Peter Bromberg's Presentation

I'm glad I got the chance to see Peter Bromberg's lecture about staying relevant in changing times. He is an excellent speaker and I found the material very relevant to what we are learning in 550.

I especially enjoyed the piece about the exponential speed of change. I had never thought of the pace of technology in terms like that before, but it's absolutely true. The speed at which technology is changing the world is incredible. Certain technologies are going from current to obsolete in no time at all. Of course this poses certain issues for a library trying to stay on top of the latest technological trends. Having the introduction to Web 2.0 in the class was great, but there is still a lot more that I feel I should be familiar with. Also, while being familiar with all this is great, Web 2.0 is so dynamic that even in 6 months, it will be different than it is now.

Which brings me to the main lesson taken from Peter Bromberg's talk. Change will happen, and the library needs to be able to stay on top of it. Bromberg talked about how libraries need to reinvent themselves and change the way they are perceived by the public. The stereotypes that surround the library now, as a place for storing books with the librarians being the "gatekeepers" of information, are outdated and no longer needed in today's society. As librarians, we need to be creative in finding new roles in our communities. Yes, we will still have books and be able to help patrons find information, but we need to do more than that. Becoming a center for social and learning events and the community is the future of the library, whether it is offering classes on the newest technologies, creating gaming competitions or events, or just having knitting or book clubs. People are looking for interaction and connection to their communities. They want to be involved, to be able to share, and be a part of something. That's is the direction we are moving in, and we need to not be afraid to get there.