This document summarizes Stephen Abram's presentation on the changing nature of libraries and information needs. He discusses how everything related to libraries is changing, including books, media, collections, and the roles of librarians. Technology is advancing rapidly, with impacts like ebooks, mobile devices, and broadband access changing how users interact with information. Abram emphasizes that libraries must adapt to these changes and focus on meeting evolving user needs to remain relevant into the future.

1. At The Edge: The Library Tipping PointStephen Abram, MLSDunedin, New ZealandNov. 29, 2010

2. We Only Get So Many Once-in-a-Lifetime Chances To Do Great Things

4. What Would You Attempt If You Knew You Would Not Fail?

5. I my customers

6. OUR USERS

7. Is this graphic correct? What’s wrong?

8. Is the book in your head?

9. Frankenbooks? Emotion? Morality?

11. A Few Stories Me and My Garage

12. Me and My Public Library

13. Me and Eddy and Library Club

14. Me and Miss Baird

15. Me and the Librarians who made me

16. Me and the World of Information

17. Books?My Life as an Open Book

18. Watch your readers? What do you see?

19. Think harder about book components!

22. Whose needs are met by library management systems?

26. WelcomeQuestions for Today:What is REALLY happening in libraries?Where is all this change taking us?Do people still value the book? What’s next?What is the role for librarians in our info-future?

27. So, what exactly is changing? In a word:Everything connected to your world!BooksMediaMobilityCollectionsLibraries

28. Librarians play a vital role in building the critical connections between information , knowledge and learning.Librarian Positioning

29. Very Big SecretThe Elephant in the Room

30. Change can happen very fast

31. The secretWe need to overcome:

32. Fear of leadership

33. Anti-partner and anti-collaboration ethic

34. Distrust of ‘size’ and distrust of ‘for profit’

35. The culture of victimization

36. Introversion

37. Unsophisticated communication

38. Fatalism“Choose . . .To be a victim and feel these changes are fated and blame stormORCreate the future we need and take collective responsibility for the conversation and development.”Find Reasons not Excuses.

39. Jobs and Libraries

46. Survey Data for 89 Library SystemsStephen AbramGale, Cengage Learning

48. The Baker’s DozenHealth and Wellness / Community Health / Nutrition / Diet / RecoveryDIY Do It Yourself Activities and Car RepairGenealogy Test prep (SAT, ACT, occupational tests, etc. etc.)Legal Questions (including family law, divorce, adoption, etc)Hobbies, Games and GardeningLocal HistoryConsumer reviews (Choosing a car, appliance, etc.)Homework Help (grade school)Technology Skills (software, hardware, web)Government Programs, Services and TaxationSelf-help/personal developmentCareers (jobs, counselling, etc.)

54. What We Never Really Knew Before (US/Canada)We often believe a lot that isn’t true.27% of our users are under 18.

55. 59% are female.

56. 29% are college students.

57. 5% are professors and 6% are teachers.

58. On any given day, 35% of our users are there for the very first time!

59. Only 29% found the databases via the library website.

60. 59% found what they were looking for on their first search.

61. 72% trusted our content more than what they found on Google.

62. But, 81% still use Google.

63. GOOG

65. As technology advances

66. Emboldened Librarians hold the key

67. News Flash “The Internet and technology have now progressed to their infancy”

68. News FlashNews FlashShift Happens

69. People

70. My son: Zachary

74. People Have ChangedTwitter & Facebook are dominated by the middle aged – Reframe as social reading

75. Gaming too. . . Mothers in their 30’s

76. Social networks fastest growing populations are seniors and will be more international and less urban and English.

77. eBooks usage is currently largely middle-aged.

78. Mobile data usage is growing beyond youth very quickly, workplace use is huge NextGen DifferencesIncrease in IQ - 15-20 Points

79. Brain & Developmental Changes

80. Eye Movement Changes

81. Massive Behavioural Changes

82. Major Decline in Crime Rates – 65%+

83. But still a 70% behavior overlap with Boomers (see my book chapter in Boomers & Beyond)Have Students Changed?

86. Discovery & Ideas

87. Has the future changed?Has our future changed?

88. Has research changed?Cross-disciplinary

89. Interdisciplinary

90. Integrated

91. COWS, etc.

96. The Future DiscoveredStem Cells

97. fMRI and The Brain

98. Cloning

99. Trucking and GPS

100. Wind and other energy

101. Nanotechnology

102. Robotics

103. Massive Book Digitization

104. Music

105. Translation

106. Streaming Media

107. Seed BankA 1965 iPhone

108. Can libraries keep up with change?Can you recall buying a 45?Can you recall dials on TVs?Can you recall dialling?

110. Books

116. What does all this mean?The Article level universe

117. The Chapter and Paragraph Universe

118. Integrated with Visuals – graphics and charts

119. Integrated with ‘video’

120. Integrated with Sound and Speech

121. Integrated with social web

122. Integrated with interaction and not just interactivity

123. How would you enhance a book?My ConclusionsContent acquisition needs to move up the chain

124. Mobile will be dominant device

125. eBook formats will be e-reader dependent for a short time

126. eBook format to watch is web-based and involves HTML5

127. Ads vs. no ads in books?

128. Social reading behaviours are primary

129. Federated search is evolvingBorders Kobo, B&N Nook, Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad, Sony, etc. . . .

133. Mobility

134. BroadbandYou must clearly understand the latest US FCC Whitespace Broadband Decision – THIS IS TRANSFORMATIONAL and going global

135. Local wired, mobile access ‘everywhere’ to the home and workplace

136. Geo-awareness: GIS, GPS, GEO-IP, etc.

137. Wireless as a business strategy (Starbucks)