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In communities of rapid change and increasingly complex choices, how can libraries continue to be relevant? The key is to make dynamic connections between social, technological, and community trends.

  • Does everyone in your library have the same vision of the future?
  • Are you looking for techniques to help the people in your organization think about the future?
  • Do you want to explore scenario building as a way to consider possible futures?
  • Are you ready to create your own future?

Don't miss an opportunity to spend a stimulating day immersed in future thinking and fresh ideas.

Workshop Description: This one-day interactive workshop will provide participants with several proven techniques for envisioning and planning for the future. Students will learn how to foster good futures dialogue within their organizations, so that they can continue to develop the best possible services for their users. Participants will also learn and practice skills for sharing future assumptions, environmental scanning, and scenario building. All participants will receive process instruction sheets, templates, a bibliography, and information about trends to use in future discussions when they return to their organization.

Preliminary Course Outline

  • Making Assumptions Explicit
    • Uncover the power of future assumptions in an organization
  • Environmental Scanning
    • What is environmental scanning?
    • How to practice environmental scanning
    • Introduction to the opportunity hunt
  • Trends and Technologies that will impact Libraries
    • The top five trends that libraries need to watch
  • Scenario Building
    • Brief history of scenario building
    • Purpose of scenario building
    • Overview of multiple methods
    • Outcome of scenario building
    • Practice of the Manoa Method
    • How to create robust strategies for thriving in possible futures

Workshop Instructor: Stacey Aldrich