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reference 2021

by Richard Kong on Nov 09, 2011

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A presentation i gave at Illinois Library Association's 2011 Conference.

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A presentation i gave at Illinois Library Association's 2011 Conference.

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-thank Diane Srebro\n-name, position, library, twitter handle, website where i blog infrequently.\n-i'm speaking mostly from experience in public libraries though I have some experience working in academic libraries.\n-i’ve been fortunate to work at some excellent libraries starting back when i was a grad student in michigan. i’ve worked at ann arbor district library, thousand oaks library (ca), skokie public library, and now at arlington heights memorial library. these were all very different communities, but some similarities. \n
-today, i will try to keep it short. i think just this one slide says it all. in 2021 we’ll obviously be living in outer space and i don't think I need to convince anyone of that so I'll move on.\n-and of course, there will be a reference desk which will look like the monolith in 2001, only not quite as large b/c we wouldn't want to create a barrier between our users and ourselves.\n-the desk will have the appropriate signage to make sure ppl know what we do there.\n-the only thing is...collection management might be a problem.\n
-today, i will try to keep it short. i think just this one slide says it all. in 2021 we’ll obviously be living in outer space and i don't think I need to convince anyone of that so I'll move on.\n-and of course, there will be a reference desk which will look like the monolith in 2001, only not quite as large b/c we wouldn't want to create a barrier between our users and ourselves.\n-the desk will have the appropriate signage to make sure ppl know what we do there.\n-the only thing is...collection management might be a problem.\n
-today, i will try to keep it short. i think just this one slide says it all. in 2021 we’ll obviously be living in outer space and i don't think I need to convince anyone of that so I'll move on.\n-and of course, there will be a reference desk which will look like the monolith in 2001, only not quite as large b/c we wouldn't want to create a barrier between our users and ourselves.\n-the desk will have the appropriate signage to make sure ppl know what we do there.\n-the only thing is...collection management might be a problem.\n
-today, i will try to keep it short. i think just this one slide says it all. in 2021 we’ll obviously be living in outer space and i don't think I need to convince anyone of that so I'll move on.\n-and of course, there will be a reference desk which will look like the monolith in 2001, only not quite as large b/c we wouldn't want to create a barrier between our users and ourselves.\n-the desk will have the appropriate signage to make sure ppl know what we do there.\n-the only thing is...collection management might be a problem.\n
-today, i will try to keep it short. i think just this one slide says it all. in 2021 we’ll obviously be living in outer space and i don't think I need to convince anyone of that so I'll move on.\n-and of course, there will be a reference desk which will look like the monolith in 2001, only not quite as large b/c we wouldn't want to create a barrier between our users and ourselves.\n-the desk will have the appropriate signage to make sure ppl know what we do there.\n-the only thing is...collection management might be a problem.\n
-today, i will try to keep it short. i think just this one slide says it all. in 2021 we’ll obviously be living in outer space and i don't think I need to convince anyone of that so I'll move on.\n-and of course, there will be a reference desk which will look like the monolith in 2001, only not quite as large b/c we wouldn't want to create a barrier between our users and ourselves.\n-the desk will have the appropriate signage to make sure ppl know what we do there.\n-the only thing is...collection management might be a problem.\n
-but seriously, I do have some thoughts to share but first, two quick disclaimers.\n-first, I don't own a crystal ball, as evidenced by my fantasy football record.\n
my Second disclaimer - this isn’t like “father knows best”. i’m not your dad and i don’t claim to know what’s best for YOUR library or YOUR community.\n-unless you’re from cook memorial library, in which case i should let you know that i’m one of your tax payers and i do actually know what’s best ;)\n
Ok , let's start by thinking about what reference is essentially. \nAccording to Charlotte ford's book, "crash course in reference"\n\n"The basic idea of a friendly and sympathetic person, who is willing to listen to someone's questions and help them find answers, is still at the heart of reference service today."\n\n
Ok , let's start by thinking about what reference is essentially. \nAccording to Charlotte ford's book, "crash course in reference"\n\n"The basic idea of a friendly and sympathetic person, who is willing to listen to someone's questions and help them find answers, is still at the heart of reference service today."\n\n
Ok , let's start by thinking about what reference is essentially. \nAccording to Charlotte ford's book, "crash course in reference"\n\n"The basic idea of a friendly and sympathetic person, who is willing to listen to someone's questions and help them find answers, is still at the heart of reference service today."\n\n
But we're not alone in this answer-providing business.\n-first, there was clippy back in the day. (thanks to toby g. for pointing that out on twitter during the iphone4s announcement)\n-but now there's Siri, the new voice activated personal assistant available on the new iPhone. this is a screenshot of the question, “what is the population of chicago.” it’s using wolfram alpha to provide an answer.\n-Siri is only the beginning and only time will tell how much of an impact this type of tech will have on our lives, but we all know there's another answer service that people are already in love with.\n
But we're not alone in this answer-providing business.\n-first, there was clippy back in the day. (thanks to toby g. for pointing that out on twitter during the iphone4s announcement)\n-but now there's Siri, the new voice activated personal assistant available on the new iPhone. this is a screenshot of the question, “what is the population of chicago.” it’s using wolfram alpha to provide an answer.\n-Siri is only the beginning and only time will tell how much of an impact this type of tech will have on our lives, but we all know there's another answer service that people are already in love with.\n
-so, I have a friend who frequently calls google her best friend. When she wants to know something, she asks google. And obviously she's not alone.\n-reality, many are on “BFF” terms with google and we're not the only ones who can provide a quick answer that is "good enough."\n-this is a reality for anyone who has a computer (including smartphones) and knows how to open up a web browser. people like my dad. and a lot of our users.\n-sure, some people are still not there yet. For whatever reason, they're on the other side of the digital/information divide and they don't yet rely on google for answers.\n but by 2021, will they be? my guess is yes.\n-but richard, you say, we can provide personal service! and a smile! Thats great, but at the end of the day, convenience is what matters for most people.\n
-so, I have a friend who frequently calls google her best friend. When she wants to know something, she asks google. And obviously she's not alone.\n-reality, many are on “BFF” terms with google and we're not the only ones who can provide a quick answer that is "good enough."\n-this is a reality for anyone who has a computer (including smartphones) and knows how to open up a web browser. people like my dad. and a lot of our users.\n-sure, some people are still not there yet. For whatever reason, they're on the other side of the digital/information divide and they don't yet rely on google for answers.\n but by 2021, will they be? my guess is yes.\n-but richard, you say, we can provide personal service! and a smile! Thats great, but at the end of the day, convenience is what matters for most people.\n
Oclc 2010 perception of libraries report has some interesting things to say about how people view libraries.\n-0% of respondents begin their info search on the library website. not one single respondent.\n-84% begin with a search engine. \n-ok, so, once they start there, what happens?\n\n
Let's think about how ppl seek and choose info online.\nFrom steve krug's well-known book on web usability: When we’re designing pages, we tend to assume that users will scan the page, consider all of the available options, and choose the best one.\n-In reality, though, most of the time we don’t choose the best option—we choose the first reasonable option, a strategy known as satisficing.\nLibrarians don't like this type of behavior. We have a hard time accepting this. we want people to be reasonable, to use the best search terms, to use the best resources, to identify the most accurate data. and f we do accept it, we do so with a boatload of complaints about how ppl just aren't "doing it right".\n
-to further illustrate the idea of satisficing, steve krug mentions Gary Klein’s book, Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions.\n-They started with the hypothesis that because of the high stakes and extreme time pressure, fire captains would be able to compare only two options, an assumption they thought was conservative. As it turned out, the fire commanders didn’t compare any options. They took the first reasonable plan that came to mind and did a quick mental test for problems. If they didn’t find any, they had their plan of action.\n\nEfficiency is the name of the game, and ppl don't exactly feel efficient when they're using a library database, if you know what I mean. Visiting your local library to wait for a librarian to answer a question they could've easily typed into a search bar isn't efficient either.\n
This is the way of the world. We just need to accept it and move on. \n
-ok, then, let’s talk about the elephant in the room.\n
-eli neiburger of aadl, and others, have proclaimed that reference is dead. but in a presentation in CT earlier this year, he added, “librarians need to accept this fact and see it as an opportunity.”\nMy posted a response on my blog at the time.\n-Is traditional reference, someone sitting behind a desk all day long waiting to be asked something other than, "where's the nearest bathroom?" dead? Perhaps.\n-Can reference librarians find a new purpose and way of making a difference in people’s lives? Absolutely.\n-In the short time I’ve worked in public libraries, I’ve seen some amazing librarians who are deeply committed to making a difference in ppl's lives. And when you have ppl who are motivated with that kind of passion, they will find a way. \n-The future of libraries is not just about investing in geeks and technology infrastructure. It also depends on hiring smart, talented, creative, resourceful librarians who understand ppl, technology, and information.\n\n
So Eli read my post and added a few more thoughts to clarify where he’s coming from, and I have to say, I agree with him for the most part.\n
-bottom line. We're still alive as far as I can tell. I don't think many of us feel like throwing in the towel so to speak.\n\n-so, where are the opportunities?! \n\n-i’d like to spend the rest of my time identifying 5 opportunities librarians have moving now and in the near future.\n\n
-the first opportunity i think we have is in programming, events, not code.\n-at spl, planned many programs for adults. always saw programs as a form of reference. planning programs is about observing and listening to what people are interested in learning and designing programs that offer something valuable to them.\none example - antique appraisal program at spl where ppl brought their own items to have them publicly appriased. \n
another example, this time from Ahml, is our job seeker series. ongoing partnership with local rotary, who have given us thousands of dollars in grant money.\n\nin 2010: 42 programs, 1570+ in attendance\n\nthis is an example of meeting people's info needs beyond the ref desk. This is still providing information people want and need. It’s still reference work.\n
the 2nd opportunity is the opportunity to specialize.\n-the generalist is no longer needed for most people. Anyone who uses google is now a generalist. but there is still a need for the specialist. like business librarians.\n-local businesses have information needs, i can assure you, and this is an opportunity for specialized reference. this isn’t waiting behind a desk. it’s going out into the business community and making connections. making our presence felt.\n-one manifestation of this approach = new class series called “business bytes” designed to help local business owners/employees learn how to communicate with current and potential customers through social media, social networking tools, and other websites\n
-topics have included Google Places, Facebook pages, Twitter, YouTube (video marketing), Yelp (brand monitoring and management)\n-held in our “Business Center” and taught by reference librarians, mostly now by our business services librarian.\n-we offer a place to learn, opportunity to network with other local business owners, and a valuable resource in our business specialist.\n
3rd opportunity. Think local\n\nEach week, a Qotw article is written by bill pardue, ref lib at ahml for our trib local presence.\n\nOffers valuable info, but also increases the visibility of the type of service we can provide.\n
-here’s another example of getting local.\n-Jamie hollier from Colorado state library wrote, "the future of libraries is about user-generated content and user participation. No longer will you find the best answer in a book or database. The future of content is not about connecting people with an item. Instead, it is about connecting people with other people.\n-one great example of this is the Davis wiki. it’s a resource “For the people, by the people.” It is the place to go for local info.\n-we are planning to work on at ahml is creating a local wiki, a resource for our community. it will be open to anyone in our community to add/edit and librarians will help maintain it. is this the type of tool that might be successful in your community?\n
-another twist on local reference, this time with social media like twitter and FB (stump the librarian)\n-toby at spl deserves a lot of credit for leading the way, treating social media as conversation starters, not just a mouthpiece for advertising our programs and services\n-it’s about being present where our users are having conversations. Listening. Responding. connecting people to each other. \n-here’s one example where a community member asked about what was happening with an old gap in AH. we were able to provide her an answer.\n
4th opportunity is to consider what Patrick Sweeney wrote on his blog post, "reference is dead long live the enabler." enabling ppl to live more fulfilled lives. \nOne concrete example of this is how ahml has re-imagined technology training and learning not just for local business owners, but for the general public\n-helping ppl feel comfortable. taking the fear and embarrassment out of learning a new technology.\n-offering a safe place to learn.\n-we’re moving beyond gadgets and computers. It's about new types of literacy. how to navigate the web. how to USE the web to get and do what you want. being an informed citizen\n\nSo, there are 5 new tracks at ahml\n-computers 101 - the basics\n-working life - learning opportunities for the employed and unemployed. examples include ms office, linkedin, building your own professional blog.\n-digital life - beyond internet basics, examples include facebook, twitter, skype, e-readers\n-creative life - helping people learn creative tools, to produce videos, create and share photography, dabble with music.\n-informed life - these provide consumer info, health info, e-gov info, finance and investments info, genealogy and local history, websites and strategies for job seekers- taught by reference librarians. even without the traditional reference desk, we can still be a place to equip info seekers.\n\n-let me ask, why does apple only get to have “geniuses” and best buy “geek squads”? Why can’t librarians reinvent themselves to be seen as the go-to tech gurus within their communities. which leads me to the 5th opportunity...\n
5th opportunity - this idea that libraries need to become “kitchens,” not just “grocery stores” (joan frye williams). we’re putting creation tools in people’s hands, rather than just materials to be consumed.\n-the digital media lab you see in this photo is from a project i worked on at Skokie PL. opened in september 2009, but others have popped up, in barrington, in Tacoma,wa, at ela pl, and soon at ahml.\n-goal was to empower ppl to understand how digital media works and participate in the creative process. Equipping ppl to create and communicate in new ways.\n-focus on video production, music and podcast production, graphic and web design, photography, digitization, presentations, and more.\n
-to start wrapping things up, i’d like to go back to this earlier slide for just a second. notice in this picture, there is a librarian who is not sitting behind the desk but walking the other way. this librarian going out into the community to establish a presence beyond the desk. to establish partnerships and be proactive.\n-i think that this is a common thread that runs throughout each opportunity i just mentioned.\n-do you still need a "desk" or staff presence in the library for the public? yes! can it be a combination of roving and a desk? yes!\n-does all of our work need to happen inside our library buildings? Not at all.\n-think of how ppl see the police. do they think of the police officers sitting at desks back at the police station? no. they think of the police officers out in the community, listening, observing, responding quickly to the community’s needs.\n-Many librarians are already in this proactive way of thinking, but more of us need to get there.\n
-final words. well-known quote by alan kay. \n-be proactive. Invent the future. Don't just sit back and let it happen to you.\n-be bold. brave. and brilliant. \n-and most of all, do.not.be.afraid.\n
\n
thank you! i’d love to continue this conversation even after the conference, so please feel free to contact me if you’d like to talk. \n

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Silvia Franchini at Comune di Albino 2 weeks ago

reference 2021 — Presentation Transcript

reference 2021ILA annual conferenceoctober 18, 2011 richard kong arlington heights memorial library @kongtemplation http://richardkong.com
REFERENCE
Ask UsREFERENCE
Ask UsREFERENCE
i don’t have a crystal ball
i don’t know what’s best foryour library or your community
what isreference?
what isreference?
Who else answers questions?
Who else answers questions?
Who else answers questions?
“i asked my best friend, google.”
wikipedia“i asked my best friend, google.”
0%oclc perceptions of libraries, 2010
how we really use the webwe don’t make optimal choices. we satisﬁce. excerpt: http://www.sensible.com/chapter.html
satisﬁcing. it’s more efﬁcient.
this is how many most people search and choose information. (just accept it)
“reference is dead” http://bit.ly/eRHwYL
hugging it out. eli’s response.I think the future of librarianship is bright. The challenge is to transition froma passive use case to an active one, and that can’t happen while librariansare still tied to 20th century service models. Demand for reference service atpublic libraries has collapsed; it’s time to shift that underutilized capacity tocreating permanent value through content, context, collections andcollaborations. Nobody does that better than Librarians.Use them wisely.http://www.richardkong.com/2011/04/are-reference-librarians-dead/
we’re alive!
Get local. http://www.ﬂickr.com/photos/skokiepl/5271366400
for the peopleby the people
local + social
computers 101 working life digital life creative life informed life
libraries as kitchens
Ask UsREFERENCE
the best way to predict the future is to invent it. -alan kay (http://www.ecotopia.com/webpress/futures.htm)
photo credits‣ Slide 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/loomingma/6013708798/‣ Slide 4: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nhsalumni/3245665472/‣ Slide 6: http://porternovelli.co.nz/uploads/article-assets/Clippy.jpg‣ Slide 10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20949260@N02/2211673117/‣ Slide 12: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcodysimms/246023851/‣ Slide 13: http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_s_carter/973864667/‣ Slide 15: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowapolitics/5790864450/‣ Slide 16: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skokiepl/5552496451‣ Slide 23: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skokiepl/5271366400‣ Slide 24: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skokiepl/5552496451
thank you!agree? disagree? want to talk? please contact me!email: rkong@ahml.infotwitter: @kongtemplationblog: http://richardkong.com

reference 2021

by Richard Kong on Nov 09, 2011

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reference 2021 — Presentation Transcript