The evolving role of libraries Sunday, May 01, 2005 In a global economy driven by knowledge, the role of our public libraries is also going to shift. Here's an example. In Arizona, the public library system has launched the Economic Development Information Centers Project. This is a statewide effort to that includes both public and community college libraries. These libraries provide a network of information and resources that can support business development. Read more. That's only part of the story. Public libraries provide at least five roles in our emerging knowledge economy. 1. Family reading The ability to read represents a critical threshold skill in the knowledge economy. Yet, as a country, we have not done all that well in teaching people to read. In Ohio, for example, 45% of our population reads at the lowest two levels of literacy. 2. Safe Internet exploration Because it is so easily accessible, the Internet is a natural medium for continuous learning. Users can access information at any time or any place. They can continue their learning whenever they have free time and are in the mood to learn something new. They do not have to conform to a classroom schedule, and they can explore an unlimited number of topics 3. Career orientation Young people need to be prepared for multiple careers in their lifetime. Finding and using information is one skill that will cross career boundaries. As young people explore potential careers, our libraries will become increasingly important to orient us to the latest careers. In the past, we relied on high school counsellors to provide most career guidance. But this system does not work well enough. Many high school counsellors are responsible for as many as 200 or 300 students. 4. Entrepreneur support Our economic growth will increasingly depend on innovation and networks of entrepreneurs. The Arizona initiative fits in here. 5. Civic learning Community leaders can no depend on the federal government to provide leadership in economic development. Increasingly, this leadership will come from within our communities and regions. In the past, leadership in our communities came from a selected few individuals. Now, however, vibrant communities and regions engage scores of community leaders to support economic development initiatives. Everyone from pre-school teachers to top business executives has a stake in the future of our communities. posted by Ed Morrison |		This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. links Some Background on EDPro Weblog The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it. One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information. So, spread the word...Share the knowledge. Tell a friend about EDPro Weblog. If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site: Here's the link if you are a bloglines subscriber: Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking. Background on Ed Morrison Download some background information on me here.

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