What do customers want in online catalogues?

A new OCLC study looks at Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want
http://www.oclc.org/reports/onlinecatalogs/default.htm
The study compares what librarians consider important in a catalogue record and what users consider important.

The Changing Economic Landscape

From the creative economy visionary, Richard Florida, a view of how the crash of 2008 will transform cities and regions.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903/meltdown-geography

Generations Online 2009

A new Pew report looks at the online lifestyles of all generations.
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/275/report_display.asp

Third Generation Public Libraries

Third Generation Public Libraries: The Ontario Ministry of Culture commissioned this report to assist with updating its policy framework for supporting public libraries. The report examines how visionary thinking and services could apply to Ontario’s public libraries by 2020.

http://www.culture.gov.on.ca/english/library/newman_study.htm

Ontario in the Creative Age

Report on how Ontario can prosper in the ongoing global economic transformation.
http://martinprosperity.org/research-and-publications/publication/ontario-in-the-creative-age-project

We are moving to an economy that values people’s creativity, especially analytical and social intelligence skills. Libraries provide opportunities for people to engage and develop their full creative talents, and invest in life-long learning and skill development.

On the Horizon

The 2009 Horizon Report identifies and describes six areas of emerging technology likely to have a significant impact on teaching, learning, or creative expression in higher education within three adoption horizons: a year or less, two to three years, and four to five years.The areas of emerging technology cited for 2009 are:
• Mobiles (i.e., mobile devices) - one year or less
• Cloud computing - one year or less
• Geo-everything (i.e., geo-tagging) - 2 to 3 years
• The personal web - 2 to 3 years
• Semantic-aware applications - 4 to 5 years
• Smart objects - 4 to 5 years
http://connect.educause.edu/Library/ELI/2009HorizonReport/48003?time=1233509699

Libraries emerge as new town squares

In a report on 10 Trends Shaping the Future of Our Communities, the Project for Public Spaces identifies libraries as places that foster a sense of community and offer a unique gathering place.

"Librarians represent a newly emerging force for placemaking. They already provide a resource center for their communities, but many of them are now pushing to turn their libraries into civic centers that foster a sense of community and offer a unique gathering place. Many librarians now envision their facilities as both virtual and literal town squares for their neighborhoods and downtowns. "
http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/Ten_Trends_Shaping_the_Future_of_Our_Communities/trends4_7#