'Libraries of the future' debate at Oxford's Bodleian Library
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In his blog, Professor Peter Murray-Rust, a speaker at this upcoming debate, expresses serious concern at the apathy he senses amongst university librarians in their failure to engage with the issues that will seriously affect them as we advance into the digital age.
In his pre-event discussions concerning this forthcoming debate, using avenues such as blog posts, Twitter and FriendFeed, Murray-Rust concludes: ‘I'm left with the overwhelming impression that the community is now past caring about the future of the library'.
A response to Murray-Rust's blog, from a student of librarianship and potential ‘librarian of the future' herself, thanks Peter ‘for shaking [her] out of a comfort zone which it's so easy to fall into'.
Hosted by the Bodleian's Librarian and Director Dr Sarah Thomas and JISC executive secretary Dr Malcolm Read, the Bodleian debate will explore what the library is now, and what it potentially needs to become in order to support knowledge, innovation and society for the future.
The key challenges for consideration include:
• The new skills that will be required for libraries to remain relevant and visible;
• Developing and promoting public, private and cross-institutional partnerships; and
• How to meet the increasingly diverse needs of the changing user base.
This Bodleian event – the University of Oxford's main research library – will be accompanied by a rich and varied online presence. It will be live video streamed, blogged online and has a Twitter presence (tag #LOTF09), in order for its messages, themes and discussion to reach the widest possible audience. Podcasts and footage will be available for download after the event.
The international panel of speakers comprises:
• Dr Sarah Thomas, the Bodleian Librarian and Director
• Chris Batt OBE, former head of the MLA and Head of Chris Batt Consulting
• Peter Murray-Rust, Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics, Cambridge
• Santiago de la Mora, European Partnerships Lead, Books - Google UK Ltd
• Robert Darnton, Harvard University Librarian
• Vincent Gillespie, J.R.R. Tolkien Professor of English Literature and Language
Register online http://www.jisc-events.co.uk/
Find links and feeds at the JISC Libraries of the Future homepage.
http://jisc/whatwedo/campaigns/librariesofthefuture.aspx
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