Not your Grandmother's Library

Greetings from the MLA Conference. I've had a couple of glitches, namely the minuteman e-mail doesn't seem to work, here, and I had t buy a new power adapter for the laptop.
Currently, I am at Not your Grandmother's Library (with Kate, Tom, and Marialice) detailing how the libraries can survive in the world of Google, etc, with Marshall Keyes formerly of NELINET and now a consulting.
Some of the details:
1) New populations that we serve, including those who don't know what we do, don't care what we do, and can't get to where we are.
2) It's hard for libraries to get money.
3) Libraries are into the status quo
4) Can you be a librarian without the book? What would happen to the library if books were no longer a resource.
5) Libraries are running into counter trends.
6) Public education is more valued in other parts of the country than Massachusetts. Is it the same for public institutions. as well? Yes. Do people feel the same way about public libraries?
7) Libraries need to figure out what business they're in.
8) Who is our competition:
a) Google and the belief that the world's information is at everyone's fingertips.
b) Portable devices -- Ask how databases, etc. can be imported to portable phones, etc.
c) Amazon
d) Netflix
e) Bookswim -- Netflix for libraries. Users spend $20 a month to have books delivered!
9) Mr. Keyes then pointed out several quotations regarding libraries. One quote was from Jerry Seinfeld who mentioned the last time he read a library book. Another mentioned a 12 year old who was uncomfortable going into the library.
10) How do we refurbish the library brand and win people back to the library:
a) Meet the needs of emerging users.
b) There is a large immigrant population, which is certainly true for Waltham.
c) Increasing presence of African-American middle and upper class. Watch African-American lives on PBS.
d) The Google Nation
e) Demographic Changes
11) What do users want?
a) Interested in community, including community as whole, ethnic, and online
b) Portability -- everyone wants to be connected.
c) Personalization -- e.g. Pimp my Ride, ringtones
d) The PC is on the way out. Portable devices are where it's at. Students don't see the difference between television and the computer. In other words, they need to be able to access the library from anywhere. Mr. Keyes mentioned an ad for a phone that advertised everything except actually talking on the phone.
e) The cell phone is changing. Signs should say, "Please turn on cell phone when in library."
f) Social Networking Search Engines so friends can see searches which is not private, of course, but if it's only your friends, kids like that.
g) Users want something along the lines of Amazon.com
12) Privacy
a) Intelligent users need to know not to always expect privacy in an electronic world. Some users don't expect libraries to preserve their privacy.
13) Beyond browsers: Gaming and virtual worlds are very popular. At Appalachian State, there is a virtual world with librarian avatars (online persona) meeting with patron avatars. That would be an interesting way for us to have patron interactions! Obviously, entire libraries do not need to be built this way, but libraries should employ some of the features.
14) Companies and people that understand all of this:
a) Mac
b) BBC
c) Paul Hagner, from Educause
d) Susan Kent, from New York Public Library