information shifting (2001)

INFORMATION SHIFTING

Friday, February 23, 2001Jenny Levine

levinej@sls.lib.il.ushttp://www.sls.lib.il.us/infotech/presentations/shifting/

Jenny’s Theory of Library Relevancy

Generation Y is the first generation that has been “information shifted” from birth and expects it.

Time-shifting = 1984 court term for recording shows on VCRs and watching want you want when you wantSpace-shifting = 1999 court term for making digital music files portable on MP3 players

The Library is not portable.The Library will have to become portable.We’re getting there.

The Immovable Library

How was the Library portable before 1998?Telephone (landlines only; limited services available)Homebound service (seniors only)Booktalks (only librarian-selected titles)Bookmobiles (ditto, maybe some different formats)Fax (maybe)

The More Portable Library

How is the Library portable in 2001?E-mailWeb siteRemote databases for access from home or anywhere elseInternet-accessible catalogs

The Even More Portable Library

What else can we do?ChatWireless access (cell phones, pagers, PDAs)MP3sPDA channelsWebcams & videoconferencingDistance education (e.g., LibraryU)

Common denominator is the digital format.

Technologies You May AlreadyKnow About

E-booksWireless (cell phones/pagers)PDAsMP3s

The Next Level of Technologies

Audio e-bookshttp://www.audible.com/

E-inkhttp://www.eink.com/http://www.parc.xerox.com/dhl/projects/gyricon/

BluetoothHeavenly Jukebox

NapsterMP4

The Fun Part -- The Toys

MP3 playersWireless WebPDAs (Palms vs. PocketPCs)CybikoFRS (Family Radio Service)Chat

Instant MessengerICQ

PVRs (Personal Video Recorders)ReplayTVTivo

Tomorrow’s Toys

GPS (Global Positioning System)Pervasive Internet, pervasive computing

Bluetooth devices

All-in-one devices

Information will cometo you, not the other

way around.

Everyone Loves Portability

“[In 2000], more cell phones were sold than computers, televisions, PDAs and pagers combined…. It has even been predicted that by 2004 more people will connect to the Web via cell phone than by computer.”

-- Time Digital, January/February 2001

Other Countries Are More Portable than the U.S.

34% of the U.S. population uses mobile phones;50% of the population of western Europeuses mobile phones;50% of the population of Japan uses mobile phones (more than land-lines!);71% of the population of Finland uses mobile phones!

-- Scientific American, October 2000

Portable Examples Elsewhere

Download new characters to their phones each day

Get pictures of the “10 most wanted” criminals on your phone

Get your child’s school schedule on your phone

Pay for vending machines & parking meters

Play “Street Fighter III” on their phones

“Handy Dandy” from the Industry Standard

Generation Y Will Be Able to...

PAN themselvesPersonal Area Networks

Use wireless and geographic positioning to get customized informationUse E-ink and GPS for continuously-changing

maps

Get new music or movies via their cell phone

Play any game on their Java-enabled wireless devices

Generation Y Can Already...

Locate each other and/or chatMobile Young Friends Online Network (MYFON)-- http://www.wapthis.com/

Interact with their cars and clothing (wearable audio)

See For Yourself!

Philips vision of wireless --http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/3g

/index_flash.html?mp3

Important Problems to Solve

How do we interact with our patrons when wireless access is more important than physical ownership?

How do we make sure we are prepared to serve Generation Y in their world?

Answer: Become portable.

Some Things You Can Do Now

There is no certification for “gadgets”, so be willing to play.Do email and do it efficiently, including mailing listsLearn how to chat. On both ends.Register your library’s name in ICQ, IM, etc. just in case.Learn about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA), keep informed, and be prepared to write letters.

Some Things You Can Do Now

Come to the SLS Tech Summits.Maintain a teen advisory group, teen friends group, whatever to get feedback from them.Talk to your vendors. Prioritize remote database access and Web-based catalog enhancements.

Any Questions?