The Puzzles Librarians Need to Solve

Lee RainieDirector – Internet, Science and Technology Research

February 9, 2016VALA - Melbourne

@lrainie | @pewinternet | @pewresearch

http://www.pewresearch.org/

Your 6 big puzzles to solve

1. What’s the future of personal enrichment and entertainment?

2. What’s the future of pathways to knowledge (reference expertise)?

3. What’s the future of public technology and community anchor institutions?

4. What’s the future of learning “spaces”?

5. What’s the future of attention (and its structural holes)?

Q6: Where do you fit on the continuum? ALA’s “Confronting the Future”

Totally physical (facilities and media)

Individual focus

Collection library (physical and virtual)

ArchiveEverything for

everyone

Totally virtual (facilities and media)

Community focus

Creation library (social, maker space)

PortalSpecialized

niche

Starting point: Your foundation is pretty solid

Our previous findingslibraries.pewinternet.org

• People think libraries are important, especially for communities

• People like and trust librarians• People think libraries level of the

playing field for those without vast resources

• People think libraries provide services that are hard to get elsewhere

• People believe libraries have rebranded themselves as tech hubs

http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/13/library-engagement-typology/

Capstone: Library User (and Non-User) Typology

Q1: What is the future of knowledge?

• How is it created? New scientific method (and citizen scientists) … Big data … Niches and argument … Simulations and models

• What are its interfaces? New displays … Networked data/info … Gamified environments

• How is it disseminated? Social networks and media … Flipped schools

Learning as identity (% of those ages 18+)

I often find myself looking for new oppor-tunities to grow as a person

I like to gather as much information as I can when I come across something that I

am not familiar with

I think of myself as a lifelong learner

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

58

61

73

Describes me very well

74% of all adults are personal enrichment learners% of those ages 18+

Taken online course

Taken course related to interest/hobby

Attend convention/conference tied to personal interest

Attended meeting where learned new info such as book club or arts club

Read publications related to personal interest

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

16

25

30

35

58

The motives of personal learners% of those ages 18+

Learn something to help with my children's or other kids school work

Wanted to turn a hobby into extra income

Extra time on my hands

Learn something that would allow me to help others

Learn something make my life more interesting

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

33

36

60

64

80

63% of the employed are work-related learners – i.e. gotten training or taken courses (% of those ages 18+)

Because I am worried about losing job

To help get a new job

To help get a raise/promotion

For a license or certification for my job

To maintain or improve my job skills

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

7

13

24

36

55

Q2: What is the future of pathways to knowledge (reference expertise)?

What is the future of learning?-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in Learning

Communities”

New: Learning as a

processKnowledge is

objective and certain

Old: Learning as transaction

Knowledge is subjective

and provisional

New: Learning as a

processLearners receive

knowledge

Old: Learning as transaction

Learners create

knowledge

What is the future of learning?-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in

Learning Communities”

New: Learning as a

processKnowledge is

organized in stable, hierarchical

structures that can be treated

independently of one another

Old: Learning as transaction

Knowledge is organized

“ecologically”-disciplines are integrative and

interactive

What is the future of learning?-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in

Learning Communities”

New: Learning as a

processWe learn best passively, by listening and

watching

Old: Learning as transaction

We learn best actively doing and managing

our own learning

What is the future of learning?-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in

Learning Communities”

New: Learning as a

processOur

“intelligence” is based on our

individual abilities

Old: Learning as transaction

Our “intelligence” is

based on our networks

What is the future of learning?-- Shana Ratner (1997) “Emerging Issues in

Learning Communities”

How do you search for information? Bigger, better search for everything … New interfaces …“Semantic web” … Bots … Predictive analytics

How do you aggregate / curate it? Key attribute of a helpful network “node” … “Do what you do best and link to the rest”

What new literacies are required to understand it? Searching … Evaluating … Pattern recognition and critical thinking … Coding and media production skills

Q3: What is the future of public technology and community anchor

institutions?

22

Libraries stack up well vs. othersHow confident? How important?

Library to community63 28

Should libraries move some print books and stacks OUT OF public locations to free up more space for

things such as tech centers, reading rooms, meetings rooms, and cultural events? % of those ages 16+

Should definitely do

Should maybe do

Should definitely not do

30

40

25

20

39

36

Nov-12 Apr-15

May 3, 2023 24www.pewresearch.org

The clear public mandate: Do something for education ….

Large majorities of Americans see libraries as part of the educational ecosystem and as resources for promoting digital and information literacy.

Should libraries coordinate more closely with local schools in providing resources to kids?

% of those ages 16+

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

85

112

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

85

122

Should libraries offer free early literacy programs to help young children prepare for school?

% of those ages 16+

Should libraries offer programs to teach people, including kids and senior citizens, how to use digital

tools such as computers, smartphones and apps?% of those ages 16+

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

78

163

How well, if at all, do your local public libraries serve the learning and educational needs of your local community – not just children at schools, but all those of any age who want to

learn? % of those ages 18+

0 20 40 60 80 100

37 39 6 4 12

Very well Pretty well Not too wellNot well at all Don't know

How well, if at all, do your local public libraries serve the learning and educational needs of you and your family?

(% of those ages 18+)

0 20 40 60 80 100

34 36 9 12 8

Very well Pretty well Not too well Not well at all Don't know

Q4: What is the future of learning spaces?

Where personal learners did their learning(% of adults who did personal learning in past 12 months)

On the

i

nterne

t

At edu

cation

al fac

ility

At a co

mmunity

cente

r or m

useum

At a ch

urch,

temple

, or s

ynag

ogue

At a lib

rary

At som

e othe

r plac

e0

10

20

30

40

50

60

5235 29 26 23 31

Where professional learners got their training(% of employed who got job training in past 12 months)

At you

r work

place

On the

inter

net

At offsit

e faci

lity

At a co

nven

tion,

confer

ence

At hom

e

At a go

vernm

ent a

genc

y

At a lib

rary

Some o

ther p

lace

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

7555 48 43 37

219 14

New kinds of enrichment/entertainment are networked and aimed at networked individuals

• Can be DIY and self-paced• Can be experiential,

participatory• Can be just-in time, real time• Can draw on peers and their

networks

• Can be place-agnostic• Can exploit augmented

reality• Can have gaming

sensibilities• Can exploit feedback and

analytics

Should libraries offer programs to teach patrons about protecting their privacy and security online?

% of those ages 16+

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

76

184

Should libraries have more comfortable spaces for reading, working, and relaxing at the library? % of those ages 16+

Should definitely do Should maybe do Should definitely not do

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

64

25

7

Q5: What is the future of attention?

STREAMS: USER SPENDS HER LUNCH BREAK DIPPING INTO A VARIETY OF MEDIA

“STREAMS”

How it works• Motive – catching up / checking in / curiosity• Content – news (broad definition), social updates• Demographics – tilts under 35 / female• Device – any / all• Engagement – continuous partial attention /

horizontal scans / sharing• Influentials – editors, social networks• ~ Mindshare – quarter to a third of media time

SIGNALS: USER HAS SET UP ALERTS ON HER SMARTPHONE AND REGULARLY CHECKS HER HOME SCREEN TO SEE NEWS

HEADLINES

How it works• Motive – real-time awareness• Content – headlines, new information, first

impressions matter most• Demographics – under 30, tilts women• Device – smartphone, tablet• Engagement – glancing OR galvanized• Influentials – brands• ~ Mindshare – < 5% of media time

SNACKS: USER ACCESSES HER MOBILE DEVICE WHEN SHE HAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME TO KILL

How it works• Motive – killing time, beating boredom• Content – gameified, bite-size headlines, link-

dense• Demographics – Everyone gets something

different• Device – smartphone • Engagement – distracted, quick-twitch• Influentials – brands, quality of social network• ~ Mindshare – 5%-10% of media time

People: Serve and Learn – Tech experts – Master teachers in age

of lifelong learning– Visionaries for the

knowledge economy and the jobs it produces

– Experts in sense-making, context, and curation

– Monitors of algorithms

Place: Reconfigured and Repurposed– Artifacts are

connected and data-rich

– Nodes for “system of systems” with databases and media

– Test beds – maker masters

– Community information and media stewards

Platform: Community Resource– Trusted institution

and privacy watchdog– Advocates for free

and open– Advocates for closing

digital divides– Data and collections

repositories– Civic specialists – esp.

in learning realms

Examples of market and cultural shortcomings librarians are addressing – or could address

1) Technology non-users - skills training in new literacies

2) Pre-school programs3) After school activities4) English as a second language courses5) Lifelong learning opportunities / credentialing

competency6) Fill gaps in local media ecosystem – community and

civic information/curation7) Help for small business / entrepreneurs / non-profits8) Serendipity agents of discovery

Be not afraid

Extra material

Pew Research Center archive of library-related research:

Libraries.pewinternet.org

Q1: What is the future of knowledge?

• How is it created?• What are its interfaces? • How is it disseminated?

Homework: Too Big To Know David Weinberger

Q2: What is the future of reference expertise?

How do you search for information?How do you aggregate / curate it?What new literacies are required to

understand it?Homework: http://searchengineland.com/Danny Sullivan & Co.

Q3: What is the future of public technology

What is the future of knowledge access points?What divides persist / emerge?What lending models are enabled in a new era of

property / subscription / sharing?Homework:

Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21st Century Public Library

Roger Levien

Q4: What is the future of learning spaces

What fosters collaboration? Creativity? Problem solving?

What is the role of solitude and quiet spaces?What other alliances can you strike with institutions

that share your goals about providing key information to your community?

Homework: A New Culture of Learning Douglas Thomas & John Seely Brown

Q5: What is the future of community anchor institutions

Does local matter?What does our community need?

Homework: Informing Communities: Sustaining Democracy in the Digital Age

Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities

Q6: What’s the franchise?

What’s the commodity?

Homework: The Innovators DilemmaThe Innovators SolutionClayton Christensen, Michael Raynor

What Would Google Do?Jeff Jarvis