Computers in Libraries 2008: Second Day Keynote, Libraries: Innovative & Inspiring

Computers in Libraries 2008: Second Day Keynote, Libraries: Innovative & Inspiring

Erik Boekesteijn, Jaap van de Geer, and Geert van den Boogaard (from the Delft Public Library in the Netherlands) presented in the morning of the second day.  They started by showing a clip from their famous video detailing their experiences during their tour of U.S. libraies last year.  You can see the video at the Shanachie Tour website. 

They talked a bit about the origin of their project, then we watched another clip featuring their visit to the New York Public Library and interview with one of the NYPL innovators.  They brought up a member of the audience from NYPL and discussed NYPL's public debate programs, and asked her if she felt it was the role of libraries to provide programming like public debates. 

The next video featured the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenberg County, and an interview with PLCMC's Matt Gullett about the future (or death) of the book followed up onstage.  In the interview, Matt had said that he thought the book would sustain because it is simply a container and works better than other containers do for certain types of information.  Onstage, Matt talked more about economic forces driving a move from books to eBooks . They also asked him about how to promote, to management, the ideas he's implemented at his library...like multimedia creation stations for teens.  Matt replied that you can use attendance numbers, but individual patron success stories have a bigger impact. 

They then showed a video of an interview with Michael Stephens's LIS class at Dominican.  A student stated that libraries should target their services at youth much more than we are currently.   Michael Stephens said that he wanted the library of the future to inspire him.  A LIS student up on stage during the session said that libraries should focus on sustainability, and she said that the web is simply a tool and not a threat to the future of libraries.She said that librarians of the future need the skill of adapting to change.  Rock on!

They then showed their tour of the DOK library, the Delft Public Library, and all of the tech services they offer--eBooks accessible by mobile phone, giving people a comfortable place to create, gaming stations, and a way for people to create their own stories in the library. 

CIL2008