Librarians and information professionals as (pro)motors of change:
immersing, including and initiating digital transformation for smart societies

Digital technologies are transforming every aspect of modern life: they have a big influence on how people live, work, communicate and learn. Smart cities and smart societies are seen as paramount, to achieve a ‘better world shaped by use of data and technology’. Smart societies are based on the more intelligent and deep use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and digital data to improve the quality of people’s lives. Smart societies arise when digital technologies, thoughtfully deployed by government, public, cultural and heritage institutions, enhance the well-being of citizens and the effectiveness of their organisations.

Librarians and information professionals have the responsibility to be (pro)motors of digital change in their communities and to initiate digital transformation for smart societies. To participate in the creation of digital societies, information professionals need to be able to immerse themselves in the process of digital transformation, to include others in the journey and to initiate the transformational impetus required in their communities. By adopting a concerned and critical approach to this changing world, library and information professionals can demonstrate their commitment to the goal of ensuring “equal and free access to information and knowledge” (IFLA Global Vision 2018 highlights). However, their focus on fostering citizens’ informed access to, use and evaluation of information demands an effective, focused path for continuous professional development.

Under the umbrella of this topic, the conference includes, but is not limited to, the following subthemes:

The importance of building information professionals’ competencies in the domains of digital inclusion, critical thinking, argumentative reasoning, data literacy, open education resources;

Evidence of information professionals as (pro)motors of digital transformation in society, through embedded librarianship, co-creation, e-participation, e-democracy, social networks and digital collaboration;

The value of exploring new ways of working and learning through work in libraries and heritage institutions: makerspaces, the Internet of Things (IoT), smart services, robotics, assistive technologies, chatbots, smart learning and BYOD strategies;

The development of new sets of competencies in the fields of big data ethics, privacy in the age of big data, data-protection officers, research data and open data repositories;

The imperative for collaborative learning to ensure heritage institutions are technology-enabled through data-empowered services, data analytics and data visualisation;

Coaching and peer mentoring of information professionals in the areas relating to the sustainability of libraries and heritage institutions, raising awareness and empowering of communities.

 

 
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