The document discusses key challenges and opportunities libraries face in a digital world. It notes that (1) knowledge is increasingly created and shared in networks rather than received passively, (2) reference expertise is evolving to focus on curating information and connecting patrons to relevant networks rather than just answering specific questions, and (3) public technology and learning spaces must be better attuned to networked, self-directed learners who collaborate and create their own knowledge. Overall, the document examines how libraries can remain valuable community anchors by embracing their role in the digital knowledge economy.

1. Networked libraries serving
networked patrons
Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet Project
04.19.2012
Biblionext: Rome
Email: Lrainie@pewinternet.org
Twitter: @Lrainie
PewInternet.org

3. 5 questions for librarians as they
confront change
1. What is the future of knowledge?
- Created? Disseminated?
2. What is the future of reference expertise?
- Literacy? Search?
3. What is the future of public technology?
- Knowledge containers? Divides? Access/lending models?
4. What is the future of learning spaces?
- Collaboration? Alliances? Ownership?
5. What is the future of community anchor institutions?
- Knowledge economy/ecology?

4. Digital Revolution 1
Internet (80%) and Broadband at home (66%)
Home broadband Home dial-up
80%
70%
71%
60%
50%
66%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
June April March March April March March March April April May May August Jan
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2011 2012

5. Networked creators are everywhere
(two-thirds of adults; three-quarters of teens)
• 70% of internet users are social networking site users
• 59% of cell owners share photos or videos
• 37% contribute rankings and ratings
• 33% create content tags
• 30% share personal creations
• 26% post comments on sites and blogs
• 15% have personal website
• 15% are content remixers
• 16% use Twitter
• 14% are bloggers
• Of smartphone owners: 11% location services – 15%
allow location awareness from social media – 64%
maps/directions

6. Big challenge for libraries
Atoms bits
Collections
are
disrupted

7. Digital Revolution 2:
Mobile phones – 88% of adults
327.6
Total U.S.
population:
315.5
million
2011

8. Smartphone tipping point -- 46%

9. Big challenge for libraries
People come to us We go to people
The library as
place becomes
the library
as placeless
resource

10. Digital Revolution 3
Social networking – 52% of all adults
100%
% of internet users 86% 85%
80% 83%
70% 71%
76%
67% 61%
60%
52%
48%
49% 47% 51%
40% 35%
25% 33%
25% 26%
20%
9% 8% 11% 13%
7% 7%
4%
0% 6%
1%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
18-29 30-49 50-64 65+

11. Mean size of Facebook friends
network
350.0
300.0
250.0
200.0
150.0 318.5
100.0 197.6
155.7
50.0
85.1 78.4
42.0
0.0
Millennials Gen X Younger Older Boomers Silent G.I. Generation
(18-34) (35-46) Boomers (57-65) Generation (75+)
(47-56) (66-74)

12. Big challenge for libraries
Expertise and influence emerges in
networks and algorithms
Share the
stage with
amateur
experts

13. Back to those 5 questions:
How librarians can be even
more valuable in
the digital age

14. 1) What is the future of knowledge?
-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in Learning Communities”
Old: New:
Learning as transaction Learning as a process
Knowledge is Knowledge is
objective and subjective and
certain provisional

15. 1) What is the future of knowledge?
-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in Learning Communities”
Old: New:
Learning as transaction Learning as a process
Learners receive Learners create
knowledge knowledge

16. 1) What is the future of knowledge?
-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in Learning Communities”
Old: New:
Learning as transaction Learning as a process
We learn best We learn best
passively, by actively doing
listening and and managing
watching our own learning

17. 1) What is the future of knowledge?
-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in Learning Communities”
Old: New:
Learning as transaction Learning as a process
Our “intelligence” Our
is based on our “intelligence” is
individual based on our
abilities social networks

18. 2) What is the future of reference
expertise?
“Embedded librarian” in learning communities
• Librarian as scout for relevant material
• Reviewer and synthesizer
• Organizer and taxonomy creator
• “On call” for just-in-time information
• Organizational “steward” of bonding capital
• Organizational “steward” of bridging capital
(especially to outside experts)
Good source: David Schumaker at
http://embeddedlibrarian.wordpress.com/

19. 2) What is the future of reference
expertise?
“Knowledge concierge/valet” in learning communities
• Librarian as teacher of social media
• Librarian as fact checker, transparency assessor,
relevance arbiter
• Librarian as aggregator and curator – follow Jeff
Jarvis rule: “Do what you do best, and link to the
rest”
• Librarian as “node” in networks attuned to
perpetual learning
Good source: Bill Densmore at
http://www.informationvalet.org/

20. 3) What is the future of public
technology?
20

21. Are hot new gadgets evident now?
The hot gadgets and Hot gadgets and apps that
applications that will will capture the
capture the imagination imagination of users in
of users in 2020 are 2020 will often come “out
pretty evident today and of the blue” and not have
will not take many of been anticipated by
today’s savviest many of today’s savviest
innovators by surprise. innovators.
16% experts 81% experts
17% full sample 80% full sample
21

22. Themes
• iPhone, iPhone, iPhone
• Innovation ecosystem will change: bandwidth /
processing
• Still, there are basic trends evident now and some
groundwork that has been in place for years that will yield
innovation.
– The internet of things - sensors proliferate
– Mobile connectivity and location-based services grow
– Interface changes: Bigger/thinner screens -- 3D displays
– “Consolidated,” all-purpose gadgets and apps
22

23. The rise of e-reading
• 28% have e-reading device
• 21% of adults read e-book in
past year
• Read more now (including on
computer and smartphone)
• Prefer e-book for quick
access, convenience, variety
• Prefer printed books for
reading to children and
sharing books

24. 4) What is the future of learning
spaces?
Attuned to networked individuals/learners
• More self directed, less top-down
• Better arrayed to capture new information inputs
• More reliant on feedback and response
• More inclined to collaboration
• More open to cross discipline insights and creating
their own “tagged” taxonomies
• More oriented towards people being their own
individual nodes of production

25. 5) What is the future of community
anchor institutions?
Amer. Library Association
Confronting the
Future
Strategic Visions for
the 21st Century
Public Library
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oitp/p
ublications/policybriefs/confronting_the_f
utu.pdf

26. Be not
afraid