Post on 14-Jul-2015
The Millennial LibrarianPresenter: Hal Harmon, Sarasota County Libraries
Image source: http://geneva-real-estate-blogger.com/post/3803695/sellers-take-note-here-come-the-millennials-
1982
2003
Generation Ages Size (mil) % of U.S. Population
Greatest 68- 35.2 11%
Baby Boomers 48-67 80.3 25%
Generation X 38-47 40.9 13%
Millennials 18-37 86.0 27%
Generation Z 0-17 74.0 23%
How should I know? I’m just a Gen-Xer?
Millennials are
NOT
like their parents
The want freedom in everything
they do
They want to customize “everything”
Transparency, transparency, transparency….
Corporate integrity and
openness
An interplay of entertainment and play in work
Fast, faster, fastest!
Millennials and technology
Also called the Net Generation, Millennials relationship to technology is perhaps their most defining characteristic.
“You are the first generation of unconsciously competent technology users. You gained your skill as naturally as you picked up your native language” - Tamara Erickson
I’m still wrapping my head around Millennials and now you wanna bring up Librarianship!
Best practices
Solutions vs Process
They look outside the library for ideas
Picture, “library visitor” by umjanedoan via Flickr CC
What Can Managers
Do?
Allow for movement within the organization
Reduce Roadblocks
Flexibility
How to Kill a young librarian’s love of librarianship
• Do not allow out of the box thinking
• Award only those that maintain the status quo
• Blame people for failures
• Tell them “NO”
• Do not allow new librarians to try out different duties. Limit them to their job descriptions.
• Maintain walls between departments
Demand unquestioning trust in what “you” do
Veteran librarians know best because that is the way it has always been done