The document discusses how libraries can stay relevant in the online age by embracing social media and new technologies. It notes that youth are increasingly disengaging from traditional libraries and that librarians must join online conversations to remain a vital community resource. Case studies show how some libraries are using tools like blogging, Twitter, podcasting and collaborating with patrons to engage new audiences and help libraries stay current.

1. Staying Relevant In the Online Age Shel Israel [email_address] http://globalneighbourhoods.net

2. US Libraries Alive & Well 5x Amazon customers $14b spent. More than running shoes 1 in 7 people in US have library cards Passion about libraries But there’s a cloud…

3. The Internet Cloud Hovering over institutions Traditional media Government Education Authority Libraries Choice: change or be irrelevant

4. Issues Facing Libraries Youth disengaging Misc. search easier than Dewey Talented librarians leaving Jurassic Park syndrome Book scans YouTube 125. NYT 1

5. The Internet… Is an infinite repository Can extend every library bookshelf You share knowledge & thought Is very Inexpensive Removes brick & mortar barriers

6. What is social media? An online space for conversations 2 guys at backyard fence About conversations, not tech 2 yrs from blogs to warehouse SAP Survey: youth driving change

7. A few blog stats 12m US adult bloggers. 60m readers 150m American web users 89% of businesses see blog importance rising 6-12% of US blog s. Over 1.4 million posts daily 22 of 100 top websites are blogs 37% began reading blogs in ‘05 & ‘06 Blog readers average 23 hours weekly

8. The Online Generation Freshmen younger than the Web Online more than on TV Peer influence rules Teflon resistance to authority, marketing Lifetime habits forming now

9. Why Libraries are Still Vital Nothing beats face-to-face Human guides v. Google bars Computers lack common sense Communities need a commons Access for ‘left out’ people Change needed soon

10. To Engage the Online Generation Join their conversations Use SM to keep locals current Become expert resources on tools Curate infinite bookshelves

11. Libraries of the Future ‘Community Livingrooms’ Internet keyholes Multimedia Book-form agnostic

12. Case Studies CSLibrary http:// cglibrary.org/polaris Casa Grandes Colo librarian. Twitters to engage in community conversations. 30% uptick in traffic, mostly young LO-Fi Librarian http://www.lo-fi-librarian.co.uk (UK Law Librarian): Blogs, follows users on Facebook ‘not to look cool, but to deliver services, communicate with/users and raise her library's profile’

13. More Case Studies YALSA (Young Adult Librarian Services Association ( http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v =YCFHhfoj788 has a blog, follows tags for social networking posts, has a podcast, Twitters (@yalsa), and posts bookmarks at del.icio.us http:// del.icio.us/yalsa . Recently held panel talk on Second Life The American Library Association lists their social networking tools on a wiki http://wikis.ala.org/readwriteconnect/index.php/Main_Page Hennepin City (MN) Public Library, http://www.hclib.org/extranet uses blogging, podcasting, & MySpace accounts. They have a web-based catalog so patrons can add book reviews Amazon style. Users can search their catalog directly from Facebook.

14. Social Media Can… Let friends share what they’re reading Let readers review books for each other Let community tell library what it wants Help libraries stay relevant

15. Blogging’s Power Tagging Listen & respond RSS so people keep current Link to conversations Twitter, mobile & microformats

16. A global network of librarians Metcalfe’s Law Meet others like yourself Share you passion & authority Learn about innovations elsewhere Collaborate to solve problems

17. Special Thanks To the 40 people who helped me on my blog & Facebook Ivan Chew, Rambling Librarian —Singapore http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2007/10/what-i-would-tell-librarians.html Lo-Fi Librarian www.lo-fi-librarian.co.uk Shawn Lea Everything and Nothing Blog Rohit Bhargava Influential Marketing Blog Randi Mason, MLS, PRSA Connie Benson http://conniebensen.com JustinThorp, http://drinkingoatmealstout.com