21st Century Skills for Librarians

"To come up with the next iPad, Amazon or Facebook, the last thing potential innovators need is a group brainstorm session. What the pacesetters of the future really require, according to new Wharton research, is some time alone."

Requires signing up with Wharton, but I've read similar statements elsewhere. I could see how trying to get agreement from a group might stifle innovation, but many times throwing out an idea to a group creates a synergy and improves upon the idea. Sorry I can't see all their points without signing up.

A new take on asking patrons for input about the library. Ask for project ideas, not just opinions about services.

Note footnote 5: 1. Bourg Chris, 2. Coleman Ross, 3. Erway Ricky, Support for the Research Process: An Academic Library Manifesto (Dublin, OH: OCLC, 2009), www.oclc.org/research/publications/library/2009/2009-07.pdf

Yes, this call to action list is helpful. Thanks for linking footnote 5. Linda

(Culture and Climate for Innovation, Pervaiz K. Ahmed. European Journal of Innovation Management. Bradford: 1998. Vol. 1, Iss. 1; p. 30) Shared by Culture of Innovation group.

Addresses this question: If iPads and other new mobile computers catch on, libraries might not need to offer rooms full of computers for students to do their research, writing, and Facebooking. But if that happens, will students have any reason left to visit the library?

John's literature search

John's literature search

Virtually there, almost: educational and informational possibilities in virtual worlds (just keeping track of the title)

The Emerging Technology: 21st Century Web Based Environments and Their Resultant Effect on the Work Responsibilities of Academic Reference Librarians Were the Predictions Correct?

one of the paper articles that John has routing

from John

National Bureau of Economic Research paper discussing a decline in student study time from 40 hours per week in 1961 to 27 hours per week in 2003. How might this impact libraries?

John's literature search

"It's time for younger librarians to claim the future. I was intrigued when I saw an announcement for an ARL-CNI meeting, "Achieving Strategic Change in Research Libraries", to be held in mid October, because Lord knows this is a good time for strategic change. Yet when I clicked through to the program, I was sorely disappointed. The program is oriented toward library directors talking amongst themselves. In the growing string of strategy meetings and whitepaper collections coming from research library organizations, I see many familiar names. While I find these individuals to be brilliant, thoughtful people, I don't believe much will come out of their talking amongst each other for another day. Library leadership has been discussing emergent roles for libraries for over a decade."

John literature search

from Linda

from Linda - GITCO technology competencies

another paper article that John has routing

Attendees of the "Play, Learn, Innovate" Symposium on June 7-cosponsored by OCLC and Library Journal-came to get a glimpse of how playfulness and game-like programs and activities might stimulate interest in patrons and innovation among the staff. What they got was a two-hour primer on how a shift away from content consumption may offer libraries a new role in fostering user engagement and promoting creative output. More than 1000 users registered for the session, with some 500 attending live.

John's literature search

John's literature search

More about the future that is heading our way...

This article reminded me of a visit to Jefferson, Texas which used to be a major hub in Texas until its citizens turned down a connection to the railroad. Publishers need to plan for a digital future to prevent their own extinction. This article is a good start for getting them to think about what that future might look like.