Martin Kesselman

martyk@rci.rutgers.edu
+732-917-6456

Engagement, Embedded, Empowerment:

Information (Library) Roles in Transition

Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Librarian at Rutgers University, NJ, USA

Head, Library Team, USAID EHELD (Excellence in Higher Education for Liberian
Develop.)

35+ years in science librarianship, 20+ years in international librarianship and a frequent
author and contributor in these areas.

Editor of the book, Global Librarianship (2004),

Editor: Library Hi Tech News
Fulbright Award, Brunel University, UK in 1991
USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant (2006),

IFLA (International Federation of Library Association): co-founded Information Literacy

Section, Chaired, Reference & Information Services Section, Member, Sci-Tech Section.

Past chair of AgNIC (www.agnic.org), a unique collaboration of academic libraries and

organizations worldwide that makes agriculture content accessible and available online.

TOPICS
Introductory Remarks -- Changing Information Landscape
Engagement, Embedded, Empowerment Cultural Shift
Disruptive Technology, Knowledge Ecology
Case 1 -- Rutgers Course: Food & Nutrition Business Information
Case 2 -- USAID EHELD (Excellence in Higher Education for
Liberian Development) Agriculture Library Development
Case 3 -- Public Library Maker Spaces
Case 4 -- Agriculture Library in A Flash Proposal

CHANGING INFORMATION LANDSCAPE

 Information and Learning Divides -- Need evidence-based

practical info, urban vs. rural, less education and few libraries
Digital Divides still exist, cellphones prevalent but lack of
smartphones, tablets, computers
Gender Divides women have greatest illiteracy, lack education
Environmental Divides Industry vs. Rainforests
Aid Divides Gifts Help, but POLITICS!!

CHANGING LIBRARY LANDSCAPE

Digitization / Repositories / Data / Preservation
Building-focused to User-focused, Whats in a name?
Value of libraries and culture of service unknown and
misunderstood to many

Comment from a User

The digital library at my institution is excellent. Librarians
are not needed much; they have done such a good job of
implementing the digital interface. Occasionally
something goes wrong and we need to consult with
them.
Our librarians are like a fine engine in an expensive car you seldom notice they are there, the performance is so
good and you are enjoying the ride.
To beat the metaphor into the ground, maybe they need
the digital equivalent of a big horn & remind us from time
to time.

Engagement Empowerment, Embedded:

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS

 Learning to work in the white spaces of the

organization chart.
Relationship to return on investment and
demonstrating value to the organization
Ever been on a team or committee with
members outside of the building? When was
the last time I went to them?

Push or Pull? -- Community

Engagement

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
SMART PUSH / PULL TECHNIQUES
Listen rather than push ideas, Guide communities
to solutions to gain trust.
Knowledge is abundant. Should we limit
discoverability? Teach users how to filter
information based on needs (critical thinking).
Personalized and customized information when
users need it and what and how it is delivered.

Empowerment: Library Gateways

Millions of Conversations on the Web
Single user to collaborative learning, MOOCS -Massive Open Online Courses. Learning is
personal and adaptive. Degrees or credentials?
Need for Evidence-based practical Information
Public Libraries as Learning Gateways

Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building

your wings on the way down (Ray Bradbury)

Two roads diverged in a wood, and II took the

one less traveled and that has made all the
difference (Robert Frost)

Lets make a dent in the universe (Steve Jobs)

TECHNOLOGY EXPANDING & EMERGING

 More Mobile
More free access to information: open science,
open data, open education.
More social Conversations, Twitter, Facebook,
More access to learning, Greater ease of use.
BUT requires information literacy and critical
thinking skills (libraries)

People in Fiji would rather go without water to have a

mobile phone Mobile devices bring with them the feelings
of quality, relevance and stability (Ela Volatabu, Librarian, University of the South
Pacific, Fiji, M-Libraries 2011 Conference, Brisbane, Australia)

Mobile devices are the single most transformative

technology for development in Africa (Jessica Colaco, IHUB, Kenya. MLibraries 2011 Conference, Brisbane, Australia)

Africa has the highest growth rate of mobile phones in the

world Africa is book poor but cellphone rich (Denise Nicholson,
University of Witwatersand, South Africa. M-Libraries 2011 Conference, Brisbane, Australia)

Connections of people, processes, data, things.

Applications embedded into everyday life

Sensors: MEMS (microelectromechanical

systems)

Smart Homes and Buildings -- Smart Libraries?

Bluetooth everything

Eye-tracking and motion systems

Brain Engagement: Learning by Osmosis

Augmented reality/Google Glasss
Smart Whiteboards
Smart bands and watches /Tech-wear
3D printers
NFC, Near field communication
Drones

Already some library / education applications

Low-Threshold Appropriate Technologies

Uses a variety of tools/strategies rather than a single system

Follow the energy. Watch where the energy in the system is.

Be strategic, persistent, enthusiastic.

Build knowledge networks of people who care.

Notice everything that happens and consider why. Tell

great stories about what you observe.

(Adapted from Euan Semple, June 28, 2011 blog post and others)

Case 1 -- Rutgers Course:

Food and Nutrition Business Information

Course Opportunity and Need

USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant Librarian Initiates
Need NJ food leaders who speak science & business
Start up Food Companies have Information needs
Interdisciplinary Teams: Food Science, Nutrition,
Economics
Library Student Embedded in the Team
Blended Learning -- teamwork, board rooms, conference
Results -- Innovative Ideas and solutions, Companies feel
they should pay to participate

CASE 2: USAID/EHELD Agriculture

Library Development, Cuttington Univ.

Cuttington Univ. Library Development

Librarian Embedded in curriculum for new College of
Agriculture and Sustainable Development (CASD)
Leap-Frogged offline network downloaded materials / tablets
TEEAL, offline library in a box from Cornells Mann LIbrary,
Required course CASD 304: Information Use and Technology
No broadband Internet and no professional to teach, only
option was the flipped classroom shifts learning to students.
Flash drives as personal notebooks
Learning: ongoing process with technologies to keep current.

Case 3: Public Library Makerspaces

Maker Movement and Libraries

Piscataway Public Library MIY: libraries provide content,
nows your chance to create content, summer maker camp
Public libraries: equal access to information and knowledge
Makers: hobbyists and students collaborate and use tools and
materials and develop creative projects, can produce value in
the community, positive impact on parents.
Design and build, combining crafts (cardboard, puzzle pieces,
cartons, fabrics), engineering, music, performance, sci-tech.
Sample tech: tiny computers (Rasberry Pi, Intels Edison) plug
in TV, keyboard, ports, 3-D printers, robots/Lego Mindforms

MAKERFAIRES
No MakerFaires in CR or CA, Can
be public library sponsored

Makerspaces in CR:
Intel Computer Clubs (San Jose,
Mora)
Fab Foundation FabLab (Cartago).

Create a library makerspace? -Possibly crowdfund e.g.Crowdrise

Case 4: Libraries in A Flash Proposal

PROJECT SUMMARY
Transborder farmer to farmer peer learning & mentorship
Searchable curated open access full-text practical info and
learning materials on flash drives, based on XTF software
Meet needs such as crop yields, business, pests, food
security. Sharing knowledge from Costa Rica to Nicaragua
Mobile app / website with social media.
University students create practical info, public libraries
support farmers as part of community engagement
Potential: Cloud-based Virtual Information Grange

XTF Experience -- EAKO:

Engineering Access to Knowledge Offline
Rutgers Library in a Box 2000 searchable documents funded by
Engineering Information Foundation, now fits on an 8gb flash drive

Project Opportunities
Costa Rica, as a relatively rich country and strong
infrastructure providing regional support to Nicaragua
Public Libraries Power Development, BeyondAccess.Net
Builds on initiatives such as SIDALC, IAALD, IICA, EIFL
UCR Students work with onion/potato farmers in Cartago
Open Source and Creative Commons: XTF, CASD304
A prototype model for other countries, language not a barrier

Learning Communities: Farmers

Community Builders: Public Libraries and extension, where it exists.
Content Providers: IICA, UCR, Earth, CATIE, UNAN, RENIDA, AgNIC (PubAg)
Supporters / Promotion, Champions: Ministries, Community Leaders, Others
Observors: IFLA, FAO, NGOs, Others
Dissemination: IFLA (Lyon Decleration), EIFL, INASP, Info New Wave, blog,
Evaluation: by farmers and libraries via assessments and rubrics, external review

Innovation: Partnerships first, Technology (flash drives, mobile) is second,

Potential of Cloud-based Virtual Information Grange of Agriculture Librarians
Funding: 30K+ needed for prototype from foundations, NGOs, others

MAJOR PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

Federico Sancho, IICA, co-PI

Martin Kesselman, Rutgers University Libraries, co-PI
Priscilla Cascante, IICA Library Manager
Nicoya Public Library, Guanacaste, CR
San Juan Del Sur Public Library, Nicaragua
University of Costa Rica
CATIE
Earth
Universidiad Nacional Agaria, Nicaragua
Renida, Nicaraguan Network of Agriculture Librarians (IICA)
Champions, Disseminators and External Evaluators

GRACIAS