Libraries in the age of Amazoogle: flattened and turned inside out

1. Libraries in the age of Amazoogle:flattened and turned inside out Lorcan Dempsey OCLC NOWAL meeting. Manchester MetropolitanUniversity 12 July 2005

2. Some context

3. A flat world:coordinates adapted from Friedman A digital platform Computation and communication Reduced friction in workflows ‘Web services’ – communicating applications Streamlined logistics and supply chain Distributed global deep collaboration and sourcing Processes assembled based on cost and efficiency Vertical intra-organizational assembly horizontal interorganizational assembly

4. The web is the information space Amazoogle defines what is ‘on-web’ The texting generation Network workflows emerging to help manage time spent in network The library has to be in those workflows ‘Pool uncertainty’ Libraries do less on their own. A digital platform Reduced friction in workflows Deep collaboration and sourcing

5. Overview A digital space: an appropriate repsonse: thinking about Amazoogle Workflow: library services in the flow Flattening: deep collaboration and sourcing Examples of some OCLC responses

6. Amazoogle

8. Some lessons .. • Data: the advantages of mass • Applications: the advantages of light-weight openness • Experience: rich experiences provided as close to the user as possible

9. … flow and flattening …

10. lab books lab books PDAs PDAs campus portal campus portal learning management systems learning management systems exhibitions exhibitions course materialtext book course materialtext book personal collections personal collections readinglists readinglists Virtual reference Institutional repository Aggregations Digital collections Licensed collections Catalog E-reserve CatalogingILL library user environments resource environment

11. Gather -- create -- share Flecker and McLean. CNI/IMS paper Think about librariesand the environment of learning ….

12. Elgg :: Personal Learning Landscape

13. I suggest that the key strategic challenge for information professionals is that many involved in shaping the future of e-learning do not see the relevance of our content and services to their endeavours. Rebranding is needed to transform “library” and “published” content into “learning tools”. Alicia Wise, CEO, Publishers Licensing Society

14. In the user workflow Integration: resource integration supports integration into user environment Liquid linkable content Workflow as ‘intermediate’ consumer Search engine, CMS, RSS, toolbar, extensions, … No service is the sole focus of user attention Plug into multiple channels for discovery, location, fulfillment, … web services Gather, create, share Search, link, reuse, analyse, chunk, create, Imperative is to release value in the user environment: reduce friction

15. In the user *-flow • Workflow • Learnflow • Commuteflow • Lifeflow • Research flow e.g. • Personal collections and citation chaining • Integration of data and literature

16. Sourcing services • History of cooperative and third party sourcing: • Cataloging • ILL • A&I • What about: • Ratings and recommendation • Digital preservation • Exposing to search engines • Knowledge base for e-resource management • Digitization/storage of print collections • Metadata and content aggregation • Data analysis • Repository • …

17. Deep resource sharing Develop ‘horizontal’ shared services – remove redundancies and build capacity Institutional Enterprise systems Research and learning infrastructure Cultural institutions Jurisdictional California Digital Library DEFF JISC, SURF? Third party Consortial Vendor Issues New processes not well enough defined Third party services underdeveloped Project mentality ‘Vertical’ structures entrenched – within and between institutions Lack of architecture/business model Sourcing options

18. lab books PDAs campus portal learning management systems exhibitions course materialtext book personal collections readinglists Virtual reference Institutional repository Aggregations Digital collections Licensed collections Catalog E-reserve CatalogingILL Flow and flattening: the library in the user environment, Not the user in the library environment. library user environments resource environment Flattening and flow: Flexible assembly of services from multiple sources.

19. A developing responsibility:Institutional intellectual asset management

20. Convergence and dissolving of boundaries • It is not enough just making resources and services available on the network • Have to be integrated into workflows • User workflow • Library workflow • A library will source services within multiple deep collaborative and third-party arrangements • Need to standardize processes • Shared services – institution, interinstitution • More hosted services? • Organizational structures lacking.

21. An example: Open WorldCat • Help libraries mobilize their collective resources • Expose data to search engines • Act as a discovery engine and service router

26. Zero sum game • Libraries need to create value in an environment where: • Requirements are multiplying, but • Funding is not growing. Examples ….

27. A developing research and learning infrastructure Enterprise computing E-learning E-research Money follows use? Institutional collections? Licensed collections? Then … ILS Now …. Repository, Metasearch, E-resource management, resolver, …. Within institution Collections Systems environment

29. OCLC • Help libraries mobilize their collective resources • Some current initiatives: • Open WorldCat • Service discovery and routing on the web • Group catalogue • A service destination • E-Resource management • E-serials holdings service

34. The end …

35. The web is the information space Amazoogle defines what is ‘on-web’ The texting generation Network workflows emerging to help manage time spent in network The library has to be in those workflows ‘Pool uncertainty’ Libraries do less on their own. A digital platform Reduced friction in workflows Deep collaboration and sourcing

36. Thank you! Lorcan http://orweblog.oclc.org/ OCLC Research: http://www.oclc.org/research/