Kat Allen, business development director for Internet Librarian International, gives us a preview of what to expect from this year’s conference…
When asked what’s the best thing about working in the library profession, R. David Lankes – this year’s opening keynote speaker at Internet Librarian International – has no hesitation in replying: “Librarians”. This sums up the appeal of Internet Librarian International (ILI) for many – it’s straight-talking, approachable, and all about the librarians and information professionals who come from some 30 countries to exchange ideas, swap stories, and share best practice.
David Lankes is a professor and the Dean’s Scholar on New Librarianship at Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, where he is also director of the library science programme, and director of the Information Institute of Syracuse. His book The Atlas of New Librarianship (winner of the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the best book in library literature) outlines his vision for a ‘new librarianship’ which focuses on knowledge creation and learning.
“In my keynote presentation, I will be talking about how our libraries should act as platforms for community learning and innovation,” he says. “Our spaces, our services, and our collections are tools that a good librarian orchestrates to allow the community to dream and achieve its aspirations. While it sounds pretty abstract, I’ll be giving plenty of examples of where libraries have succeeded by opening up operations and ideas to the community.
“Instead of containing the service oriented expertise of librarians in a building or focused on a collection,” he continues, “librarians can now go out into the community – a city, a university, a school, a business – and engage in their original mission of improving society through facilitating knowledge creation”.
The keynote speaker on Day 2 will provide a different perspective on the future of libraries. In September, Roly Keating took up his new position as Chief Executive of The British Library. His background is in broadcasting and at the leading edge of digitisation, having been the BBC’s first ever Director of Archive Content, and a former Controller of BBC Two. While at the BBC, he developed and implemented the BBC’s digital strategy for its programme library. At ILI, Roly Keating will discuss how the digital revolution is opening up enormous opportunities for the British Library, enabling large parts of the national collection to be widely shared both within the UK and globally, for the digital unification of ancient manuscripts separated across continents, and for increased collaboration between researchers.
Under the conference theme ‘Re-imagine, renew and reboot’, the event is organised into ten tracks. These include:
Rethinking Technology includes sessions on gamification in the library, augmented reality, and cloud based information services. In a session entitled ‘Working with developers’, Stephanie Taylor of Critical Eye Communications will explore the work and culture of developers, helping info pros to build mutual trust and understanding in order to develop the services we need.
Rethinking Service Innovation will explore future planning and new models, extending your user base, and going mobile. Helen Clegg will talk about how the Knowledge Team at A. T Kearney re-invented their service offering to internal and external customers.
Rethinking Marketing and Performance looks at new ways of analysing services and users. Jennifer Perkins will talk about how the London Legacy Development Corporation had to quickly mobilise to take over London’s Olympic Park, developing IT and information services from scratch using data mapping and other tools and processes to identify user requirements. Aaron Tay of the National University of Singapore will talk about how to use memes to market your library, and Gary Green of Surrey County Council will talk about using free online tools to help users share information and spread marketing messages.
Rethinking Roles focuses on the developing library and information profession, as it splinters into many subspecialties and skill sets. In her talk ‘Ready for Take-Off‘, Jeanine Deckers will reveal how some Dutch librarians reinvented library roles and services by deciding to take the library to the people – by opening The Airport Library at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
Coming back to David Lankes’ point, a highlight of ILI is always the conversations and connections that take place. As always, there are plenty of occasions for delegates to get to know one another over lunch, a drink or a coffee. And the sponsor showcase – bigger than ever before – provides an opportunity to chat with publishers and vendors of library solutions and services in an informal atmosphere.
We’re thrilled that once again SLA Europe will be presenting a Networking Reception for ILI delegates and SLA Europe members, generously sponsored by EBSCO, on Monday 29 October from 18.30 – 20.30 at the Hilton Olympia hotel.
I look forward to seeing you there!
Discounts for SLA members
SLA has negotiated a 20% discount for SLA members registering with the discount code SLA20.
Further Information:
Internet Librarian International 2012
30 & 31 October
Workshops 29 October
Olympia Conference Centre, London, UK
E: