Innovation and Libraries: What’s at the Heart of Libraries?

Speaker: Stephen Abram

Register at http://tinyurl.com/abram-mtl

Can our libraries be more open and innovative? Can we be more open to our users, our communities, to core research processes, to new technologies? Can we be more open to change? How?

What are the technologies that we should be trying and piloting to see if they improve the library's service quality and impact? Which ones are worth investigating?

 What is happening in the economy?

 Are there different ways to build community or to attract new community segments?

Stephen Abram is an inveterate library watcher and strategic technology for libraries futurist. In this session he shares the top technologies that we should consider for innovation. What value does the library offer in these changing times?

Speaker:

Stephen Abram is a recovering librarian having received his MLS in 1980.

He is entering a 12-step program as an association junkie. He is a past President of the Canadian Library Association but he has endured the presidencies of local, provincial, and international associations. In January 2010, Stephen became Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Markets for Gale Cengage.

Stephen was listed by Library Journal as one of the top 50 people influencing the future of libraries and has received numerous honours.

He holds audiences hostage for about 150 speeches a year. He writes all or parts of 6 books a year, posts thousands of blog postings and writes about 36 articles a year. He is nuts and doesn't sleep. His columns appear in Information Outlook and Multimedia and Internet @ Schools, and SirsiDynix OneSource and he is the author of ALA Editions 2007 bestseller, Out Front with Stephen Abram. He blogs at the popular Stephen's Lighthouse. He has two children in university and is therefore quite broke. He spent a week in Italy on holiday this past August apologizing to his wife.

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When:

Tuesday, April 6, 2010, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm

(Registration starts at 5:30 pm; program starts at 6:00 pm)

Where:

McGill Faculty Club, 3450 McTavish Street, Heritage Room

Register at http://tinyurl.com/abram-mtl

Cost: 

• CLA Members: $15 
• CLA Student Members: $5
  
• CLA Members New Professionals (working in the field for less than 2 years): $10
  
• Non-Members: $25
  
• Student Non-Members: $10
  
• Personal Members of Other Associations (SLA, OLA, ABQLA, etc): $20
  

Payment by cash or cheque will be taken at the door. Invoices can be arranged in advance of the event by e-mailing caslis.govlib@gmail.com 

For more information, please contact caslis.govlib@gmail.com 

Scent-Free Event – In consideration of those with allergies and respiratory problems, this is a scent-free event. Participants are asked to use unscented products in lieu of scented toiletries and detergents, and to refrain from wearing perfumes and colognes.