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

Hal HarmonSarasota County Library System

hharmon@scgov.net941-861-1189