how libraries can survive in the new media ecosystem
TRANSCRIPT
How libraries can survive in the new media ecosystem
Lee Rainie – Director Pew Internet ProjectHELIN Library Consortium Bryant UniversityJanuary 14, 2009
January 14, 2009 2Libraries in the new information order
January 14, 2009 3Libraries in the new information order
"If you plopped a library down. . .30 years from now. . .there would be cobwebs growing
everywhere because people would look at it and wouldn't think of it as a legitimate institution
because it would be so far behind. . ."-- Experienced library user
1996 Benton Foundation report: “Buildings, books, and bytes”
January 14, 2009 4Libraries in the new information order
“Many Americans would just as soon turn their local libraries into museums and recruit retirees
to staff them.”
1996 Benton Foundation report: “Buildings, books, and bytes”
New information ecosystem: Then and Now
Industrial Age
Info was:
Scarce
Expensive
Institutionally oriented
Designed for consumption
Information Age
Info is:
Abundant
Cheap
Personally oriented
Designed for participation
2000
46% of adults use internet
5% with broadband at home
50% own a cell phone
0% connect to internet wirelessly
<10% use “cloud”
= slow, stationary connections built around
my computer
2008
74% of adults use internet
58% with broadband at home
82% own a cell phone
62% connect to internet wirelessly
>53% use “cloud”
= fast, mobile connections built around outside servers
and storage
The internet is the asteroid: Then and now
Ecosystem change – 1
Volume of information grows
January 14, 2009 8Libraries in the new information order
… and the “long tail” becomes more important
-- Chris Anderson
Tra
ffic
Content
20%-40% of traffic or salesin the “long tail”
Amazon, Rhapsody/iTunes, Netflix
January 14, 2009 9Libraries in the new information order
Ecosystem change – 2
Variety of information and sources of information grow
January 14, 2009 11Libraries in the new information order
… and people have more options for their passions-- Markus Prior
January 14, 2009 12Libraries in the new information order
The internet rises in a fragmented media environment(% of all Americans who “regularly” go to news source: PRC People/Press)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
Local TV
Natl TV news
Cable news
Newspapers
Radio
Online News +1,850%
-25%
-52%
+18%
-41%
-27%
January 14, 2009 13Libraries in the new information order
Internet and broadband adoption 1995-2008
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
% A
meri
can
ad
ult
s
Go Online Broadband at home
Internet users
Broadband at home
Ecosystem change – 3
Velocity of information increases and smart mobs emerge
-- Howard Rheingold
Ecosystem change – 4
Venues of intersecting with information and people multiply and the availability of information expands to all hours of the day and all places we are
-- Nielsen Company
Ecosystem change – 5
People’s vigilance for information changes in two directions:
1) attention is truncated (Linda Stone)
2) attention is elongated (Andrew Keen; Terry Fisher)
January 14, 2009 17Libraries in the new information orderKaiser Family Foundation, Media Multitasking Among American Youth, December 2006
January 14, 2009 18Libraries in the new information order
Kaiser Family Foundation, Media Multitasking Among American Youth, December 2006
Ecosystem change – 6
The vibrance and immersive qualities of media environments makes them more compelling places to hang out and interact
-- Metaverse Roadmap Project
1) Virtual Worlds
Ecosystem change – 6
The vibrance and immersive qualities of media environments makes them more compelling places to hang out and interact
-- Metaverse Roadmap Project
2) Mirror Worlds
Ecosystem change – 6
The vibrance and immersive qualities of media environments makes them more compelling places to hang out and interact
-- Metaverse Roadmap Project
3) Augmented Reality
Ecosystem change – 6
The vibrance and immersive qualities of media environments makes them more compelling places to hang out and interact
-- Metaverse Roadmap Project
4) Life-logging
Ecosystem change – 7
Valence (relevance) of information improves – search and customization get better as we create the “Daily Me” and “Daily Us” – Nicholas Negroponte
Ecosystem change – 8
The voice of information democratizes and the visibility of new creators is enhanced. Identity and privacy change.
-- William Dutton
Ecosystem change – 9
Voting on and ventilating about information proliferates as tagging, rating, and commenting occurs and collective intelligence asserts itself
-- Henry JenkinsDavid Weinberger
Ecosystem change – 10
Social networks become more vivid and meaningful. That changes the structure of friendship and the basic norms of human encounters. “Networked individualism” takes hold.
-- Barry Wellman
January 14, 2009 28Libraries in the new information order
Action item
Be findable.
Be available – timelines are fading.
January 14, 2009 29Libraries in the new information order
Action item
Think of yourself as a news node for information and interaction.
---
Prepare for the “big bang” moment.
January 14, 2009 30Libraries in the new information order
Action item
Think of yourself as a social network node for people looking for
“friendsters”
---
The internet is “personified” in some people’s lives and you can provide
information and social support in the same ways social networks can
January 14, 2009 31Libraries in the new information order
Action item
Think of yourself as an information hub -- an aggregator and a linker to others who have
useful, interesting material ---
Links are the currency of the internet, partnerships/affiliate relations are the norm.
That’s how you build social capital.
January 14, 2009 32Libraries in the new information order
Action item
Experiment with Web 2.0 applications – blogs, wikis, tagging, reputation/rating,
widgets, and social networking
---
Watch your usage data and the psychographics of users. Solicit feedback and show you are listening to responses
January 14, 2009 33Libraries in the new information order
Action item
Offer your good offices to help people master new literacies
-- MacArthur Foundation “Digital Learning” project
Library blogger Pam Berger
January 14, 2009 34Libraries in the new information order
Graphic literacy
Thinking visually and mastering the “language of the screen” and visual representation of information
New literacies
January 14, 2009 35Libraries in the new information order
Navigation literacy
Learning to maneuver through a non-linear, hypertext environment that can be disorganized
New literacies
January 14, 2009 36Libraries in the new information order
Context literacy
Seeing the connections among pieces of data and information in a hypermedia environment
New literacies
January 14, 2009 37Libraries in the new information order
Focus literacy
Practicing reflection and deep thinking – and enjoying leisure and daydreaming
New literacies
January 14, 2009 38Libraries in the new information order
Skepticism literacy
Learning to evaluate information and how to assess its accuracy and sourcing
New literacies
January 14, 2009 39Libraries in the new information order
Ethical literacy
Understanding the rules of cyberspace, living responsibly, and helping set civil norms
New literacies
January 14, 2009 40Libraries in the new information order
Personal literacy
Understanding your digital identity and digital footprints; managing your privacy and self presentation
New literacies
January 14, 2009 41Libraries in the new information order
Thank you!
Lee Rainie
Director
Pew Internet & American Life Project
1615 L Street NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
202-419-4500