David Lee King

social media | emerging trends | libraries

Emerging Trends at NLA2018

By

Last week, I gave a couple of talks at the Nebraska Library Association 2018 conference. Nicely-done conference! I gave a 3-hour preconference on Emerging Technology Trends for libraries (slides included in this post) and was on a panel focused on neutrality in libraries. No notes from that, but it seemed to go well, and there was a lot of great discussion, different viewpoints, etc.

Anyway – I promised I’d post my slides … so here they are!

Chatbots and Libraries

By

This is my continuing series on emerging technology trends and libraries. This week’s trend explores the world of Chatbots.

What’s a Chatbot? Chatbots are called many things besides just “chatbot.” You might also know them as conversational agents, intelligent chatbots, interactive agents, or talkbots.

Chatbots are pretty much apps that talk back to you (my definition). Here’s a better definition from Wordstream: “… software applications that mimic written or spoken human speech for the purposes of simulating a conversation or interaction with a real person.”

This interaction is mostly done via chat boxes on websites. But they can also be found in call centers. In a call center environment, chatbots take care of very low-level transactions, like changing a password, requesting an account balance, or scheduling an appointment without having to talk to a real person.

The same basic transactions can be handled with a text-based chatbot on a website.

Chatbots use Natural Language Processing, much like virtual assistants such as Google Assistant, or Apple Siri. They attempt to sound (or read) very “real,” so the transaction has a more human feel to it. Very different from a phone tree in a call center or typing answers to questions on a web-based form.

Examples of Chatbots include:

  • Health-based. Some chatbots are used in medical diagnoses, dementia patient monitoring, and basic information gathering.
  • Facebook Messenger and Twitter DMs – these are both good places to see chatbots in action.
  • Chatbots within mobile apps. My bank app has one (Erica in the Bank of America app). The Starbucks app has a chatbot that helps you order coffee. Lyft has one that works with Facebook Messenger and Amazon Echo. Fandango also has a app that works with Facebook Messenger.
  • eBay’s chatbot works with Google Assistant.

Chatbots in the library?

How about having a chatbot for the library? Chatbots answer basic, always-asked questions. A library chatbot could answer a variety of questions, like:

  • Questions about hours, locations, and upcoming events. Maybe it could even capture event registrations.
  • With a good API connection, a chatbot could tell a customer when their books are due, or take fine payment information.
  • Facebook Messenger chatbots. You could build your chatbots to operate within Facebook Messenger. If you get a lot of questions there, it’s definitely something to think about.
  • Chat-based reference. Have a chat-based reference service? It’s very possible your chatbot could answer basic questions, freeing up your staff’s time to answer harder questions or focus on other tasks.

Articles for more information about Chatbots:

Build your own chatbot! Here are a couple of chatbot builder tools to check out (all mostly built on the Facebook Messenger platform):

Does your library use chatbots? Please share!

 

Smart Machines and Libraries

By

a robotLast time, I covered the Internet of Things. Now it’s time for Smart Machines.

What’s a “Smart Machine?” Here’s a good definition, from TechTarget:

A smart machine is a device embedded with machine-to-machine (M2M) and/or cognitive computing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning or deep learning, all of which it uses to reason, problem-solve, make decisions and even, ultimately, take action.

You can lump a LOT of emerging technology into the Smart Machines category. Here are some examples:

  • Robots – from simple tools like the Rumba vacuum cleaner to Amazon Robotics. Amazon is using smart robots in their warehouses for over a year.
  • Conversational Systems – Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Duplex are all examples of conversational systems
  • Automated vehicles – you’ve probably read about self-driving cars in the news. A few companies have experimented with autonomous trucks, and have even made a delivery or two.
  • Smart cars – Cars with touch-screen controls, autopilot, traffic-aware cruise control, and Heads Up Displays (HUD) on windshields.
  • Drones – Amazon, DHL, Walmart, and UPS (among others) are experimenting with drone delivery services.
  • Predictive analytics – Predictive analytics is when a machine or service uses data, algorithms, statistics, and machine learning to identify future needs based on data. For example, my library uses a Nutanix hyperconverged system in our data center. It uses predictive analytics to help us plan for future upgrades.

As you can imagine, Smart Machines are pretty disruptive! Smart Machines will definitely disrupt the job market. Some jobs that will be replaced by smart, automated machines seem pretty obvious, like assembly line and warehouse work. But how about jobs like lawyers, doctors, bartenders, chefs, and journalists? Some people think these types of jobs can also be automated by smart machines.

How do Smart Machines affect libraries?

Well … they already are. Not really “smart” machines – but there are machines already doing human work in libraries. Some larger libraries use robotics to store and retrieve books. My library has an Automated Materials Handling (AMH) machine that speeds up book sorting and returns. We couldn’t do what we do without it!

Self-check kiosks – I’m old enough that I remember library staff pulling out the paper due date card in books and stamping the due date on it. It made a great bookmark … and you could see who had checked out the book last (because for some strange reason, you had to write your name on the card for everyone to see). Now I can use my library’s self-check kiosks and RFID technology to check out books. No lines, no stamps, and no handy due date card bookmarks.

I’ve already mentioned predictive analytics in my library’s data center. How about using predictive analytics to make your collection better? That’s one possibility with OCLC Wise, OCLC’s new ILS system. One goal with OCLC Wise is to use data and analytics to help shape collections.

How about desk shift scheduling? There are a couple of products out there that automate this task. For example, Springshare’s LibStaffer has an auto-scheduler built in. If someone calls in sick, LibStaffer will find a replacement so you don’t have to.

Drone delivery of books? Not there yet! But in 10-20 years? Who knows!

More information about Smart Machines:

Robot pic by Robin Zebrowski

The Internet of Things (IoT) and Libraries

By

I talk a lot about emerging technology trends (hire me to do a workshop!). And sometimes I share that type of stuff here, too.

On that note, I’m starting a new series about emerging trends and libraries. For each post, I’ll cover a trend. I’ll introduce it and give an example or two of what it’s all about. Then I’ll share some thoughts about how that trend affects libraries.

It’ll also get me back on track posting a little more frequently (that’s a goal of mine).

So – for starters, let’s talk about … the Internet of Things, or IoT for short.

What is IoT?

I like this short definition from dictionary.com: “a network of everyday devices, appliances, and other objects equipped with computer chips and sensors that can collect and transmit data through the Internet.”

You can get slightly geekier definitions and descriptions of IoT pretty fast (yay, Google searches!). I like this breakdown of IoT functionality, from Deloitte. They give 5 general types of services that IoT “things” can do:

  1. Internal state: Heartbeat- and ping-like broadcasts of health, potentially including diagnostics and additional status reporting (for example, battery level, CPU/memory utilization, strength of network signal, up-time or software/platform version).
  2. Location: Communication of physical location via GPS, GSM, triangulation or proximity techniques
  3. Physical attributes: Monitoring the world surrounding the device, including altitude, orientation, temperature, humidity, radiation, air quality, noise and vibration
  4. Functional attributes: Higher-level intelligence rooted in the device’s purpose for describing business process or workload attributes
  5. Actuation services: Ability to remotely trigger, change or stop physical properties or actions on the device.

So – objects or “things” with sensors, computer chips, and a web-connected database. That’s what IoT is.

Examples of IoT in action

There are some pretty well-known IoT products that some of you already use, including:

  • Nest Thermostat (and others). These allow you to control your AC from your phone, anywhere that you can connect to the Internet.
  • Smart lights: Same concept, but for lights. You can turn lights on/off from your phone. Phillips Hue is an example of this
  • Bluetooth Trackers – Tile (https://www.thetileapp.com/) is an example of a Bluetooth Tracker. Put one on that thing you always lose (i.e., car keys). The next time you lose those keys, you can find them again via an app on your phone.
  • Smart Home appliances – things like Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomeKit.
  • Smart power switches – Belkin’s Wemo Insight Wi-Fi Smart Plug is an example. They let you turn the plug (and therefore anything connected to it) on and off, set schedules for the plug, monitor energy consumption and use, etc. You can also connect it to Amazon Alexa and Google Home for hands-free voice control
  • Health and exercise trackers – Fitbits “fit” into this category, too.

On a larger scale, you can think of concepts and products around smart buildings, smart cars, or even smart cities as a larger extension of IoT (I’ll cover Smart Cities in a future post). For example, some stores use Beacon technology to track people in their stores.

In more rural areas, farmers are starting to use products like MooMonitor or Moocall to track the health of their cattle.

How does IoT affect libraries?

Here are some ways libraries are already incorporating IoT technology into their libraries:

  • Smart Building Technology: As libraries retrofit their buildings with newer technology (or build new buildings/branches), they are starting to see more IoT-based technology. For example, some libraries can can adjust heating, cooling and lights from a smartphone app. Some newer building monitoring and security systems can be monitored via mobile apps.
  • RFID: RFID technology (sensors in books) is a type of IoT technology, and has been around for awhile.
  • Beacon Technology: There are at least two library-focused companies experimenting with Beacon technology (Capira Technologies and Bluubeam).
  • People counters: Check out Jason Griffey’s Measure the Future project. Here’s what he says about Measure the Future: “Imagine having a Google-Analytics-style dashboard for your library building: number of visits, what patrons browsed, what parts of the library were busy during which parts of the day, and more. Measure the Future is working to make that happen by using open-hardware based sensors that can collect data about building usage that is now invisible. Making these invisible occurrences explicit will allow librarians to make strategic decisions that create more efficient and effective experiences for their patrons.”
  • Library classes! Libraries are also teaching classes about the Internet of Things. These include classes focused on introducing patrons to IoT technology, and classes that focus on an aspect of IoT, like a class on making things with Arduinos or how to use your new Fitbit.

Those are my thoughts on IoT. What is YOUR library doing with the Internet of Things? Please share!

Using iPads in the Library Building

By

iPads in the art galleryBefore I head off to #alaac18, I thought I’d share what my library is doing with iPads.

Right now, we are using iPads in the building in three different ways:

  1. Musical iPads in the art gallery! This summer, we have a music-themed exhibit in the library’s art gallery. There are “exploded instruments,” showing how they are built. There are also a couple of hands-on things, like a PVC pipe xylophone that you can play. You can also walk up to three iPads (check out the photo in this post to see them in action) and play an organ, a synthesizer, and a drumset!
  2. iPad catalog station. We need more library catalog computers in our Kids Library. Instead of adding a computer (and a table, and power, and drilling for a network jack), we added an iPad with the library catalog on a web browser. Kids (and parents) are actually using it. It’s on a stand like the iPads in the art gallery.
  3. Team Room reservations. We have eight group study rooms (we call them Team Rooms) that you can reserve for up to 7 days in advance. You can do it on our website, or you can walk up to an empty room and make the reservation on the iPad in front of the room (using software that we built).

That’s what we are doing! Actually using iPads isn’t necessary – we could do the same thing with Android tablets. Either way, they are pretty handy additions to our building – reservations, easy-to-add library catalog access, and an interactive experience in an art gallery.

How are you using iPads in your library? Please share!