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Boston, April 6-7, 2010 at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media

A one-and-one-half day convening (Wed. afternoon/evening, all day Thursday) preceeding the National Conference for Media Reform (Fri-Sun) in Boston. Location: Cambridge, Mass., at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media, Bartos Theatre and Building E15 Lower Atrium .

CO-SPONSORS

Journalism That Matters, the MIT Center for Future Civic Media, the American Library Association, the Media Giraffe Project and the New England News Forum.

GOAL/CONVENING QUESTION

To develop the concept of libraries as community information centers beyond books and facilitating citizen journalism. Librarians want to expand public access to accurate information, particularly local news. So do journalists. Each is facing diminishing resources.

How can libraries, educational institutions and reporters/editors collaborate using the web to foster the values, principles and purposes of journalism?

BACKGROUND DATA

(First two bullets excerpted from an Oct. 3, 2010 Associated Press story available at the USAToday website.)

• The latest national data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services show that library visits and circulation climbed nearly 20% from 1999 to 2008. Since then, experts say, technology has continued to drive in-person visits, circulation and usage.
  
• Now, the digital sphere is expanding: 82% of America's more than 16,000 public libraries have Wi-Fi up from 37% four years ago, according to the American Library Association. A growing number of libraries are launching mobile websites and smart-phone applications.
  
• The John S. & James L. Knight Foundation is backing initiatives to improve information access via libraries. The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities includes a specific recommendation about libraries and makes repeated references to them. Followup research for the commission cites the increasing civic-information role of libraries.
  
• In Oakland, Calif., the legal daily newspaper partnered with the city and the West Oakland Public Library to install a community-news center. PDF-DOWNLOAD BACKGROUNDER
  
• The Seattle/Puget Sound Civic Communications Commons cites the "vital work of libraries as conveners, connectors, and providers of information and civic space," in its convening work.
• A 2007 study by the Pew Center found that Young adults are heaviest library users, even though they are also on the web.The Pew Internet and American Life Project and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted the study jointly. One anecdotal finding: Libraries are increasingly creating social spaces within their walls. Pew's Lee Rainie tracks and speaks on library usage.

See also: "The Role of Libraries in the Digital Age," (Pew/Lee Rainie), and the RESEARCH DATASET.

COLLABORATORS SO FAR

Collaborators so far: Andrew Whitacre and Lorrie LeJeune (MIT C4FCM), Fabrice Florin (NewsTrust), Marsha Iverson (ALA board and King County libraries), Library Leadership & Management Assn. (LLMA); Leigh Montgomery (Christian Science Monitor librarian); Patrick Phillips (Vineyard Voice), Joe Bergantino (New England Center for Investigative Reporting); Bill Densmore, (New England News Forum/Media Giraffe Project).

SUGGESTED SCHEDULE

Wednesday -- Convene for afternoon networking session about 3 p.m. on Wed., April 6. Buffet supper at MIT, then an evening panel/program. Thursday -- Continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m.; program start at 9 a.m., run through 5 p.m. with snack breaks and box lunch. Birds-of-a-feather Dutch Treat (you pay) dinner arrangements facilitated.

SUGGESTED COST

• Wed/Thurs. -- $75.00
• Thurs. no lunch -- $45.00
• Thurs. inc. lunch -- $60.00

Inclusive registration with Free Press

(includes Wed.-Sunday)

• Through Jan. 14: $175.00. (we pay FP $100)
• After Jan. 14: $225.00 (we pay FP $150)

EXAMPLES OF INTEREST

"The Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) at the ALA Washington Office is working on a policy brief on the evolving newspaper industry and the implications for libraries. In a number of communities, the ability of newspapers to provide local community information is declining. At the same time, informal sources of local information are rapidly increasing. What are libraries doing to foster improved access to community information in the context of these changes?"

ALA-cited issues:

• Empowering patrons to create their own news and media at the grassroots level. Such endeavors might include enhancing patrons’ skills in creating do-it-yourself forms of media using technology tools and resources available at the library
• Generating news-like content via community documentation projects hosted at a library
• Partnering with other like-minded organizations to create news collectives, non-profits, or citizen journalism projects

LINK TO OITP'S QUESTIONS

SPACES SHOWN

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(Atrium is bigger than photo suggests)

MISCELLANEOUS LINKS

• Topix.net RSS feed for library news
• Washington Post speaker sees libraries/news link (Dec. 2009)