With gratitude for the many partner organizations that helped make the Library 2.014 Worldwide Virtual Conference a reality, conference co-chairs Dr. Sandra Hirsh, director of the San José State University (SJSU) School of Information, and Steve Hargadon, founder of The Learning Revolution, enthusiastically welcomed the conference participants who watched Hirsh’s keynote address live on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
During her keynote address at the Library 2.014 conference, Hirsh encouraged information professionals to transcend traditional boundaries in today’s global information market. Entitled “Working in a Global Environment—Success Strategies for Today’s Information Professional,” the opening keynote highlighted what would turn out to be major themes throughout the conference—the changes in the information profession due to digitization and mobile technology, the need for information professionals to connect to each other in a global information community, and the new skills required for success in today’s information economy.
In her presentation, Hirsh quoted Dr. Michael Stephens, an assistant professor at the SJSU iSchool, who said, “When asked what I see for the future of libraries—all kinds of libraries—I imagine a space where users will connect, collaborate, create, and care.” According to Hirsh, “That future is now.” Successful information professionals will, as Hirsh said, “engage in the global information community” and share innovative strategies via social media, professional networks, and community partnerships.
Since the annual Library 2.0 conferences draw participants from all over the world, the conference itself presented opportunities for global networking, as Hirsh remarked in her presentation. Present for Hirsh’s keynote address were participants from all over the United States, as well as from Great Britain, Hungary, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Hirsh also discussed the many career pathways open to information professionals with a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, and inspired listeners to become “rock stars” in their organizations through professional development, networking, volunteering, and public presentations. Hirsh’s lively presentation introduced participants to cutting edge library technologies, and also emphasized that today’s information organizations are “creative and playful.” Through anecdotes, quotes, and data drawn from current research on the profession, Hirsh showed that exploration and innovation are keys to success for information professionals both inside and outside the library environment.
Conference attendees followed the stimulating presentation with interest, with one participant commenting that the keynote address “really framed our thinking for the entire conference.” Attendees also appreciated the strategies outlined in Hirsh’s slides, which she has made available on the iSchool’s SlideShare account. All of the 100+ conference sessions, including Hirsh’s keynote address, were recorded and are freely available on the Library 2.014 conference website.
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Nicole Purviance, Director of Marketing and Communications at the San Jose State University School of Information.
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