Roy using a quote/concept that I’m going to use in my presentation (grrr):

• Then: Users built workflow around libraries
• Now: Library must build services around user workflow

Discovery happens elsewhere…

Roy mentioning some prominent web services:

• Google
• Amazon
• Digg
• etc.

Noting that:

• Scale matters
• Spread matters

a.k.a Concentation and Diffusion

Roy looking back to the time when cataloguers created bib metadata on cards, which could be distributed around libraries.

Roy telling an anecdote how he decided to put ‘Rolling Stones’ under ‘Rock Music’ rather than ‘Music, Pop’ – but that when he did this, only his local library benefited.

We now have the ability to share records – but still we create local records, so changes we make still only deliver local benefit.

If we pushed data back into a global system (Worldcat of course in this context, but the point stands), then we can share that benefit.

The benefits of ‘concentation’

• Search results ranking
  • Holding data – the number of libraries holding a book says something about ‘importance’ (I think this is true, but Roy’s example of ‘the more libraries, the more important’ I’m not convinced about – there is an issue with ‘ant trails’ here – that is if we all ‘follow the leader’ or the strongest path, there is a risk we don’t explore other potentially useful/better avenue)
  • Usage data
• Recommendations of related books (a la LibraryThing)
• User contributed content
• …

WorldCat Identities is an example of the data mining possibilities of a large aggregation

Steve Museum a good example of user contributed data enhancing a collection

‘Switching service’ – allows you to move from one piece of information to another – Roy uses an example of moving from a blog post (via http link) to a book in Worldcat, to a local library record. Noting the ‘last link’ is missing – no option on his local library homepage to ‘send this to me’. If libraries did this – they would ‘so rock’ 😉

Benefits of ‘diffusion’

• Library holding syndicated into places where people are found (e.g. Google)
• Small libraries can play in big spaces
• The more paths to your content the better

Examples of integration of links to library resources – in web pages, in wikipedia etc.

• Concentation
  • Webscale presence
  • Mobilize data
• Diffusion
  • Disclosure of links, data and services