Digital natives.
Digital immigrants.
Libraries.
The challenge faced by libraries in reaching
out to born digital
Tefko Saracevic, PhD
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/
tefkos@rutgers.edu
Tefko Saracevic
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What?
Part I – The BIG picture
Social forces
Part II – The LIBRARY Challenges & responses
1. Digital natives, digital
immigrants
2. Contemporary
technology & society
3. Digital information
resources
4. Web access
5. Information literacy
6. Social media
7. Conclusions
Are young people (digital
natives) really different?
Tefko Saracevic
How are library services for
digital natives handled?
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1. What do we mean? Definitions
Digital natives
• Persons for whom digital
technologies already
existed when they were
born, and hence had
grown up with digital
technology
Digital immigrants
• Individuals who grew up
without digital
technology and
adopted it later
– also called “born digital”
“net generation” “millenials”
Generational differences expressed in
technological terms
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Hotly debated - Sample of articles
Prensky (2001)
introduced the
concept &
terminology
with little
evidence
(2010)
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Growing number of studies –
Sample of articles
(2010)
(2009)
(2010)
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Characteristics - binary opposites
Siân Bayne & Jen Ross (2007)
Digital natives
Digital immigrants
• student
• fast
• young
• future
• multi-tasking
• image
• playful
• looking forward
• digital
• action
• constant connection
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
teacher, librarian, parent ...
slow
old
past, or ‘legacy’
logical, serial thinking
text
serious
looking backward
analogue
knowledge
isolation
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Controversy about digital natives
Claims – Assumptions
Critiques
on the one hand
on the other hand
• As native speakers of
digital language, young
people think and
process information in
an entirely different
way from previous
generations
• Because of that they
have biological brain
changes
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• Generational stereotyping
– reality: claims/assumptions
DO NOT reflect it
– oversimplified: should be
understood in diversity
rather than dichotomy
• Assumes that all young
people are wired digital
masters who use
technology mysteriously
• No scientific evidence
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Examples of digital natives in action
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a few more ...
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Rejection of simplified concept about digital
natives/immigrants Selvyn, N. (2009), McKenzie, J. (2007)
• Empirical findings on assumptions: Not so! –
Generational, not purely technical differences
• Picture of children and young people’s use of new
technologies is more complex along:
– socio-economic status & other “social fault” lines
• social class
• geography
• gender
– variety of uses
– digital divide
• But term “digital natives” can be used as a metaphor
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2. Contemporary technology
Web 2.0
• Information and
communication
technology and web
design that aims to
enhance creativity &
information sharing in a
new way
Lets people
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Interact
Connect
Collaborate
Share
Contribute
Inform
Using variety of media
– text, audio, video,
images
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Transformations
Social
• Variety of hardware &
software apps, tools
developed to support
many uses
– commercial
– educational
– social
• Social software & sites
• Transformed the Web
• Created communities
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Including libraries
• Growing number of
libraries actively
changed their web
presence, including
– social interactions with
various audiences,
specifically including
digital natives
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Another view of transformations
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Part II: Library challenges, responses
Digital
resources
User – appropriate content
Web
access
User – centered design
Information
literacy
User – oriented guides
Social
networks
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In touch on user terms
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Digital
resources
Digital INFORMATION resources
In libraries
General
• Information records in
digital form, as opposed
to analog
– used to accomplish,
support, help activities
requiring information
• Part of the collection
• Many e (digital) forms
–
–
–
–
–
books (eBooks)
eJournals
videos
images
audio
• Either digitized from
analog or born digital
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Concentration
I will concentrate here on eBooks in
some depth
recognizing that there are other
digital information resources of
great importance for library users
of all generations – I will mention
them only
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And now from print books (pBooks) onto
electronic books (eBooks)
• No sculpture, yet,
commemorating eBooks
• But eBooks are the fastest
& most massive globally
spreading books in book
history
– e.g.
Book sculpture - commemorating
invention of modern printing
Walk of ideas, Berlin
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a virtual fair July, 4 to Aug. 4, 2010 , featuring
over 3,000,000 eBooks; org. by World Public Library
- Michael Hart (Gutenberg Project)
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Libraries as producers – first generation
Digitization
• Globally great many
libraries digitized books
from own collection
• Many are rare,
historical, classics
– opened treasures to
public – well received
• But all together
relatively small in
numbers
• Subsidized
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A few examples from many
• British Library Online
Gallery – 30,000 items
• Gallica, bibliothèque
numérique Bibliothèque
nationale de France
– 1.2 mill. items, 192,000 books
• Biblioteca Digital Hispánica
Biblioteca Nacional de España
– 28,000 items
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Mass digitization projects – second generation
Pioneered
• Industrial scale of
eBook digitization
– innovative
• applications of
technologies
• a number of partnerships
with libraries
• Raised many issues &
disagreements
• Global reach &
involvement
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Major projects
• Project Gutenberg
– first, gave ideas to all
– about 140,000 books
• Million Book Project
– global cooperation
– about 1.7 mill. books
• Google Books
– largest; international
– many libraries & even
countries cooperate
– about 12 mill. books
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Next generation: Interaction in eBooks
Major innovation
• Adding potential for
interaction is a giant step in
evolution of eBooks
– using dynamic web vs. static
scanned displays
– makes eBooks into
something else – Web 2.0
pBooks vs. eBooks
• Interactive capabilities
embedded within
eBooks provide clear &
even huge advantages
over pBooks
• Many geared toward digital
natives
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Vendors (aggregators)
What?
• Bring together eBooks
from different sources &
publishers & make it
available to libraries &
others
• Some do it via specific
software or apps
• Provide books by
subscription, license,
payment, and free
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Who?
• Large, universal ones
taking the role of superbookstores
– with some interactivity
• Smaller, more
specialized, aimed at
specific markets, topics
– particularly libraries &
similar institutions
– many most innovative,
lots of interactivity
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Sample of vendors … all online only
Giants with global reach
• Amazon – a super store &
bookstore, e- & pBooks
– mid 2010: for every 100 pBooks
sold, 180 eBooks were sold
• iBooks – Apple repeating
the music formula to books,
some digitized heritage books (e.g.
Project Gutenberg) + current; many
for digital natives
(While we do not call them “vendors” or
“aggregators” that is what they are)
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Specialized or niche
• ebrary “get the most out of
your digital content.” Several
interactive capabilities for eBooks
• ClassZone – large global text
book publisher turned to eBooks.
Extensive interactive e-texts for
middle & high schools
– geared toward digital natives.
– interactive learning: “Textbooks come
to life.”
• They became the way for
libraries to get & manage
e-resources of all kinds
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Example of ebrary interactive display & link tools for books (InfoTools)
• InfoTools links to other
resources
• If selected El Niño from
a text it will show:
– define – show a dictionary
definition
– explain – show encyclopedia,
– locate – maps
– who – biography, Wikipedia
– search – all kinds of sources
incl. images, video
– create note – note taking
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ClassZone example of an interactive biology text for high school
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Libraries and eBooks
Digitized old(er) books
• Support tradition, culture
– enlarge collection
– attract interest for
“buried” treasures
– provide resources for
education, scholarship
• Major political point for
justifying subsidy
• Many libraries have a
large number
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Newly published
• Support modernity
– current demands
• Why buy or license?
–
–
–
–
–
provide innovative services
possible for multi locations
circulate as other books
go with digital natives
for some no alternative
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eBook advantages for libraries
Operations
• Can’t be stolen, lost,
mis-shelved
• Automatic circulation
• No additional space
• Management easier
– software from vendors
• Circulated as other
books
Access
• 24/7 from anyplace
– but often restricted to own
users (university, city)
• High demand books easily
managed
– pBook= single concurrent
user; eBook = many
• Merges with other
services – print, audio, video
Very popular with users, particularly digital natives
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eBook disadvantages for libraries
Economics
Balancing
• Lots of €€€, $$$ …
• Funding a challenge
• Technology investments
still high
• New competencies,
(re)education needed
• With print collection
– still the major part for all
libraries
• Still a good proportion
of users are not there
yet – digital divide
– for both librarians & users
Mind-set changes needed & hard to achieve
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Digital natives and eBooks
Digital
Tools for reading eBooks
• Part of their universe
• Becoming better &
ubiquitous
– young predominate, but
not only young
• Changing patterns how
people read in general
– & search for information
• But information literacy
for great many still low
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– devices: Kindle, iPad, Nook
– software: Adobe Digital
Editions ...
• Integrated with life
• eBooks are just books
– to be read anywhere
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Example of an eBook read by a digital native anywhere
Ally reading her book at a football game where her sister was a goalie (score 3:3)
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Web
access
Versions of libraries –
bricks & clicks
Library as physical place
• Physical building
– physical collection, tools
– social, collaborative,
learning places for users
• Physical access to
organized materials in
the place
• Prisoner of physicality
Library as virtual space
• Digital space/place
– digital collection
– access tools – quite different
• Interaction beyond
searching & browsing
• Virtual access to organized
digital resources any place
• Prisoner of technology
Great many libraries are hybrid
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Access dramatically different
Physical place
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Virtual space
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Use dramatically different
Physical
• Users have to be there
• Ambience has to be
fostered
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Virtual
u
s
e
d
o
w
n
• Users can be anywhere
u
s
e
u
p
– virtual visits & use of
great many libraries
greater now
• But dependent on
library Web site
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Library Web pages:
where users meet the library
Good design absolutely critical for effective use
Major design criteria
• User-centered design
– needs, wants, & limitations
of end users are given
extensive attention
– organized by user tasks,
frequency, characteristics
– search made clear
For digital natives
• Functional, clear,
appealing, utilitarian
– aesthetics & graphics
• Flexibility, efficiency in use
• Expected high usability
• Valid for all kinds of users
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For many libraries: a new world
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Example of a dynamic library web site - Denver Public Library
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Leads to getting the selected eBook from NetLibrary, a vendor
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Example of a teen library web site - Denver Public Library
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Example of a children library web site - Denver Public Library
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Example of a US public library web site in Spanish - Denver Public Library
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OverDrive : Example of a vendor providing variety of resources & apps for
libraries, schools etc. for access & variety of users, digital natives included
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University of California : Example of a site offering multiple browsing choices;
brings together over 150 institutions – very popular in schools
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Example of a township & high school interactive site, Springfield, Pennsylvanian
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Among others it leads to this site where kids can click on their choice
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Gale : Example of a vendor, providing mobile apps for students (& others) to
download on their devices to access their library & Gale resources
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Information
literacy
What do we mean?
Contemporary approach:
Digital literacy
• Ability to use digital
technology,
communication tools or
networks effectively
• A person’s ability to
perform tasks effectively
in a digital environment
• Tech savvy is not
automatically digitally
literate
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Information literacy
• Ability to locate,
understand, use &
evaluate information in
multiple formats from a
wide range of sources
using a computing device
– for problem solving,
decision making, learning,
even enjoying
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Goals for information literacy efforts
Recognition
Competencies
• Accurate, trustworthy,
• Identify potential
verifiable information is
sources of information
basis for intelligent
• Access these sources
decision making,
• Evaluate sources &
problem solving,
information
learning
• Organize information
• Integrate for
application, learning
Geared toward digital resources & specific
audiences, e.g. digital natives
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Applied in libraries
•
•
•
•
•
Online tutorials for given subjects
Online tutorials for given activities
Webinars (Web seminars)
Suggestions on making information literacy courses
Evaluation tools
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Example of a subject tutorial from a university library
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Example of a information literacy tutorial from a university library
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Example of a library research tutorial from Cornell University library
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Example of a regular Webinar about solving information problems
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Example of a video on making of information literacy tutorials
(from Slideshare)
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Social
networks
Social networks
• Sites that focus on
building online
communities of people
who:
– share interests
– activities
– explore interests &
activities of others
What do we mean?
Results
• Developing a culture of
critique & debate
• Much freer expression
• For education:
– educational tools
– back to student driven
model of medieval
Europe? (José Ortega y Gasset)
Many sites emerged & disappeared, few big ones dominate
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Means for:
• Collaborating:
– Wikis
• Expressing, responding:
– Blogs
• Communicating:
– Twitter
– Facebook
– MySpace
• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
– updating
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• Sharing:
– Dropbox
– Flickr
– YouTube
• Bookmarking:
– Delicious
• Subject guides
– many libraries & others
• Instant messaging (IM)
– many reference services
Enhance human connections – but ...
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Library applications
• Transition the way
• Making the library site
services are delivered to
more interactive
users
• Increase the flow of
• Marketing & promoting
information from users
library services
to library
• Many libraries
• Connect with users:
participate in e.g.
– blogging (list of library blogs)
– social media (Social
networking librarian)
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Example of social media in a public library – Denver Public Library
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Facebook applications to enhance library services
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Libraries on Twitter - over 620 libraries
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Example of a school library blog (CEIP Principe Filipe)
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And a video Librarians do Gaga ( Information School, University of Washington)
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7. Conclusions
Digital natives – digital immigrants
• Generational changes happened throughout history
• We should be mindful of the changes in technological
“lifeworld” of digital natives
– but avoid excesses in the debate - such as claiming substantial
transformation of social relations - &
– concentrate on enhancing our understandings of the realities
of technology use in contemporary society (Selvyn, 2009)
• It is not threatening at all – could be used for advantage
• But digital divide - have and have nots - is real for all
generations & must be taken into account
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Conclusions (continued):
LIBRARY challenges, responses
• They are ALL
connected
• Responses have
to incorporate ALL
four elements
• Adjusted, directed
toward users of
various kinds
• User-centered
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This presentation in Wordle
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Thank you
for inviting me!
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Bibliography
Bennett, S., Maton, K., & Kervin, L. (2008) The 'digital natives' debate: A critical review of the evidence. British
Journal of Educational Technology, 39 (5), 775-786.
Brown, A.L. (blog). Social networking librarian. Exploring social networking and technology in libraries.
Available at: http://socialnetworkinglibrarian.com/
Fernandez-Villavicencio, N. G. (2010) Helping students become literate in a digital, networking-based society: A
literature review and discussion, The International Information & Library Review, 42(2), 124-136.
Kolikant, Y.B.-D. (2010.Digital natives, better learners? Students' beliefs about how the Internet influenced their
ability to learn. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(6), 1384-1391.
McKenzie, J. (2007) Digital Nativism, Digital Delusions and Digital Deprivation. From Now On: The Educational
technology Journal , 17(2). Available at: http://www.fno.org/nov07/nativism.html
Prensky, M (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon, 9 (5) Available at:
http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20%20Part1.pdf
Prensky, M (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II: Do They Really Think Differently? On the Horizon,
9(6) Available at: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf
Selvyn, N. The digital native – myth and reality (2009) Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives, 61(4),
364-379.
Wong, M. (n.d.) Great web design tips Available at http://www.great-web-design-tips.com/
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For download
• This presentation can be found at my site:
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/articles.htm
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