Extending a Global Conversation about Museums and Libraries in Salzburg

Greetings from Salzburg and the Salzburg Global Seminar.

I am honored to be here this week to participate as well as share the work of the group coming together to explore what participatory culture means for libraries and museums.

My focus for a panel presentation to launch a discussion about the topics is Communication & Technology.

Here are some of the questions we will explore: How are new technology innovations changing the ways people communicate? How can the participatory nature of the new technologies enhance the way libraries and museums and their users interact and connect? What implications do online social media platforms and the extensive use of digital technology and images by libraries and museums hold for the collections, physical spaces, and architecture of these institutions?

My thoughts for a brief presentation as part of a panel on Friday:

Emerging technologies have the potential to enhance the relationships between organizations and users. Museums, libraries, information centers have a great opportunity to make connections around collections and conversations. I see four thematic areas for these emerging trends and the technologies that enable them:

•Mobile & Geo-Social Information Environments
•The Commons & Digital Curation
•Participatory Library Service & User Experience
•Learning & New Literacies

What challenges do you see for libraries and museums? What opportunities do we have?

I’ll be blogging from the seminar this week as well as tweeting, etc.

Don’t miss coverage at the IMLS Blog as well: http://blog.imls.gov/?p=542

This post is a reflection/response to questions posed at the Salzburg Global Seminar program Libraries and Museums in an Era of Participatory Culture, exploring the challenges, solutions and potential for participatory services within libraries and museums.

Special Thanks to the Salzburg Global Seminar for the invitation to participate in this event.