favorability and Advice open-ended and multiple choice Survey Structure

Small selection of results

Usage of electronic information categories among U.K. and Total Respondents 17% U.K. 30% Total 70% U.K. 72% Total

Total Respondents - Awareness of library electronic resources Q850

College Students - Awareness of library electronic resources Q850

United Kingdom Respondents - Awareness of library electronic resources Q850

Total Respondents - Use of library electronic resources Q855

College Students - Use of library electronic resources Q855

United Kingdom Respondents - Use of library electronic resources Q855

Why haven’t you ever used the online library Web site?

Total Respondents – Visits to the Public Library

Total Respondents – Primary Library: Public Reasons not visited online

Total Respondents – Primary Library: College Reasons for not visited online

…is the information you get from library sources more or less trustworthy than information you get from search engines?

Total Respondents - Satisfaction with overall experience provided by librarian vs. search engine Q665 and 1050

United Kingdom Respondents - Satisfaction with overall experience provided by librarian vs. search engine Q665 and 1050

“Lifestyle fit” of information sources among total respondents Q1345

“Lifestyle fit” of information sources among U.K. respondents Q1345

The Library’s role in the community among U.K. respondents Note: Graph represents those who “Completely agree” or “Agree” with the statements about their library. 75+%

Remarks: Perceptions Books and place brand Library digital resources:  Awareness?  Fit with lifestyle?  Trustworthiness?  Satisfaction? UK compared to rest?

A homework interlude Eoghan

Change

Insanity is doing more of what you are already doing and expecting a different result. AE

Change 1.Adding value: synthesise, specialise, mobilise 2.Gravitational pull: the long tail revisited

Adding value

Robin Murray

Synthesise, Local CSUSM, David Walker

Synthesise, network

Synthesise, regional

Mobilize Specialize

Specialize, Local

 ‘2 clicks to full-text’  Integrate ‘find articles’ service with other services  ‘Variety of pathways’  Metasearch appropriate databases from course pages Innovative Uses of Metasearch: Rethinking Metasearch for a Better User Experience David Lindahl & Jeff Suszczynski, U Rochester Looking to synthesize, specialize, mobilize

Specialize, local

Mobilize, Local Mobilize

Gravitational pull

URL is the currency of the web

The long tail Impact? Systemwide efficiences Aggregation of supply Unified discovery Low transaction costs Aggregation of demand

Libraries and the long tail dynamic Aggregate supply?  1.7% of circulations are ILLs  (60% of aggregate G5 collection owned by one library only) Aggregate demand?  20% of collection accounted for 90% of use  (2 research libraries over ~4 years) Each reader his/her book Each book its reader

It must change Add real value in a networked information environment: move to a higher place Create gravitational pull: long tail issues Pay attention; seek attention Fragmentation is the enemy

The end