Connected! Observations on Libraries, Information Technology and Our Preferred Future Michael Ridley Chief Librarian University of Guelph

“When simple change becomes transformational change, the desire for continuity becomes a dysfunctional mirage.” The Mirage of Continuity (1999) Hawkins & Battin

Steve Mann - Cyborg

Collaborative, computer mediated reality The future of the human is the cyborg The “always on” Internet

service equity of access privacy democracy rationalism intellectual freedom literacy and learning stewardship

Interactive! Empowering! Information rich! Reflective? Knowledge poor? Way cool! Control? Way cool!

Building Community in the Virtual World “The library of the future will combine a managed place with a managed digital space.” Agora Project Proposal (University of East Anglia)

Transformational change Revolutionary impact Evolutionary implementation

Understanding a Key Problem: The Electronic Piñata

Paul Saffo Institute for the Future “The future belongs to neither the conduit or content players, but to those who control the filtering, searching and sense-making tools we will rely on to navigate through the expanses of cyberspace.” sense-makingsearching filtering,

Towards the Digital Library

From Database/Repository to Environment (Managed Digital Space) Seamless (fully integrated with digital learning and research; beyond?) Community (resources, people, interaction, process, activities, services) Omnipresent (it will be wherever the users are) Dynamic & Organic (the users will construct it as much as we will)

From Information Management to Knowledge Management Explicit & Tacit Knowledge (beyond recorded information) Coherence & Sense Making (value added outcomes and benefits) People Centric (a focus on understanding not just data) Trusted Information Systems (status, reputation, influence, impact)

Wireless Communication (whenever, wherever, right now) From People Finding Information to Information Finding People Intelligent Agents Personal Information Systems (discovery, assistance, utility) Smart Information (telemetry, propagation) Managing People’s Interests (trusted information systems) Control (users not systems)

Key challenge to the legal basis of libraries Contract law vs. copyright law Private rights vs. public rights Copyright & Intellectual Property

Copyright Act WIPO GATS WTO TRIPS UCITA International law Global trade Trans-national Corporations

Copyright in a Digital Environment The Bottom Line: Digital resources are not covered by existing Copyright law nor by institutional CANCOPY agreements.

$ Inflation Currency devaluation Support for libraries dropping New budget responsibilities (esp. IT) $ $$ $ $ $

226% increase in the cost of a journal 192% increase in journals expenditures 7% fewer journals purchased 17% fewer monographs purchased 0% 150% 250% -50%

$ from print to electronic sustaining legacy & digital collections & services $ local & collaborative spending $ more, more more $

Words that Cause Apoplexy in Librarians “Its all on the Internet … …. and for free!”

So Now What? The Innovation Agenda Resurgence of the Public Good Scholarly Publishing Ontario Digital Library Why am I so unbearably optimistic?

Innovation Agenda Links to Library vendor databases More than political posturing Real investments in knowledge economy Libraries as a key component Trend #1

Examples Canada Foundation for Innovation Industry Canada - Indirect cost of research $200M ($400M base in 2003?) Ontario Innovation Trust

Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP) 64 universities $50M Project $20M from Canada Foundation for Innovation Transformational consortial purchasing

What has CNSLP provided? significant acquisition of information resources rigorous & advantageous procurement process model license agreement proof of concept (national consortial purchasing)

Information Resources Acquired ~700 full text journals (chemistry, physics, general science & technology, engineering, health, environment, economics, law & social sciences) 2 full text reviewing journals (mathematics) 3 citation indexes (covering ~8,500 journals in arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences)

26%

Issues for CNSLP growing the project: investing and buying more sustainability beyond CFI funding additional discipline areas: social sciences, humanities, health care

Resurgence of the Public Good Links to Library vendor databases Social change “Gift” economy Libraries as a key component Trend #2

Civic Duty Global Perspective Tenacious Optimistic about the Future Realistic about the Present

Scholarly Publishing Links to Library vendor databases Reclaiming scholarship Coordinated political action Libraries as a key component Trend #3

The Copyright Forum collaboration of associations representing the user community preserve concept of copyright by including digital resources maintain existing exceptions for educational institutions

Ontario Digital Library Links to Library vendor databases Bridges rather than boundaries Collaboration and cooperation Access and equity Innovation Trend #4

What is the ODL? A digital network of information services and resources A partnership of all libraries in Ontario (university, college, public and school) A service for all Ontario citizens

What are the Benefits? Province wide consortial licensing of information resources Innovative, collaborative services supporting access and use Technological support (standards & interfaces) Training (technical and information literacy) For Libraries?

What are the Benefits? One local point of entry to quality, electronic information resources and services Resources and services that are credible, available and adaptable Equitable access from anywhere in Ontario For Users?

Strengthening the Local Library

The School Library The College Library The Public Library The University Library The Shared Ontario Digital Library Infrastructure (resources & services) The Hospital Library

What are the Challenges? Focus on benefits to the users Build and sustain library collaboration Maintain government attention Increase real investments

Next Steps for the ODL? business plan ($200K) –Requested by MTCU –Consultation & commitment implementation ($50M over 3 years) fully operational ($50M annually)

“When simple change becomes transformational change, the desire for continuity becomes a dysfunctional mirage.” The Mirage of Continuity (1999) Hawkins & Battin

W. David Penniman, Dean, School of Informatics University at Buffalo, SUNY “To remain what it is, the library must change… it will not remain what it is.” if it does not change,

Connected! Observations on Libraries, Information Technology and Our Preferred Future Michael Ridley Chief Librarian University of Guelph (519) x2181