Table of Contents

• Social and Economic Trends
  • Generation Y
  • JISC Report and the Google Generation
  • Privacy and Security of Personal Information
  • Inflation and Recession
• Technology Trends
  • Computing Power
  • Inexpensive Laptop Computers
  • Mobile Computing
  • Gaming, 3D and Augmented Reality
  • Social Networking
• Education Trends
  • Student Research
  • Assessment and Accreditation
  • Future of Education
• Information Content Trends
  • Information Wants To Be Free
  • Expanded E-Book Adoption
  • Digital Book Projects
  • Peer Production
• Library Leadership Trends
  • Transition to Service Organization
  • Library As Place
• Sources to Keep Ahead of the Game

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What Is an Environmental Scan?

Environmental scanning has a broad meaning and refers to:

• Investigating salient economic, social, political, social and technological trends and events.
• Identifying potential opportunities or threats implied by those trends and events (SWOT analysis).
• Analyzing library operations, resources and services in light of those trends and events.

A good environmental scan engages staff in "future-thinking" and is used to generate actionable dialog about organizational changes necessary to address those trends and events.

• Envisioning the Future

How to Use This Scan

The purpose of this scan is to stimulate conversations and to challenge the status quo. It is not intended to be comprehensive. The entries are illustrative and are meant to suggest some amongst thousands of significant issues that may affect library and information services in the future. Though, some predictions and library responses are suggested; this scan is not intended to be a blue print for the future and should rather be used to stimulate dialog and brainstorming.

• Discussion Questions

How to Contribute to This Scan

Your contributions are welcome. All members of the Planning, Assessment & Accreditation Interest Group are encourage to contribute to the Environmental Scan. Not a member? Join now and share your thoughts!

• How to Contribute to the NELIwiki