Digital natives. Digital immigrants. Libraries.

1. Digital natives.Digital immigrants.Libraries. The challenge faced by libraries in reaching out to born digital Tefko Saracevic, PhD http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/ tefkos@rutgers.edu

2. What? Part I – The BIG picture Social forces Part II – The LIBRARY -Challenges & responses Digital information resources Web access Information literacy Social media Conclusions • Digital natives, digital immigrants • Contemporary technology & society Are young people (digital natives) really different? How are library services for digital natives handled?

3. 1. What do we mean? Definitions Digital natives Digital immigrants Individuals who grew up without digital technology and adopted it later • Persons for whom digital technologies already existed when they were born, and hence had grown up with digital technology • also called “born digital” “net generation” “millenials” Generational differences expressed in technological terms

5. Hotly debated - Sample of articles Prensky (2001) introduced the concept & terminology with little evidence (2010)

6. Growing number of studies –Sample of articles (2010) (2009) (2010)

7. Characteristics - binary oppositesSiân Bayne & Jen Ross (2007) Digital natives Digital immigrants teacher, librarian, parent ... slow old past, or ‘legacy’ logical, serial thinking text serious looking backward analogue knowledge isolation • student • fast • young • future • multi-tasking • image • playful • looking forward • digital • action • constant connection

9. Controversy about digital natives Claims – Assumptionson the one hand Critiqueson the other hand Generational stereotyping reality: claims/assumptions DO NOT reflect it oversimplified: should be understood in diversity rather than dichotomy Assumes that all young people are wired digital masters who use technology mysteriously No scientific evidence • As native speakers of digital language, young people think and process information in an entirely different way from previous generations • Because of that they have biological brain changes

10. Examples of digital natives in action

11. a few more ...

12. Rejection of simplified concept about digital natives/immigrants Selvyn, N. (2009), McKenzie, J. (2007) • Empirical findings on assumptions: Not so! – Generational, not purely technical differences • Picture of children and young people’s use of new technologies is more complex along: • socio-economic status & other “social fault” lines • social class • geography • gender • variety of uses • digital divide • But term “digital natives” can be used as a metaphor

14. 2. Contemporary technology Web 2.0 Lets people Interact Connect Collaborate Share Contribute Inform Using variety of media text, audio, video, images • Information and communication technology and web design that aims to enhance creativity & information sharing in a new way

15. Transformations Social Including libraries Growing number of libraries actively changed their web presence, including social interactions with various audiences, specifically including digital natives • Variety of hardware & software apps, tools developed to support many uses • commercial • educational • social • Social software & sites • Transformed the Web • Created communities

16. Another view of transformations

17. Web access Part II: Library challenges, responses User – appropriate content Informa-tion literacy Digital resources User – centered design Social networks User – oriented guides In touch on user terms

18. Digital INFORMATION resources General In libraries Part of the collection Many e (digital) forms books (eBooks) eJournals videos images audio Either digitized from analog or born digital Digital resources • Information records in digital form, as opposed to analog • used to accomplish, support, help activities requiring information

19. Concentration I will concentrate here on eBooks in some depth recognizing that there are other digital information resources of great importance for library users of all generations – I will mention them only

20. And now from print books (pBooks) onto electronic books (eBooks) • No sculpture, yet, commemorating eBooks • But eBooks are the fastest & most massive globally spreading books in book history • e.g. a virtual fair July, 4 to Aug. 4, 2010 , featuring over 3,000,000 eBooks; org. by World Public Library - Michael Hart (Gutenberg Project) Book sculpture - commemorating invention of modern printingWalk of ideas, Berlin

21. Libraries as producers – first generation Digitization A few examples from many British Library Online Gallery – 30,000 items Gallica, bibliothèque numérique Bibliothèque nationale de France 1.2 mill. items, 192,000 books Biblioteca Digital Hispánica Biblioteca Nacional de España 28,000 items • Globally great many libraries digitized books from own collection • Many are rare, historical, classics • opened treasures to public – well received • But all together relatively small in numbers • Subsidized

22. Mass digitization projects – second generation Pioneered Major projects Project Gutenberg first, gave ideas to all about 140,000 books Million Book Project global cooperation about 1.7 mill. books Google Books largest; international many libraries & even countries cooperate about 12 mill. books • Industrial scale of eBook digitization • innovative • applications of technologies • a number of partnerships with libraries • Raised many issues & disagreements • Global reach & involvement

23. Next generation: Interaction in eBooks Major innovation pBooks vs. eBooks Interactive capabilities embedded within eBooks provide clear & even huge advantages over pBooks • Adding potential for interaction is a giant step in evolution of eBooks • using dynamic web vs. static scanned displays • makes eBooks into something else – Web 2.0 • Many geared toward digital natives

24. Vendors (aggregators) What? Who? Large, universal ones taking the role of super-bookstores with some interactivity Smaller, more specialized, aimed at specific markets, topics particularly libraries & similar institutions many most innovative, lots of interactivity • Bring together eBooks from different sources & publishers & make it available to libraries & others • Some do it via specific software or apps • Provide books by subscription, license, payment, and free

25. Sample of vendors … all online only Giants with global reach Specialized or niche ebrary“get the most out of your digital content.” Several interactive capabilities for eBooks ClassZone– large global text book publisher turned to eBooks. Extensive interactive e-texts for middle & high schools geared toward digital natives. interactive learning: “Textbooks come to life.” They became the way for libraries to get & manage e-resources of all kinds • Amazon –a super store & bookstore, e- & pBooks • mid 2010: for every 100 pBooks sold, 180 eBooks were sold • iBooks – Apple repeating the music formula to books, somedigitized heritage books (e.g. Project Gutenberg) + current; many for digital natives (While we do not call them “vendors” or “aggregators” that is what they are)

26. Example of ebrary interactive display & link tools for books (InfoTools) • InfoTools links to other resources • If selected El Niño from a text it will show: • define – show a dictionary definition • explain – show encyclopedia, • locate – maps • who – biography, Wikipedia • search – all kinds of sources incl. images, video • create note – note taking

27. ClassZone example of an interactive biology text for high school

28. Libraries and eBooks Digitized old(er) books Newly published Support modernity current demands Why buy or license? provide innovative services possible for multi locations circulate as other books go with digital natives for some no alternative • Support tradition, culture • enlarge collection • attract interest for “buried” treasures • provide resources for education, scholarship • Major political point for justifying subsidy • Many libraries have a large number

29. eBook advantages for libraries Operations Access 24/7 from anyplace but often restricted to own users (university, city) High demand books easily managed pBook= single concurrent user; eBook = many Merges with other services – print, audio, video • Can’t be stolen, lost, mis-shelved • Automatic circulation • No additional space • Management easier • software from vendors • Circulated as other books Very popular with users, particularly digital natives

30. eBook disadvantages for libraries Economics Balancing With print collection still the major part for all libraries Still a good proportion of users are not there yet – digital divide • Lots of €€€, $$$ … • Funding a challenge • Technology investments still high • New competencies, (re)education needed • for both librarians & users

31. Digital natives and eBooks Digital Tools for reading eBooks Becoming better & ubiquitous devices: Kindle, iPad, Nook software: Adobe Digital Editions ... Integrated with life eBooks are just books to be read anywhere • Part of their universe • young predominate, but not only young • Changing patterns how people read in general • & search for information • But information literacy for great many still low

32. Example of an eBook read by a digital native anywhereAlly reading her book at a football game where her sister was a goalie (score 3:3)

33. Web access Versions of libraries –bricks & clicks Library as physical place Library as virtual space Digital space/place digital collection access tools – quite different Interaction beyond searching & browsing Virtual access to organized digital resources any place Prisoner of technology • Physical building • physical collection, tools • social, collaborative, learning places for users • Physical access to organized materials in the place • Prisoner of physicality Great many libraries are hybrid

34. Access dramatically different Physical place Virtual space

35. Use dramatically different Physical Virtual Users can be anywhere virtual visits & use of great many libraries greater now But dependent on library Web site use up use d own • Users have to be there • Ambience has to be fostered

36. Library Web pages: where users meet the library • Good design absolutely critical for effective use Major design criteria For digital natives Functional, clear, appealing, utilitarian aesthetics & graphics Flexibility, efficiency in use Expected high usability • User-centered design • needs, wants, & limitations of end users are given extensive attention • organized by user tasks, frequency, characteristics • search made clear • Valid for all kinds of users For many libraries: a new world

37. Example of a dynamic library web site - Denver Public Library

38. Leads to getting the selected eBook from NetLibrary, a vendor

39. Example of a teen library web site - Denver Public Library

40. Example of a children library web site - Denver Public Library

41. Example of a US public library web site in Spanish - Denver Public Library

42. OverDrive : Example of a vendor providing variety of resources & apps for libraries, schools etc. for access & variety of users, digital natives included

43. University of California : Example of a site offering multiple browsing choices; brings together over 150 institutions – very popular in schools

44. Example of a township & high school interactive site, Springfield, Pennsylvanian

45. Among others it leads to this site where kids can click on their choice

46. Gale : Example of a vendor, providing mobile apps for students (& others) to download on their devices to access their library & Gale resources

47. What do we mean? Contemporary approach: Digital literacy Information literacy Ability to locate, understand, use & evaluate information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources using a computing device for problem solving, decision making, learning, even enjoying Informa-tion literacy • Ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks effectively • A person’s ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment • Tech savvy is not automatically digitally literate

48. Goals for information literacy efforts Recognition Competencies Identify potential sources of information Access these sources Evaluate sources & information Organize information Integrate for application, learning • Accurate, trustworthy, verifiable information is basis for intelligent decision making, problem solving, learning Geared toward digital resources & specific audiences, e.g. digital natives

49. Applied in libraries • Online tutorials for given subjects • Online tutorials for given activities • Webinars (Web seminars) • Suggestions on making information literacy courses • Evaluation tools

50. Example of a subject tutorial from a university library