Idaho libraries are the nexus of global information, innovative services, and community, enabling us to sustain our history, empower our present, and create our future.
Evolving Library Services for Digital Natives
One of four statewide strategies to create Idaho’s library future recommended by the Steering Committee of the 2020 Vision, Idaho’s Library Future 2006-2020, is to develop ways to reach digital natives.
Digital Natives are those individuals 24 years old and younger who have grown up with computers and the Internet since infancy. They have been characterized in the media as being very low users of library services.
In August, 2007 the Commission for Libraries retained Corona Research to conduct focus group research with Digital Natives. The entire report can be found here.
A conference was held in July 2006 as one activity in the process of implementing this strategy. Check the Recommended Reading on this topic. You can see and hear the conference presenters by checking out a set of DVDs through our Professional Development Service. Follow this link to drop us an email lending@libraries.idaho.gov. Or click on the following links to find transcripts:
Keynote Speech: Information Tornado
Stephen Abram, SirsiDynix Vice President for Innovation - http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/StephenAbramTranscription.doc
Alane Wilson, Senior Library Market Consultant for OCLC - http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/AlaneWilsonTranscription.doc
Expert Panel:
Moderated by Alane Wilson, Senior Library Market Consultant for OCLC
Panel Members: Stephen Abram, SirsiDynix Vice President for Innovation, Aaron Schmidt, Reference Librarian at Thomas Ford Memorial Library, Western Springs, IL, and Sarah Houghton, Information and Web Services Manager for the San Mateo County Library, CA. - http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/ExpertPanelTranscript.doc
Digital Natives Panel: http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/DigitalNativesTranscript.doc
Small Group Work Results: Captured here are the results of their discussions (Word format).
Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT)
Another strategy to come out of the 2020 Vision process was to create a team to act in the ‘crows nest’ capacity, searching for innovation, proposing and leading experiments and pilot projects, and discovering new opportunities. Members of the newly-formed Special Project Library Action Team (SPLAT) met for the first time in 2006. The team has a SPLAT Blog and you can read members' profiles there too.
Idaho's Library Future 2006-2020
In 2005, members of the Idaho library community gathered in a unique "Think Tank" to consider the future of Idaho libraries. Working with several science fiction writers and experts on future trends and libraries, the Think Tank participants explored long range trends, discussed alternate future scenarios for Idaho libraries, and proposed ideas for a long-range vision. "Idaho's Library Future 2006-2020" [PDF] describes the 2020 Vision process, identifies driving forces that will affect libraries, and proposes state and local strategies to support the vision for Idaho libraries in 2020.
Futures Think Tank Video
Download and view the video that came out of our Think Tank process, complete with interviews with the guest speakers.
Futures Think Tank Video [Windows Media format] 18 minutes
To download, right-click on the link, and choose "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." depending on your web browser.
This file is 40 MB, so be prepared for a long download.
