Using Your Head

1
Using Your Head

• Integrating the Right Technology for Your Library

Debbi MacLeod and Jim Duncan Colorado State
Library
2
Briefly Who We Are
3
Session Overview

• Fads vs. Trends
• 5 Steps to Making Smart Technology Decisions
• Applying the 5 Steps Case Study Discussion
  Groups
• Wrap-up

4
Fad

• Fad Here today - gone tomorrow
• A fad is defined as something that becomes very
  popular with a small group of people for a short
  period of time. It is unpredictable, short lived
  and without social, economic and political
  significance.
• (Vejlgaard, Henrik Anatomy of a Trend.USA
  McGraw-Hill, 2007).

5
Trend

• Trend Here today here tomorrow
• A trend is something that becomes popular within
  mainstream society over a long period of time. It
  is the direction of a sequence of events that has
  some momentum and durability. - Henrik Vejlgaard
• Our Trends are not fads. Our Trends endure. Our
  Trends evolve. They represent underlying forces,
  first causes, basic human needs, attitudes,
  aspirations. They help us navigate the world,
  understand what's happening and why, and prepare
  for what is yet to come. - Faith Popcorn Brain
  Reserve

6
Fad or Trend?
7
Trend
An Englishman, Edward Craven Walker, invented the
original and best-known lava lamp in the 1960s.
Source Wikipedia Google search brings up 1.5
million hits and you can still buy these
including USB varieties for your computer
8
Fad
Lasted for only 6 months in 1975 but made the
inventor lots of money.
9
Why do we care?

• Everybody is talking about them - tons of library
  blogs on the topic LITA (Library Information
  Technology Association) division of ALA for
  example tons of workshops and articles
• A Google search on library technology trends
  turns up 3.6 million results or 3,000 results on
  library technology trends

10
Why do we care?

• Need to consider overall trends social,
  cultural, demographic, political, economic and
  technology
• So we become irrelevant or design the wrong
  service
• Important to stay up with trends and changes but
  not get caught up in them
• But trends must be considered in the context of
  our library services

11
Consider the Fundamental Purpose of your Library

• Why does your library exist in your community?
• What services do you deliver to patrons and why?
• Is your technology choice driven by your services
  OR is your technology driving your services?

12
Consider Some Cultural Trends

• Snack Culture
• temporary and transient characterized by
  trendwatching.com
• Manifestations
• Food Minnies in Chicago that serves small
  sizes, the rise of Tapas
• Fashion H M which brings quick delivery of
  latest fashion at low-cost
• Media snack-o-tainment characterized by Wired
  Magazine all about bite-sized content
  YouTube, blogs

13
How could this be applied to your current
services?

• Colorado Talking Book Library podcasting
  newsletter with RSS feed
• Denver Public Library
• Book discussion Teen Online Book Club Every
  weekday morning the Teen Online Book Club will
  email you a portion of a book that takes about 5
  minutes to read. After reading two or three
  chapters, you can finish the book by checking it
  out of the library. Each Monday, we'll feature
  new books. Sign up today and start reading with
  us tomorrow.

14
Egonomics

• This is a trend from Faith Popcorns Brain
  Reserve
• To offset a depersonalized society, consumers
  crave recognition of their individuality.
• The My Library capability in integrated library
  systems speaks to this trend.
• Think about how this can be applied to your
  library

15
CapitalOne Do-it-yourself Credit Card

• This is an example not an endorsement
• http//capitalonecardlab.com/
• Select your own credit limit, rewards features,
  card image.

16
(No Transcript)
17
Design Your Own Shoes

• This example also is not an endorsement
• http//www.stevemadden.com/DYO-Landing-Page
• Select shoe style, color of shoe, color of heel

18
(No Transcript)
19
Serving the Needs of Your Patron

• Remember the mission of the library the
  services you deliver
• Peoples needs change over time, so you should
  think about
• how these changes/trends will affect your patron
  needs and the services you deliver
• and how you deliver those services

20
Resources

• Public Libraries as Institutional Repositories
  and Stewards in an Historical and Ethical Context
  Wallace Koehler presentation paper for IFLA
  2006 Seoul
• Faith Popcorns Brain Reserve http//www.faithpopc
  orn.com
• DYG http//www.dyg.com/
• Williams Inference http//www.williamsinference.c
  om/
• 8 Important Consumer Trends for 2008
  http//www.trendwatching.com
• World Future Society http//www.wfs.org/

21
A Self Help Book!
Only 19.95! Order Now!
22
5 StepsTo Making Smart Technology Decisions

• Learn about the technology
• Review my service area
• Think about my patron NEEDS. How does the
  technology match?
• What will it take to implement / support / train?
• What is my risk tolerance / exit strategy?

23
A Case Study for Discussion

• Implementing SOPAC Social OPAC
• http//www.aadl.org/catalog/

24
5 StepsTo Making Smart Technology Decisions

• Learn about the technology
• Review my service area
• Think about my patron NEEDS. How does the
  technology match?
• What will it take to implement / support / train?
• What is my risk tolerance / exit strategy?

25
Groups Report

• SOPAC Social OPAC

26
A Case Study for Discussion

• Fad or Trend?

27
A Case Study for Discussion

• Creating a .mobi site for my library

28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
5 StepsTo Making Smart Technology Decisions

• Learn about the technology
• Review my service area
• Think about my patron NEEDS. How does the
  technology match?
• What will it take to implement / support / train?
• What is my risk tolerance / exit strategy?

32
Groups Report

• Creating a .mobi site for my library

33
A Case Study for Discussion

• Placing a flatbed scanner in my library for
  patron use

34
5 StepsTo Making Smart Technology Decisions

• Learn about the technology
• Review my service area
• Think about my patron NEEDS. How does the
  technology match?
• What will it take to implement / support / train?
• What is my risk tolerance / exit strategy?

35
Groups Report

• Placing a flatbed scanner in my library for
  patron use

36
Wrap-up

• Fads vs. Trends
• 5 Steps to Making Smart Technology Decisions
• Applying the 5 Steps Case Study Discussion
  Groups
• Jim Duncan Debbi MacLeod
• duncan_j_at_cde.state.co.us macleod_d_at_cde.state.co.u
  s