I have finally caught up, rested up, and thought a bit about the fun that was Computers in Libraries 2016. I learned stuff!
Here are my 3 major takeaways from the conference (there were many more takeaways, but these are worth sharing with you guys):
Takeaway #1: The technology landscape has changed. I really noticed this in two areas. Marshall Breeding really drove this home in his Library Technology Industry Update presentation. His presentation highlighted the fact that the library industry is no longer dominated by stand-alone ILS companies. Most of those companies have been bought up by larger corporations, and database companies are becoming major players (ProQuest and EBSCOHost were mentioned).
Takeaway #2: Makerspaces and other geeky gadgets are going mainstream. Well, at least mainstream for a library. Makerspaces were discussed pretty much every day at the conference. In fact, there was a whole conference track dedicated to makerspaces and making! If people weren’t talking about makerspaces specifically, they were talking about more community-focused forms of active, hands-on learning. Very different from books on a shelf.
Takeaway #3: Conferences aren’t just about the sessions. Which I know, but it’s worth repeating. I learned a TON by talking and networking with people – other librarians, some good friends (of course), and some up-and-coming vendors for my library.
If you’re looking for a fun, content-filled library tech and emerging trends-focused conference, think about attending next year’s Computers in Libraries conference (or this fall’s Internet Librarian conference). Yes, they publish my books, and yes, they really are great conferences.
Did you attend? If so – what were YOUR takeaways? Please share!
Image by the awesome Michael Edson