Marshall Breeding James Bess

The Future of Library Software and What to Do About It

Library software has come a long ways

As library collections and services have expanded over the year, so must the technology tools that support libraries

Print, electronic, and digital collections Traditional and open access publishing Rising interest in e-books Dominance of mobile for accessing the

Web

Pace of Change

Library software trends are moving fast…

…but not necessarily fast enough. The world around libraries is changing very rapidly!

Where is it going?

Cloud technologies: vendor hosted systems, multi-tenant SaaS

Emphasis on Discovery Academic: index-based discovery Public: integration with e-book platforms

Consolidation of search starting points More integrated approach to provision of library

services through the library’s Web presence or Virtual Branch

Resource management across library materials. Library management systems need to provide support

for print, electronic, and digital

What to do about it

Stay aware of current trends Why? Need to be able to make well informed decisions about technology How? Social media, professional and academic articles, conferences

Sites to read? Places to look? Library Technology Guides (librarytechnology.org) American Libraries: annual Library Systems Report Library Journal: especially digital shift (thedigitalshift.com/) Information Today

Groups? Code4Lib Web4Ib

Social Media Twitter: most current information LinkedIn: Many groups oriented to libraries and technology Facebook: a bit less focused

Be quick to try to new thingsWhy Change? - “So often librarians confuse ends and means, become devoted to particular techniques because they have devised them or developed skill in using them, unconsciously glorifying them into ends and convincing themselves that their continuance and the continuance of library service itself are identical” – Dorothy Sinclair, President, Public Library Association (1968)

Adapting Change

Monitor emerging trends Focus on strategic technology

Discern what is hype or glitz Seek innovation

Devise ways to learn and experiment with technology

Avoid institutional risk Identify innovative technologies that can be

implemented while they are still innovative Libraries too often play: “wait and see” Technology leadership, not always a follower

Setting a path forward

Make software decisions based on current software state, but also future vision of vendor Libraries use their automation systems for

at least a decade. At the time of procurement, any system is but a snapshot in time. Must think about the future development trajectory. Must be sure that the vendor will there to develop and support the system into the distant future.

Develop partnerships

Don’t consider major tech systems as a simple purchase or license, but more as a partnership.

Provide feedback and direction to the vendor to influence future development.

Don’t be passive: be an advocate for progress and innovation

Be aware and informed of future development roadmap.

High-level service

Observation: Library customers often perceive those that work in libraries as “book stamper” Position the library as offering

information experts Fulfilling this role maintains your relevance

and the relevance of the library for its community.

Libraries increasingly work higher levels in providing services to their customers. Research support, information literacy, programs that provide impact and benefits to their communities.

Be entrepreneurial

In the same way that successful businesses must operate strategically and respond to their changing environment, so must libraries be able to embrace changes essential to stay in tune with the needs of their communities.

Conclusion

“If you don’t like change, you’ll like irrelevance even less.”—General Eric Shinseki. Chief of Staff, U. S. Army.

Find the technologies that best support the mission of the library.

Don’t be so tied to practices and technologies that may have been adequate in the past hinder your library from moving aggressively forward to meet your communities current needs.

Questions and discussion