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Public libraries

in times of Google

European Congress on E-Inclusion 2009

Things change

&

People change

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Education

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Leisure

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Digital magazines

• www.flashpageflip.com

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Living books

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Music

December 28th 2007

Public libraries change

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Inequality at the origin

Andrew Carnegie 1835 - 1919

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Public libraries evolved

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Current inequalities

Poverty: between 11% and 15%

Low literacy (not able to function properly in society): 18%

30% no computer at home

40% no broadband

Sociological survey: 30% are non-participants – alienatednot participating in culture, not engaged in volunteer

organization, no or poor social network around them, no political

participation (protest voting)

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Change - continued:

internet and cultural shift

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Plenitude

“We are used to deal with scarcity. That

has been our human lot since the

beginning of history. Now we face

plenitude.”

Richard Lanham

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Cultural shift

• “The Internet models the larger cultural

conversation, and when something is put up

there, people naturally consider it not as a

product but as part of a conversation,

whether it be the exchange of embroidery

patterns or pop songs.”

Richard Lanham

Internet is a social medium

• Hanging out

• Finding new friends

• Form a gang

• Brag, impress

• Exchange stories

• Share media

• Play

• Fight

• Bullying

• …

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Cultural shift

Internet is:

• Where you find information

• Accessible, independent of time and place

• Where you decide what to read, when to game,

which film you want to watch

• Where you take part in ongoing cultural

conversations.

….it very much resembles a public library

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Challenge

Almost all core functions of public libraries are effected

by Internet

Reformulate the mission of public libraries

• In radically changed environment

• And identify today’s social issues, the libraries have

to provide solutions for

Is an issue for all stakeholders

• Not a debate within the library sector alone

• Not a national debate alone

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Mission

“Books, the physical books themselves, were [always]

incidental to the real library mission, which was the

dispersion of knowledge.

… Their final loyalty is to knowledge, to the free

marketing of ideas, to the cultural conversation.”

Richard Lanham

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Instrument for policy

Reformulating what a public library is

• Correction of the market

– Access to a divers and living culture

> rich cultural conversations

– Access to information and knowledge

> neutral, objective, professional

• Co-responsibility for an inclusive society

– Supporting local community life

– A ‘place’ within the local community

– Bridging the digital divide

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Value for the public

• Divers and rich collection: quality

– Inspiration, entertaining, reflection

– Learning, socially more empowered

• A shared symbolic environment: identification

– Stories, information, knowledge

– Creating opportunities for people and communities to

connect to each other

• Being local

– Knowledge of local community, for the local community

– Being a public place (here the public is taking the lead)

• A partner for an inclusive society

– Access and skills

Cabrio

INTEGRATIE

This man was looking for The Red Hot Chili Peppers and found much more…

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Local

Libraries have issues

Hybrid environment (plenitude & immediacy)

User generated content

Life styles & niches

What about my books?

benefit understanding

marketing

generation C

benefit understanding

privacy

Non-participants

identity

bring the

outside in (import, organise)

bring the

inside out (syndicate)

For ever in

development

user

generated

contentCopyright

expert

generated

content

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Staff

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Inclusion as a challenge

Change strategies, roles, priorities:

• Accessible technology: broadband,

infrastructure + content & services

• And beyond: competencies, skills

• Partnerships with education, information

literacy

Aim at mobilizing people

• Be part of, and enrich the cultural

conversations going on (digitally)

• Relate to people who lack stimuli in their social

networks, the non-participants…

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Strengths > inclusion

• Aware of the need to change

– Successfully integrated earlier technological

developments

– On a local level: in the front line

• Professional attitude

“For all people, and for people who need some

help in particular”

• Good infrastructure, on good locations

• Rich collections: so many items, so many

opportunities to connect to people

Beslissing IWT midden

september 2009

A place for learning, bonding, discovery, leisure…

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Ray Oldenburg

The Great Good Place (1989)

Richard Lanham

The Economics of Attention

(2006)

Frank Huysmans

The future of the Dutch public library (2008)