The document provides a strategic overview of developing a Digital Public Library for Flanders. It discusses how public library roles must change to adapt to new media behaviors and the shift to a participatory digital environment. The library must become a gatekeeper, curator, guide, and participant to help people navigate the expanding digital world and universal collection. A strategy is outlined with guidelines and a roadmap to rebrand libraries and help the staff and public libraries evolve over the next 6 years.

1. The Digital Public Library for Flanders A strategic look into the future Jan Braeckman Based on consultancy by ONE Agency Vlaams Centrum voor Openbare Bibliotheken Flemish Agency for Public Libraries

12. Shift of place

13. Content choice

16. Social Network

18. Participation Generation Research 2008

19. “ You are not alone” (c) Business Week June 2007

20. Blogs

21. Wiki’s, Newswiki’s, Swiki’s

22. Social bookmarking

23. You Tube

24. User Generated content

25. Journalism & social networks

26. Really Simple Syndication

27. widgets

28. Discovery

29. Web Application Content and Conversations Selection and Profiling Social Networks

36. Use of media (NL)

37. Media use and age (NL)

44. The Library as gatekeeper Stands for reliable information and collections, quality selection and descriptions Related to the local community

45. The Library as curator Is an objective and qualitative store window of information, media, and services Help people to discover things they like, and didn’t know New things, and things out of the long tail It’s: the libraries’ choice

46. The Library as guide Learning how to fish the ocean of information Learning how to search, find, interpret, and share information and knowledge

47. The Library as participant The library and its staff are full blown participants of the Web 2.0 conversations, relying on their specific expertise to of value to the others On the same level as other participants

48. Gatekeeper Curator Guide Participant