USA public libraries are facing significant budget cuts that are reducing staff, services, and operating hours. Several major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Columbus are cutting library budgets by 15-28% and laying off over 100 employees each. Private funding plays a large role in supporting libraries, but budgets are still strained. Libraries are also dealing with changing user demands and new technologies, requiring them to rethink their roles and services in their communities.

1. USA Public Libraries

2. Points of difference between Australian and US libraries – Christine Iconic buildings – Karyn Libraries making a difference in their communities – Genimaree New and different technologies from ALA conference - Christine

3. Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Columbus, Washington DC, Queens, New York ALA conference, Washington DC Related organisations – Gates Foundation, ULC, OCLC Beautiful libraries – OSU, University Club Library, Library of Congress Getty Museum, Disney Theatre, Chicago river tour, Baltimore, Newseum

5. Budget crisis Architecture and large central libraries Social roles Private funding Collections Staff and unions Technology Organisation / planning

6. California and Los Angeles – under immense pressure Library has decreased operating budget by 15%; 28% reduction in staff (including 150 layoffs) and cut to services 5 days from 6 Chicago – laying off 120 workers and cutting hours at branches; hiring freeze, 24 days furlough

7. Columbus – lost $11 mill since 2008 and a reduction in staff of 160 FTE since 03 NYPL and Queens facing significant cuts and layoffs OCLC has laid off 64 staff Communities served by libraries also affected

8. Lyn Barakat

9. Large central reference libraries Architectural statements Monuments to the book, built around collections “ The architects conceived the new Seattle Central Library building as a celebration of book deciding after some research that despite the arrival of the 21stC and the “digital age” people still respond to books printed on paper.”

10. Libraries in the US provide services that here would be offered by different welfare and social agencies Queens notable example

11. Significant private funding, culture of philanthropy $85 million raised by Seattle Library Foundation $1million pa Columbus Foundation NYPL – Genealogy Library funded through $5 mill endowment

12. Book centric Very large collections Exception Columbus – where spaces designed around services rather than collections Very traditional service models – reference librarians at desks on each floor Seattle – “disposable collections”

13. Union positions Big difference with the way unionised and non unionised libraries are coping with budget crisis Layoffs – firstly non unionised labour (pages and managers) then last on first off Detrimental affect – LA have lost their new fresh staff – and staff won’t move

14. Beyond the Book summit – CML Helene Blowers What is your personal comfort with digital readiness? How ready do you think libraries are to embrace digital reading future? How ready are our customers? Tipping point – price, business models, iPad

15. Seattle – community consultation – 33,000 community questionnaires, Staff survey, Community thought leaders Columbus Queens strategic imperative – to deeply embed the library in the community

50. Georgetown Library (under construction, opening August 2010) Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library (under construction, opening July 2010) Benning Library Anacostia Library

113. Eppo van Nispen Libraries are not good at telling their stories There is nothing more beautiful than a beautiful story Libraries have grey missions They are worthy but not memorable or fun DOK “a better friend than Google” Vox pops “libraries are outdated” “librarians are cave men”

114. There is no second hand in the digital world and libraries are in the second hand business 14,000 iPhone apps – 17 for libraries Be proud and CLAIM our position

115. mobile devices touch based devices mobile computing, atomising information cities fostering creative industries Stop being the grocery store and start being the kitchen

116. 3D privacy issues re social networking cloud computing “disruptive” gadgets costing less ($99 by Christmas, $50 in 12 months) discovery layers dip in open source LMSs

117. 4 th gen phones – “riff scanning”, ubiquitous internet access, profiling and the death of internet anonymity – what will people give up to have a better library experience? more efficient technical services, better OPACs

118. How will circulation change? What happens when the entire western canon is available for free? What happens when we no longer circulate DVDs? Will the mission of libraries be to help people make their own libraries?

119. Book dispensers

120. Language learning in the cloud – children and adults

121. Mobile app for libraries powerful catalogue search, real time integration, reading lists, blogs and tweets

123. Dave Gray XPLANE Helene Blowers Robin Nesbitt Kindle available from Target Nintendo have an app for 100 classic books 7.8 million Americans have ebook readers

124. Wonderful kind generous hosts PLVN – Elisabeth Jackson Voyager Travel Employers who supported people to go Participants – reporting back and photos Report will be available online soon [email_address]