What are the practical implications of an AI-enabled world? As we think about the possibilities for digital campuses, corporations, and communities in the future, it is important to keep in mind the limits of technology in solving social problems. Our speaker, author, and professor looks at the inner workings and outer limits of technology, and explains why we should never assume that computers always get things right. Making a case against “techno-chauvinism”—the belief that technology is always the solution—Broussard looks at why self-driving cars don’t really work and why social problems persist in every digital Utopia. If we understand the limits of what we can do with technology, Broussard tells us, we can make better choices about what we should do with it to make the world better for everyone.

Protecting privacy while leveraging technology to accomplish positive change is becoming a serious challenge for individuals, communities, and businesses. This facilitated, hands-on workshop enables you to learn more about what a privacy expert is, the role they can play, and the impact and influence they can have in the world today. With the help of experienced practitioners, discuss strategies for positioning and promoting librarians as privacy experts in their communities. Join us for an unusual opportunity to not only learn about a critical issue, but walk away with a plan to position yourself and your library with unique value as a privacy “center of competency” in your community!

Protecting privacy while leveraging technology to accomplish positive change is becoming a serious challenge for individuals, communities, and businesses. This facilitated, hands-on workshop enables you to learn more about what a privacy expert is, the role they can play, and the impact and influence they can have in the world today. With the help of experienced practitioners, discuss strategies for positioning and promoting librarians as privacy experts in their communities. Join us for an unusual opportunity to not only learn about a critical issue, but walk away with a plan to position yourself and your library with unique value as a privacy “center of competency” in your community!

Get a taste of possibilities from the toolkit and website available for libraries to use design thinking in their own communities—a proven way of working that will help you understand the needs of your patrons and engage your communities like never before. Led by two passionate European library promoters and consultants, this short introduction with supporting materials will change your perspective and provide you with lots of ideas and insights! Seehttp://designthinkingforlibraries.com.

This hands-on lab requires you to use your favorite device along with easy tools provided to manipulate data and create new and exciting representations of information. Visualize useful info for your community by using the techniques you practice in this first-ever data lab!

This hands-on lab requires you to use your favorite device along with easy tools provided to manipulate data and create new and exciting representations of information. Visualize useful info for your community by using the techniques you practice in this first-ever data lab!

Spatial computing is a new form of computing that combines computer vision and artificial intelligence to seamlessly integrate visual content into the real world around us. Hear more about the tools, devices, platforms, and implications for these technologies that can be used in learning, teaching, and more.

No building? No problem! Our speakers describe how they reach their communities virtually. Building on their public library’s The Great Give Back, a community service initiative created to raise awareness and provide opportunities for patrons to participate in meaningful, service-oriented experiences for one day, Alcalde describes more virtual possibilities. He discusses how those hardwired with the need to continuously help their communities, can use modern technology, both as institutions and individuals, to lend helping hands in a multitude of ways, from large-scale efforts to simple apps. Our second presenters illustrate how to make an open house engaging when it takes place entirely online. They use their library as an example and describe their first virtual open house for students, faculty, and staff. They discuss how the use of both live and asynchronous events, complete with lively competition and prizes, led to a successful first open house. They share their triumphs and setbacks.

This talk highlights two interactive learning experiences using new technologies as well as some opportunities for librarians in academic classrooms. Masters shares the unique considerations of integrating a virtual dissection table, an Anatomage Table, into a university library’s public space. It enables active learning through the virtual exploration of life-size human anatomy. Hear about faculty perspectives, key integrations, best practices, and resources developed over 4-plus years of implementation. At Palo Alto City Library, Lou is integrating fun Raspberry Pi technologies into library programs like Sensory Storytimes. She coded a Python script for a sensory game that combines sight, hearing, touch, and feel. The game is designed to automatically start when the Raspberry Pi is plugged in. The kids can connect up to 12 colorful vegetables and/or fruits to the Raspberry Pi. When a kid touches any vegetable or fruit, he/she hears a sound it “makes”, such as the clucking of chicken, the mooing of cows, the sound of raindrops, a piano note, a drum sound, and so on. Corrigan discusses opportunities for librarians who make their way into a wide variety of classes, both physically and virtually, whether serving as the instructor for a session or two, embedded into a semester-long course, observing teaching faculty or other librarians to improve our own craft, or conducting any number of other outreach possibilities. He shares how librarians are in a unique position to not only see a variety of ways technology can be used in the classroom, but to proactively take new technology to classes and/or introduce it to faculty and students.

Established by an Act of Congress in 1931, the Library of Congress’s National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provides Braille and “talking books” to eligible U.S. residents as embossed paper (Braille), digital files on cartridges played on digital talking book machines (DTBMs), and downloadable files for a mobile app. Schwartz will briefly share the history of NLS and its various technological innovations, who is eligible, and how to apply via the NLS network. He also describes the various services and collections of NLS, including the website, catalog, and “BARD” (Braille and Audio and Reading Download) as an online application for a computer and as a mobile app for a smartphone or device. Strege discusses how the number of Americans experiencing blindness and visual impairment is expected to double by 2050 and how readers who live with vision loss can use new technology to continue their lifelong love of books and learning. Forrest discusses what accessibility “looks like” for your patrons. As governments pass legislation enforcing accessible standards, the web is playing catch-up to the physical spaces we use every day. User interfaces are becoming more sophisticated, and it’s easy for developers and designers without disabilities to overlook the simple things that many rely on to make sense of your library’s site. Topics discussed include common accessibility problems (with examples), and tools we use to validate accessibility issues. Get a practical understanding of accessibility essentials with no technical background necessary.

Established by an Act of Congress in 1931, the Library of Congress’s National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provides Braille and “talking books” to eligible U.S. residents as embossed paper (Braille), digital files on cartridges played on digital talking book machines (DTBMs), and downloadable files for a mobile app. Schwartz will briefly share the history of NLS and its various technological innovations, who is eligible, and how to apply via the NLS network. He also describes the various services and collections of NLS, including the website, catalog, and “BARD” (Braille and Audio and Reading Download) as an online application for a computer and as a mobile app for a smartphone or device. Strege discusses how the number of Americans experiencing blindness and visual impairment is expected to double by 2050 and how readers who live with vision loss can use new technology to continue their lifelong love of books and learning. Forrest discusses what accessibility “looks like” for your patrons. As governments pass legislation enforcing accessible standards, the web is playing catch-up to the physical spaces we use every day. User interfaces are becoming more sophisticated, and it’s easy for developers and designers without disabilities to overlook the simple things that many rely on to make sense of your library’s site. Topics discussed include common accessibility problems (with examples), and tools we use to validate accessibility issues. Get a practical understanding of accessibility essentials with no technical background necessary.

Almost every organization has tales of scattered regional information, lack of standardization, limited access, and beyond. These issues are made even more complex considering paying twice for access is never cost-effect while paying for information that is unknown or inaccessible simple doesn’t make sense! TechnipFMC, a global leader in subsea, onshore/offshore, and surface technologies, is a relatively newly merged company, with similar tales as other organizations. A group of employees from different locations across the globe, and operating under different names, found they were librarians at heart and in practice. This grass-roots effort, growing coalition of knowledge management, records management, technical documentation, and library services is developing a solution for employees at global and local levels in the creation of a Virtual Resource Center (VRC). By no means is the creation of the VRC, known as a virtual library in other circles, a new invention. Running 20-plus years, the Internet Librarian Conference is fantastic proof of the value virtual libraries bring to public, corporate, academic, and specialized spaces. Recognizing the gap between the need for, and the access to, information, TechnipFMC is bucking the trend of cutting access to reference, information, and collaboration resources.

Many libraries employ personnel who deliver technical support to patrons, while also being responsible for providing technical leadership and assistance to their librarians and library staff members. In February 2018, the Kaiser Permanente Libraries’ technology team began using a shared customer service platform to provide internal technical support to their fellow librarians. Using the platform resulted in a librarian-facing support page, which enables the team to seamlessly route troubleshooting inquiries, error reports, and requests to the appropriate person. The platform includes searchable FAQs to empower the librarians to immediately find answers to their questions, access step-by-step instructions and tutorials, and view alerts about ongoing issues. In addition to FAQ views, the team is now able to capture metrics on the tech-related problems they solve and the training they provide to their peers.

Want to know what to focus on for 2020? (Yes that’s next year!) Hear from our experienced and future-focused librarian as Bates discusses strategic approaches to a transformative technology, Artificial Intelligence! Just as early online services didn’t just improve on the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature but revolutionized how information is accessed, so librarians and info pros need to look at AI from a different point of view and watch for opportunities to lead the AI discussion within their organizations. Our next two practitioners discuss the changing roles of corporate librarians or information chameleons becoming go-to pros by translating info pro skills across silos! Ford provides tips on bridging the gap between technologists and practitioners and how knowledge workers excel in projects across companies/ firms that cross boundaries of many different departments. She says adaption, innovation, and a keen interest in learning earns us a seat at the table for many large initiatives. Dayrit says it takes experience, knowledge, and knowing people in the organization to create one’s self to be the “goto” person. Through word-of-mouth in a large organization, she has been considered that person. If you are looking for a great way to engage with members in your organization, especially those at the top, Dayrit shares her story and gives you some tips in reaching this level in your profession.

BJC Healthcare, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare organizations in the U.S., is comprised of over a dozen healthcare entities, as well as an academic institution, Goldfarb School of Nursing. Many of those entities subscribed to Ebsco’s CINAHL database, individually, which wasn’t at all cost-efficient, (as Supply Chain pointed out!). BJC Healthcare worked with Ebsco, for one single enterprise-wide subscription. Implementation began in early 2019, with a team representing BJC librarians, nurse educators, supply chain, and BJC IT personnel—all with varying levels of knowledge and expertise. Ebsco’s biomedical database executives and trainers were there, either in person, or on the phone. There have been laugh-out-loud sessions, as well as the occasional “Huh?” moment, but everyone involved is excited about this collaboration.

The MITRE InfoDesk, a corporate research library, is transforming its physical space into a Learning Center environment through the introduction of consumer technologies. MITRE is a private, not-for-profit corporation that operates federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), long-term strategic partners to the U.S. government. MITRE works in the fields of aerospace, defense, healthcare, homeland security, cybersecurity and more. The InfoDesk showcases relatively easy-to-learn virtual/ augmented reality, robotics, and game design products, to name a few. The initiative includes a Library of Things lending collection and a self-service 3D printer. InfoDesk librarians conduct demos, workshops, and one-on-one training to introduce staff to these new technologies. Last year, they organized a company-wide maker fair that attracted 44 makers and over 250 attendees as well as a Star Wars Day workshop for 100 staff. Leverage their journey to inform the development of your own library-based learning community.

Not only is technology changing the face of libraries, but it continues to change how we work and how we deliver services to customers. King focuses on emerging technology trends and how those trends are reshaping library services. He illustrates by showing stats from his library about how ebook usage is going up, how mobile needs are changing, and more. King incorporates a mix of emerging tech trends and emerging public library trends into one short and speedy talk! Schramm shares the latest on smart communities and the opportunities for libraries to participate in these programs. Get lots of ideas and inspiration from our fun and experienced speakers.

Want to create a cookbook of treasured family recipes? Looking to get an article or book published but not sure where to go? Very few libraries offer software enabling local authors, creators, and community members to contribute their works to the library’s collection. Minitex, the Minnesota Library Consortium, has created tools for Minnesota residents to use, at no cost, to help them create, self-publish, and share content. This includes the Minnesota Libraries Publishing Project, where users can create, edit, format and generate ebooks and print-ready books, and Ebooks Minnesota, a statewide ebook platform containing content from independent local publishers. Minitex has put new meaning into the phrase “read local.” Learn more about these unique services offered to all Minnesota residents and all types of libraries in the state.

Due to rapid advancements in technology and a more competitive workforce, employers have begun seeking creative problem-solvers and lifelong learners more than ever before, Businesses across the country need innovators: people who have both an innate desire and an ability to develop new ideas, take action, and improve the world around them. Widely recognized as credible institutions of knowledge, libraries have proven to be a natural location to inspire and shape tomorrow’s innovators for the workforce and beyond. After interviewing library patrons and staff, as well as local parents, students, and community members, the importance of libraries within our social infrastructure was reinforced to FUSE Fellow Parker Thomas. People trust libraries to help them learn new skills. Parker became inspired to leverage library space to facilitate hands-on learning programs for kids, teens, and adults. By visiting the makerspace on the second floor of the Fremont Main Library, members learn and grow the critical problem-solving and lifelong learning skills that employers are searching for all while making some cool stuff along the way, of course.

Makerspaces often find themselves the victim of their own popularity, trying to serve a growing and diverse patron base with the same staffing and resource models as when they started, perhaps years prior. After some time, the makerspace will ultimately face questions that traditional library services have been trying to answer for decades: What services do we keep and which do we let go of? Where do we choose to strategically expand and what do we want and need to be experts in? What do we want users to learn in our spaces and is it even assessable? What is truly our mission and for whom? This session discusses these and other questions an academic makerspace seven years in has been asking and covers where it thinks the answers might lie.

Learn about the steps one public library took to utilize its Silhouette Cameo cutting machine and the Silhouette Design Studio software in adult crafting programs, resulting in a surge in adult program registrations and participation. As a result of the popularity of the adult crafting programs, we upgraded our machine, offered a Master Class at a local high school, expanded our use to include Silhouette Saturday programs for teens, and have developed regular Introduction to Silhouette Studio and Advanced Silhouette Studio trainings for the library department. During the 2-hour programs, customers are taught to use varying aspects of the Silhouette Studio software, and to use what they have learned to complete a project. Participants not only leave with a finished project, they have hands-on experience with new technology. We are now gearing up to offer our old Silhouette Cameo machine as a tech-in cart for customer use by appointment in our Teen and Technology Area, which has two iMac computers. Though it is not new technology, the use of cutting machines in library programs introduces customers to digital design concepts in small, palatable steps which result in amazing end products they can see and hold, sparking innovation and intrigue.

With the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report: “Global Warming of 1.5 Centigrade,” interest in and concerns over Climate Change has never been higher for students and the general population alike.

Throughout the presentation, suggestions will be made for how sustainability may be integrated into information literacy instruction across the curriculum.  In a similar college level course, students research and analyze a whistleblower case study, relating to a sustainability issue, with the goal of creating change. Students analyzed their case studies using the three “E”s: environment, economy, social equity and the perspectives of the stakeholders involved. Learn how these principles can translate into use in a high school library.

Librarians are fighting an uphill battle against bad and incomplete information on digital platforms. We can teach students mnemonic devices for source assessment and encourage them to use high-quality scholarly material when working on a research paper, but do these efforts translate into students’ day-to-day information lives? How can we help students navigate filter bubbles, conspiracy theories, profit-driven algorithms, and deteriorating trust in traditional metrics for authority? Join Roquet to discuss strategies for helping students make informed, reflective information choices both in and out of the classroom.

Imagine collaborating with teachers to engage students in a digital world using augmented reality and project-based learning to empower a class of ESOL and inclusion students to design their own video games! Parents, students, administrators, and others engage with the interactive gallery walk where student ideas come to life in a burst of audio, video, and images as students express themselves in a variety of digital modalities. Using free mobile apps and software, students explore a variety of literacy standards and skills in this augmented reality project-based learning experience while collaborating with librarians from Catawba College, connecting students with real-world and college connections. Be inspired and get the playbook to try this in your environment!

STEM, makerspace, robotics—the words conjure pictures of fun, activity, and excitement. And all of that can be found, but sometimes the challenge is to link the activity to learning and critical thinking. Students love to play with robots such as Dash and Dot, Ozobots, and Spheros, but moving the activity from play to learning is where the magic happens. There are resources and curriculum to support learning, and our speaker explores ways to integrate the skills needed for the robots to reinforce the concepts students are developing in the classroom. A list of resources is included, and attendees are encouraged to share their own ideas and resources.

Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) produced a flood of privacy notices on social media, but does it really protect your or your students’ rights to personal information? What about Pinterest pins or images on YouTube or Instagram? Or career info on LinkedIn or ResearchGate? Remarks posted to Twitter or Facebook? Learn what U.S. law can and can’t do to protect your intellectual property rights on top social media sites.

Based on the book by Charles C. Mann,The Wizard and the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World (psmag.com/environment/saving-the-world-with-wizards-and-prophets), our speakers share their ideas on how to use smart tech, AI, and IOT to save libraries and the world. Whether it stands for artificial intelligence, intelligent assistants, or the art of information, AI and other new evolving technologies such as spatial/ immersive computing (AR/VR+), robotics, etc., will definitely have strong impacts on our future. Hear how our Wizards and Prophets imagine the way libraries may evolve in smart solutions for a smart and caring world. In the end, the audience decides for themselves whether to follow the Wizards, the Prophets, or their own paths. Full of fun, ideas, imagination, stimulation and learning, come grow your thoughts about the future and your community.