The Future of Libraries: Searching for the Deep Field

Searching for the

Deep Field

The Future of

Libraries

Ellyssa Kroski

Agenda

• Current State of Libraries

• New Challenges & Competition

• Future Proof Libraries

– Respond to New Expectations

– Meet dwindling budgets with new revenue sources

– Embrace new and emerging technologies

– Watch trends

– Re-invent themselves and their library spaces

– Create with their communities

– Their Librarians are agents of change

– Can Prove the ROI of the library

Is Library Use Decreasing?

• According to a report from Center for an Urban Future, In Fiscal Year 2011, 40.5 million people visited NYC’s public libraries, more than all of the city’s professional sports teams and major cultural institutions combined.

• According to IMLS report released January 2013 based on survey data collected in 2010

– Public libraries served 297.6 million people out of a total U.S. population of more than 308.7 million in that year

– Circulation increased to 2.46 billion materials, the highest ever reported.

• According to a 2011 Harris Poll Quorum, 62% of Americans hold library cards and 65% had visited a library in the last year

Are Libraries Disappearing?

There are more public libraries (about 17,000) in America than McDonalds (about 14,000) or

Starbucks (about 11,000 coffee shops nationally)

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/06/every-library-and-museum-america-mapped/5826

The Question is for how long?

Libraries are Closing, Hours Reduced

Library Budgets Decreasing

• Revenue for US public libraries went down 3.5 percent from FY 2009. Adjusting for inflation,

the loss amounts to $407.79 million.

Changes in Information Consumption

• Online

• On-Demand

• Digital Media– eBooks, streaming video

• DIY (Do-It-Yourself)

• BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device)

• Ubiquitous Access - Mobile

• Information is Social

New Competition

Traditional Library Roles

• Information Organization

• Resource Recommendations

• Preservation

• The Library Collection

New Competition

Google Search

Amazon Reviews, GoodReads

Amazon and the “long tail”

Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Hulu

Cost Comparison

Digital Content Providers

• Amazon Prime

• Netflix

• Hulu

• US taxes for public libraries

Annual Costs

$79 per household

$95.88 per household

$100 per household

$101.03 per household

High Stakes

Failure to Accept That Content Going Digital & On-Demand

Failure to Accept That Content Going Online, Social, Democratized

HOW DO WE FUTURE-PROOF OUR LIBRARIES?

The most important image ever taken

Was captured because someone took a chance on what looked like nothing.

Hubble Deep Field

RESPOND TO NEW EXPECTATIONS Future-Proof Libraries…

They don’t “wait and see”…

they “learn and do”.

MEET DWINDLING BUDGETS WITH NEW REVENUE SOURCES

Future-Proof Libraries…

New Revenue Sources

• Buy-it-Now Option

• Selling Air Rights

• Selling underperforming branches

• Leasing library space to coffee shops, etc.

• Kickstarter

Cost-Saving New Models for Libraries

• Access vs. Ownership

• Shared Ownership

• Patron-Driven Acquisitions

EMBRACE NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

Future-Proof Libraries…

Mobile Social Applications

Cloud Computing

On-Demand Digital Content

On-Demand Digital Content

Amazon now sells more Kindle titles than print books 33% of Americans own a digital reading device of some kind (eReader or tablet) According to IDC, 52.5 million tablets were sold in the final quarter of 2012 Over 22.9 million iPads sold in Q4 of 2012 By 2015, Americans are predicted to spend $3 billion on eBooks

e-Books

…are offering e-Books

of academic libraries

of public libraries

of school libraries

Responsive Web Design

Mobile Wallets

and the library card?

Mobile Wallets

Square Wallet Google Wallet

Augmented Reality

Ludwig II Nearest Wiki London Tube

Wearable Technology

Data

Data

WATCH TRENDS Future-Proof Libraries…

Gartner’s Hype Cycle of Emerging Technologies

Horizon Report on Emerging Tech in Higher Education

Pew Internet & American Life Project

Library Journal’s Patron Profiles

RE-INVENT THEMSELVES AND THEIR LIBRARY SPACES

Future-Proof Libraries…

Makerspaces

3D Printers

Community Spaces

The Information Commons

Green & Sustainable

Bookless Libraries

THEIR LIBRARIANS ARE AGENTS OF CHANGE

Future-Proof Libraries…

• Information Filter

• Information Organizer

• Information Aggregator

• Information Evaluator & Recommender

• Information Instructor

Source: LibraryScienceList.com

The Future Librarian

New Roles • Project Management

• Information Technology

• Knowledge Management

• Emerging Technologies

• GIS

• Website Management

• Digital Repositories

• Electronic Resources Management

• Online Community Management

• Building/Space Management

CAN PROVE THE ROI OF THE LIBRARY

Future-Proof Libraries…

Provide Metrics/Data

Communicate Value

Get Press

Market Your Services onSocial Media

Make Yourself Visible/Build Relationships

Write Articles & Blog Posts

Speak at Conferences

Slideshare Spreads the Word

Reduce the Budget Line

Offer Added Value

What will you discover?

Access this Presentation • Slides:

• eBook:

http://www.slideshare.net/ellyssa

Ellyssa Kroski on Amazon