Proceedings 

 

Core Purpose       Maryland's Future       View From Our Customers       Visioning The Future For Maryland

 

Core Purpose of Libraries

The conference began with participants sharing their views about Why Libraries Would Be Missed If They Did Not Exist.  This conversation engaged participants in validating the core purpose of libraries.  Following are the key points from the discussion.

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Maryland's Future Operating Environment

Mr. Andrew Zolli, Z + Partners, Brooklyn, NY, outlined trends and forces shaping both the world and Maryland from demographic, technological, human, and economic perspectives.  Following the presentation, Mr. Zolli small groups to discuss implications of the future operating environment from the following four perspectives:

                Authorship and Participation

                New Forms of Literacy

                Library Experiences

               Demographics

Following are the results of the discussions recorded by each of the four groups.   

Authorship/Participation

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New Forms of Literacy

     Need to train staff

     What kinds of literacy?

    Types of tech tools

    Need to meet patron needs

    Need to address the rapidly changing world of information needs regarding subjects (such as biotechnology)

    The world of technology has opened up a large area of potential services and service needs

    A challenge is to discern when/what is important = valid

    Computer/technology literacy to “bridge the gap” between those who are familiar (the “haves”) and those who are unfamiliar

    Information technology and social networking have changed how people interact (F2F vs. cyber)

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Library Experience

                Insights and Thoughts

Questions

 Trends

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Demographics

 

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View From Our Customers

To build a shared understanding of the library customer’s view, five customers participated in a panel discussion.  Conference participants asked questions of the panel, and Mr. Zolli moderated the discussion.  Following are the panelists and key points they made during the discussion.

 

Mr. Michael Powell, Assistant Elementary School Principal

        Heavy user, started as undergrad, librarian guided him in research, libraries supplement the school’s collection.

        Improvements:  Story times more convenient, not just mornings; collaborate more with schools:

Ms. Yenny Lucero, Parent of Pre-Schooler

Introduced books to preschoolers and introduced Spanish

Improvements: Publicize better outside library

 

Ms. Margaret Thrasher, Retired Librarian and Avid Reader

           Attends discussion groups (social connections), recreational opportunity for caregiver Improvements:  Remember browsers and book lovers

 

Honorable Ken Ulman, Howard County Executive

Visits with preschool, services to schools, creativity and innovation

Improvements: More parking; more collaborations, more partner programs, cultural center of community; locate libraries near other places people want to go; appeal to young people; maintain relevance

 

Ms. Hannah Gallagher, High School Student

Research/study for school

Improvements: More quiet study space; more reference and research materials

 

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Visioning The Future For Maryland Libraries

The purpose of the eVisioning 4.0 Conference was to create and own an optimistic future for Maryland libraries.  To accomplish this, conference participants were invited to identify topics which they felt needed further discussion, further exploration, and examination.  Twelve “Hosts” came forward with topics.  The Hosts then invited the remaining participants to join the Host of the topic that was of interest to them in a discussion of that topic guided by the following questions:

Following are the results of the discussions as documented by each Host.  

 

Marketing The “Library Experience”

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

Success Looks Like

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

Why Don’t Librarians Use Libraries?

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

If we won’t use, why do we expect others to?

Success Looks Like

Go to library BEFORE Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, etc.

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

Why Amazon vs. ILL?

Why Borders or Barnes & Noble first?

Actions for cleaner and neater libraries

 Collection

 Stop the Hate – Action:  Listen to dissenting voices

 

How Can We Best Meet The Current and Future Needs/Expectations of People Who Do Not Enter the Physical Building?

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

 Success Looks Like

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

Teens After School

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

Success Looks Like

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

Locally

Statewide

 

Creating, Budgeting, and Managing A Digital Library/Archive And Providing Permanent Public Access To This Material

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

More and more material is only published in digital form; digital material can be accessed from more points than a hard copy, and digital access is now expected; it protects and provides access to rare and unique items.

Success Looks Like

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

“Know” Our Customers Making the Interaction With Staff Personal and Customer Driven Through Communication

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

 Success Looks Like

 What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

Maryland Statewide Coordinated Professional Development Program

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

Success Looks Like

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

How Do We Accommodate Special Needs With Growing Population – Hearing Loss, Sight Loss, Lack of Transportation?

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

 Success Looks Like

What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

Library as a Physical and Virtual Place

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

 Success Looks Like

 What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

Why Do Library Catalogs Have To Suck? (Or, Why Is It So Hard To Find Our Stuff?)

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

Success Looks Like

 What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

How Do We Maintain Momentum With Regard To Early Literacy/Early Education in the Public Library?

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

Success Looks Like

 What Must Change Locally And Statewide To Get Success

 

Partnerships with Schools

Why This Is Important To Our Customers

To Students:

To Families:

To Schools:

To Public Libraries:

Partnerships with Others:

Success Looks Like

 

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