Kick It! Opening Session of NCLA

NCLA 2009 has opened up with a pretty awesome speaker. Probably one of the best plenary speakers I've seen in a while. Keith Michaels Fiels, the ALA Executive Director, stopped by to talk about the future of libraries.

Here are just a few notes from the session:

• We need to be careful in our predictions because "attempts to predict the future can accidentally create it", especially if we assume dire outcomes.
• Library 2.0 is already passe. Social networking tools must be dealt with to work with our patrons
• No matter how many changes, we will always have tech haves and have nots. We need to keep those differences in mind.
• Statistics show 1/2 of all employers only accept applications online. Post-katrina experience with online FEMA forms demonstrate necessity of libraries to the community.
• "Technology is no longer installing software and turning it on." Librarians are necessary to work with patrons and assist them in using tech.

Libraries play key role in several ways

1. Helping the disenfranchised
2. We reflect the diversity of our communities
3. Preserving 1st amendment rights of library users. We need to be advocates for privacy.
4. Continue to fight to preserve access to information! EPA libraries experience demonstrates ALA's power to preserve access.
5. Continue to attract the best and brightest especially in light of changes in libraries.
6. We need to reach out to other countries to help and to learn from them.

Problems with funding may make us assume that we are powerless, but "We can fight back. We can succeed." Advocacy works and can be learned. What can we do?

• We need to plan for the future.
• We need to assert our role in education because libraries are other half of education system.
• We need to use the growing body of documentation showing the value of the library.
• We need to do better job involving public. "I Love Libraries" website designed for the public.
• We need to increase public awareness of importance. Use media outlets to advertise libraries.
• We must stick together at state and national level. ALA membership return on investment is astounding.
• "Put some skin in the game". Our membership in associations provides for public awareness and advocacy.

Can libraries survive?

He maintains that "those who create libraries without walls tend to create libraries without money." But we need to remember that libraries are busier than ever because people come to libraries for more than what the computer can provide.

To close he maintained that "we need to keep in mind that we hold the future and we will create the next generation of libraries".