Category: Presentation

“Expect More: Service is Proactive” CARLI Virtual Meeting, Webcast.

Abstract: There is an old joke that goes “what do you call three librarians at a bar?” “A consortium.” The library field does have a lot of consortia. This is a testament to the openness and attitude of sharing in the profession. For decades libraries have worked across boundaries to better serve our members. We shared through the postal then dial-up, not the Internet. We built the web of knowledge and resources before the world wide web. Libraries have a long and proud tradition of thinking beyond our own walls to serve our communities. We should be proud of that history, but we need to expect more.

We need our communities to expect more of us – not do more with less, but rather show the community that we are truly about transformation not simply information. We need to expect more from CARLI. The paradox of success is that the work that garnered that success is rarely the work that will ensure future accomplishments. We should expect CARLI will challenge us and innovate. However, ultimately we must expect more of our selves. We must look up from the day to day reality of staff shortages, toner cartridges, and cataloging backlogs and become our own future. We must prove to others and ourselves every day that librarianship is not clerical, nor about materials, or about the building. Librarianship is about improving society.

We must now think about sharing more than just our licenses and loaning our books. We must share authority and responsibility with our communities. We must share our services and expertise with each other. Ultimately we must become a truly open market of ideas. You may have joined CARLI to expand your database offerings – use it now to expand possibilities. You may use CARLI to share materials, now use it to share yourselves and the brilliance of your local communities.
Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/CARLI.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/CARLI.mp3

“Publisher of the Community: New Librarianship Unencumbered by Our Stacks” PLS President’s Program at the NYLA 2011 Annual Conference. Saratoga Springs, NY.

Abstract: Imagine libraries are places to learn and create, not consume and check out. Imagine the day when every book published is not only available digitally, but at a very low cost……imagine.
Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/NYLA.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/NYLA.mp3

“Building the Skills of Library and Museum Professionals” Lecture to the Libraries and Museums in an Era of Participatory Culture Summit, Salzburg Global Seminar, Salzburg, Austria.

Abstract: This is the world we have asked for, this is the world we have worked for. Why showcase culture if we are not enabling contribution to that culture. Why information if not for informed participation. Why educate if not for advocacy. Why is it when we espouse the values and virtue of empowerment, we are surprised they seek power in shaping our destinies as well?

The time for introspection is done. The time for trivia is done. The time for looking for the future of libraries in catalogs, and strategic plans is done. The needs of our communities is too great, and our promise for improvement too large. Already at this summit we have heard about the need for education, jobs, food, and disaster assistance. Many of us, including myself, are returning to riots and civil unrest. Our appetites for energy are unsustainable, and the very memory of our society is eroding behind walls of commerce, false scarcity, and obsolescence.

For too long have we defined the core of our profession – service – as standing ready to serve. No one ever improved the world by standing ready.
Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/Salz3.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/Salzburg.mp3

“New Librarianship in Rural Libraries” PEACE Library System Annual Conference (via Teleconference), Alberta, CA.

Due to technical audio problems with the video conference the actual presentation was not captured. The following video is a condensation and recreation of the presentation

Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/PEACE.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/PEACE.mp3

Screencast:

“Reinventing Library Services and Librarians in the Digital Age” University of Pittsburgh Staff Development Participatory Librarianship: A Vital Conversation about Librarianship and its Future, Pittsburgh, PA.

Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/Pitt-Library.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/PittLibrary.mp3

Screencast:

“Fulfilling the Potential: Digital Libraries and The Future” Visiting Lecture, Digital Library Learning (DILL) International Masters Program, Florence, Italy.

Abstract: The following screencast is a pretty long (2 hours and 45 minutes) lecture on ideas from the Atlas of New Librarianship and how they relate to digital libraries.
Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/Florence-DLL.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/Florence.mp3

Screencast:

“Reinventing Librarianship” Keynote ALA 2011 Virtual Conference.

The session was recorded by ALA and should be available soon (I will update this post).

Excerpts: “This then is your collection and what a truly awesome collection it is: more massive and sprawling than anything in ancient Alexandria. It is composed of seniors have seen their expected lifespan nearly double from 40 to 70 over the past century. Imagine that vast sea of experience and unbridled talent and seeking impact and legacy.

Our collection is in children; realizing that our concept of a childhood was only truly born with the labor laws of the 1800’s and the rise of a middle class that did not depend upon the income of youth.

We see the power in the woman of our community collection. From the right to vote to the majority of college degrees including doctorates in under 100 years.

Our collection is in minorities too long ignored and now actively enriching and expanding a culture of opportunity. Minorities that will soon actually make up the majority of US citizens.

This is your collection this is your business.

And what’s more, this collection doesn’t come with a 28 circulation limit. It isn’t beholden to outdated concepts of intellectual property. And, on the bright side, no one will ever question if this collection is becoming obsolete.”

“At the center of all of this richness and amazing diversity of community lies the facilitating role of librarians. Doing as they have done throughout history: helping communities and members make better decisions, to learn and grow their knowledge. For at the root is learning.”

“The time for introspection is done. The time for trivia is done. The time for looking for the future of libraries in catalogs, and strategic plans is done. The need of our communities is too great, and our promise for improvement too large. Our families worry about jobs and the ability to fight their way into a shrinking middle class. Our education system is broken – students unable to learn, or drowning under crushing debt. Our system of government increasingly polarized, our appetites for energy unsustainable, and the very memory of our society eroding behind walls of commerce and false scarcity. These then are our grand challenges, and just as the physicians before us, if we rise to meet them, we too shall be rewarded.

And I know what you are thinking. I know that tomorrow you’ll be dealing with broken printers, and shelving backlogs, and the rising costs of subscriptions. But you must look up. You must never make what you do replace why you do it. And if you can’t link broken printers and shelving to the grand challenges of our society, then you ought to ask why you are doing them. We must stop reacting to the world around us and start inspiring it!

Now these are just words. If all I do is preach them and return to the ivory tower I have committed the sins of hypocrisy and vanity. But you if you cry hallelujah and wait to seize the opportunity than you have committed an equally great sin. The sin of omission. If you stay silent, or wait for change, or take the easy path or see yourself as less than capable- less than worthy? Then you leave our precious communities to lesser goals and flawed stewards.

We must not let this happen.”

Slides: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/Presentations/2011/ALAVirt-Lankes.pdf
Audio: https://davidlankes.org/rdlankes/pod/2011/ALAKeynote.mp3

Screencast: