Biblionews

BiblioNews.org -- Beyond Books: News, Literacy and Democracy and America's Libraries

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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: Bartos Theatre, MIT Center for Future Civic Media, Media Lab Building E15, Lower Atrium, 25 Carleton St., Cambridge MA 02142.

CO-SPONSORS

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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.

n 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?

Libraries and legacy media always shared a common purpose -- helping us acquire the information we need to be engaged, informed (and entertained) citizens. But they used different tools -- newspapers, broadcast stations and books. Now they all share the web, information technology and increasingly a mission -- fostering civic engagement and literacy.

As the tools and mission converge, it's time to ask: "What's possible at the intersection of libraries and journalism that serves the information needs of communities and democracy?"

We chose those dates -- a Wednesday evening and full day on Thursday -- because that's immediately before the National Conference for Media Reform (NCMR), also in Boston. And you can register once for Beyond Books and be cross-registered to NCMR -- for one package price of only $175 between now and Feb. 28 -- almost four days of sessions and networking!

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

How might public, university and school libraries expand their role as community information centers to inspire and perhaps equip citizens who want to practice and support 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.

EARLY COLLABORATORS

Collaborators so far(alpha order): Joe Bergantino (New England Center for Investigative Reporting), Jessica Durkin (New America Foundation fellow), Mike Fancher (RJI / Seattle Times-retired), Fabrice Florin (NewsTrust), Marsha Iverson (ALA board and King County libraries), Library Leadership & Management Assn. (LLMA), Alan Inouye (director, Office of Info Tech Policy, ALA), Nancy Kranich (Rutgers Univ., chair ALA Center for Public Life), Lorrie LeJeune and Andrew Whitacre (MIT C4FCM), Leigh Montgomery (Christian Science Monitor librarian), Donna Nicely (Knight Commission/Nashville Public Library), Patrick Phillips (Vineyard Voice), Josh Stearns (FreePress.net), Colin Rhinesmith (Univ. of Illinois), 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.

REGISTRATION FEES/LODGING

• Wed/Thurs. -- $75.00
• Thurs. ONLY -- $50.00

Inclusive registration for the National Conference for Media Reform (April 8-10)

(includes both events, Wed.-Sunday) .

• Through March 1: $175.00 (combines BiblioNews & NCMR)
• After March 1: $225.00 (combines BiblioNews & NCMR)

Lodging Options

The Kendall Hotel, one block from our venue, has reserved until March 6 a block of rooms at $189/night plus taxes and fes for Wednesday or Thursday and $139/night on Friday and Saturday (for participants staying for the NCMR). Both rates include free Internet access, continental breakfast, and a pass to a nearby fitness center. For reservations, please call 1-866-566-1300 or 1-617-577-1300 and ask for the "Biblionews Conference" rate. A credit card must be provided at the time of reservation to secure the booking. The Kendall hotel at the Engine 7 Firehouse / 350 Main St., Cambridge MA 02142.

A negotiated rate of $209/night is pending with the Cambridge Marriott (617-494-6600), two blocks from our meeting place. You will receive a code to access the rate with the email which confirms your registration to participate in BiblioNews. We will post a page with additional lodging options soon.

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
• Topix.net search on "libraries and democracy"
• Washington Post speaker sees libraries/news link (Dec. 2009)
• "The Library in the New Age," (by Robert Darnton, Harvard library director, in the New York Review of Books, June, 2008)
• Libraries and journalism: Why not more connected?
• Libraries, journalism and community informatics (by Taylor Willingham)
• Could we have a national digital library?
• "The Fall and Rise of Libraries," Amanda Korman in The Berkshire Eagle, Jan. 2, 2010 (a)