Carson Block Consulting

Technology Vision. Technology Power. Your Library.

IFLA Trend Report

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The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has released a provocative trend report.  The report is intended as a conversation-starter into 2014 — so it’s not a static report but a spark for a living process over the next year or so.

The trends?

  • New Technologies will both expand and limit who has access to information.
  • Online Education will democratise and disrupt global learning.
  • The boundaries of privacy and data protection will be redefined..
  • Hyper-connected societies will listen to and empower new voices and groups.
  • The global information environment will be transformed by new technologies.

If you work in a library or for libraries, this is something I think you will want to explore — and even get involved in.  If you do, please share your experiences!

 

 

eBooks, Publishing, Innovation – and DAZL

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Well *this* was fun!   New Zealand librarian Corin Haines (who is also an emerging leader in the Gates Foundation INELI program) interviewed me for his “Library Chat” podcast.  We talked about eBooks, publishing and innovation.  And laughed a lot!

Librarychat with Corin Haines

Even though we were halfway around the world from each other, the conversation felt like we were sitting in the same room together.

In related news, a study I conducted for the State of Arizona to investigate current “library as publisher” eBook models has been released.  The working name for the Arizona effort is “DAZL” – for Digital Arizona Library.

If you are curious about some of the technical details of the “Douglas County Model” ) for library eBook publishing (pioneered by DCL, Marmot Libraries, and others in Colorado) I think you will find the report worthwhile.  You can download the environmental scan report (including an analysis of technology configurations, estimated project costs and recommendations) or browse related project files (including other reports, including overall DAZL program recommendations) here.