Overview

1. STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE – THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS AND COMPETENCIES IN A COMPETITIVE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENTElisabeth Simon Strokovno posvetovanje ZBDS 2009»KNJIŽNIČARJI IN KNJIŽNICE: DODANA VREDNOST OKOLJU«Maribor, 6.- 8. oktober 2009

2. Overview • Introduction • Traditional fieldsoflibrarianship • BoundariesandCooperation • Controlling and Impact oflibraryservices • Workshops forthe Future Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

3. Introduction • A young assistant librarian said: “Library, that was years ago a place for women with a bun and a woollen cardigan, who were sitting in the neon lightening checking books out.” http://www.spiegel.de/schulspiegel/abi/0,1518,635820,00.html • e.g. Prof. Umstätter opinion in the discussion list INETBIB: “It seems as if the author of this article has not visited during her time (10 years ago) many libraries. But this observance is certainly well and progressively meant.” http://www.inetbib.de/whatisinetbib.html Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

4. Introduction • Changes in the professional market and influences on librarianship and information provision • showing in the autobiography of Prof. Walther Umstätter “Zwischen Informationsflut und Wissenswachstum” • e.g. “America House Library” in Berlin Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

5. Introduction • Directions of influencing the field of librarianship: • Certain fields which are tied to the base of the profession and will in the whole not change. • Strategies from the past time, which have to change totally according to social, political and technological changes due to a dramatically changing environment. • Challenging tasks for librarians to decide what changes are anticipated or only superficial Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

6. Traditional fields of librarianship • Libraries will disappear with the development of the internet, search machines and open access. or • Libraries will appear in new ways • “libraries without walls and bonds – libraries with access all over the time at any place” • e.g. “Dussmann - das KulturKaufhaus“ • but also the good old book, literary, festivals etc. are in fashion • e.g. “Lauschen und Lesen” – a literary festival at Berlin (organ. by Assoc.) Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

7. Traditional fields of librarianship • Evaluation of information has to be educated to use the internet for acquiring knowledge • Information evaluation requires technical skills and is topping the difficulties for drawing the right information from an ever growing pool of information supply • Competition between libraries and new partners for promotion of books, reading and literacy • Libraries need new strategies, new judgement of the situation and necessary future requirements s. Wolfgang Kaiser “Diversity Management”, who promotes new management structures including representatives from all strata of the population Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

8. Boundaries and Cooperation • Libraries searching for new ideas, new strategies and new services to overcome the financial dangers • e.g. LoC – Service • Libraries are not stand alone institutions • Library work is in its core competence social work: • Integration factor for immigrants and services for those with an immigrant background s. Schulz, Manuela: Soziale Bibliotheksarbeit and Kabo, Maria: Die Bibliothek als Integrationsfaktor Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

9. Boundaries and Cooperation • Boundaries of libraries may be the greatest obstacles to their future development • Discussion about stopping digital divide = • Discussion about the boundaries of libraries who sometimes neglect the chance to be an institution for a future flexible society s. Ratzek/ Simon: Promotion of economy and advantages by information services: the underestimated potential of libraries Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

10. Boundaries and Cooperation • Libraries may become an important factor in developing the region as well economically as well socially. • Activities of libraries should be aiming at the environment of the library and the impact on their communities • Cooperate! • e.g. schools, teaching institutions, commercial sector • e.g. consortia • Library laws • e.g. North Rhine Westphalia, Thuringia and Saxony • the demand for cooperation is to create a “win-win situation” Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

11. Controlling and Impact of library services • project “Library 2007” (BIB – German professional association) • model for better communication • lacking and not successful • real task and offices of libraries: • the necessity of libraries for modern society is obvious. • Libraries are centered around the non partisan way of information provision. • Libraries manage the vast and endless information and you can trust them. Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

12. Controlling and Impact of library services • The short version of the “21 reasons for a good library service” by R. Strzolka: • 1. Libraries are part of the social network. • 2. Libraries promote education / are educational institutions. • 3. Libraries are economical institutions. • Networking • Education • Libraries are a bridge between printed and electronic information • Library politics has not developed a strategy how to play a part in all these fields Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

13. Workshops for the Future • Library convention at Erfurt May, 2009 • Zukunftswerkstatt • Round Table • Library convention 2010 “Knowledge of the people and Libraries in the 21st century: International, intercultural and interactive.”  develop a new and necessary structure of library service Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future

14. Contact Simon Verlag für Bibliothekswissen Riehlstr. 13 14057 Berlin Tel. +49 / 030 / 3216281 Fax +49 / 030 / 24032105 E-Mail to info@simon-bibliothekswissen.de Website: www.simon-bw.de Elisabeth Simon Strategies for the Future