Competency H

Introduction

A. Technology today is constantly evolving, so trending tech today is old news tomorrow.

B. Technology is woven throughout society and all information service organizations.

These two reasons are why knowing about the available and up-and-coming technological tools and being adaptable enough to learn how to use them are critical. These skills, coupled with insights into the wants and needs of the communities they serve and which tools would match those wants and needs make for a well-rounded, technologically savvy information professional.

Identifying Current and Emerging Technologies

The constant evolution of technology means that information organizations need to be adept at adapting to change. This adeptness starts with understanding the technology that is trending at the moment.

There are several different media sources that I have found helpful in identifying trending technologies. The first would be social media outlets such as Youtube and Instagram. I follow technology-focused channels on these social media outlets that report on and feature everything new in the tech world, such as MKDHB, LinusTechTips, and Mark Rober. I also find the Instagram accounts of creatives provide a lot of insight into what tech tools are currently trending.

Another source would be online news articles and blog posts randomly appearing in my news feed. The final media source I rely on is tech-focused magazines and books like Make Magazine. I gain access to these publications by either browsing my library shelves or checking out the newest e-resources available.

According to Forbes (2022) and the MIT Technology Review(2023), the following are the tech trends that are gaining traction in 2023:

A) Advances in Artificial Intelligence mean an increase in autonomous services that augment activities such as shopping or delivery.

B) The gap between the physical and digital worlds is getting smaller, with the metaverse becoming more of a reality. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies continue to advance to create more immersive online experiences, such as virtual meetings, training, remote work, and even telehealth.

C) Progress in Web3; blockchain technology advancements that create more decentralized products and services (i.e. NFTs).

D) Green Technology Advancements, including electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, decentralized power generation and battery recycling.

E) Technology Sustainability, where companies are thinking more about cradle-to-grave logistics regarding the technology we use.

F) Advancements in robotics, including more humanistic robots (think robot butlers) and mass-market military-grade drones.

G) Quantum Processing; the race for different nations to develop quantum computing at scale, reminiscent of the space race of the 1960s. Advancements in this field could cause an entire disruption of current encryption practices.

H) Editable Nature, including CRISPR gene editing technology, organ manufacturing

As a Makerspace technician, I learn about new technologies by talking to people. I frequently talk with patrons about the tools we currently have in the space and new technologies. They are either interested in seeing new types of technological tools or interested in learning about things they see in the media.

I also learn about new technologies when solving personal or professional creative problems. These problems raise the question- is there a tech tool that has been created to help me solve this problem? In some cases, a tool exists; in others, a tool that would bring me closer to a solution or ideas/proposals for new technology. For example, I needed to find a way to display the programs I created in INFO 246 coding course on this portfolio site. I searched Google for “sharing Python code”. This brought up a long list of results, including Python Morsels, a very well-designed site for those who want to improve their Python coding skills. While not satisfying my problem, it is a site I would like to explore further after I finish my portfolio.

Using Technologies as an Information Science Professional

All information professionals must know the array of available tools, when to employ each, and how to use and manage them. This is especially true for those who work closely with emerging technologies or makerspaces.

Essential skills that will help an individual navigate emerging information technologies include (Breeding, 2021) (SJSU School of Information, 2020):

• an understanding of different types of applications, proprietary vs. open source, cloud vs. local vs. vendor-hosted computing, different programming languages (i.e. Python, HTML/CSS, PHP), software development approaches (i.e. Agile project management), metadata (i.e. extensible markup language, XML), library standards and protocols (i.e. NISO), web standards and protocols (i.e. World Wide Web Consortium W3C), and cybersecurity and privacy technologies

• the desire to keep learning and developing skills because of the ever-evolving technology landscape information professionals need to know about updates to current technology tools and how to use new tools.

• problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity when the technology does not work as it should.

• teaching and communication; the ability to teach patrons and other staff members how to use the technology.

• user experience; awareness and understanding of how patrons use the available technology enables staff to develop seamless and accessible experiences.

Finding and using the proper tool for the job is one of experimentation. One or a combination of tools may be able to complete the task at hand. For example, when creating the tutorial videos featured in my evidence section, I had to use the following tech tools:

• Google Docs and Slides to create the storyboard and write the script.

• Canva to create the video graphics.

• My iPhone and audio recording app to record the voice-over.

• Adobe Premiere to stitch the graphics and audio together to create the final video. Also, add subtitles.

• YouTube Creator to upload the video and subtitles to the web.

This list represents all the tools I used to complete the project. For technologies that were less familiar to me (audio recording), I had to try out different applications to find one that fit my needs and was comfortable using.

Evaluating Whether New Technologies Fit in the Organization

I take all the technology I have tried and curate the ones I like into a physical and digital toolbelt. Having this toolbelt means I can, as a makerspace staff, reliably vouch for these tools when advising patrons on how best to tackle their projects. Curating a toolbelt leads us to discuss evaluating and selecting technology that meets an organization's criteria. With abundant options coupled with budgetary constraints, information organizations have to select technologies with a long track record of being reliable and proven (Breeding, 2021). Future-oriented library leaders are keen to have their staff try new technologies and investigate opportunities to bring these tools to their clients.

Makerspaces and innovation labs also play a role in evaluating tech for an information organization and its patrons. They allow individuals of all ages and walks of life to bring creative ideas to life by allowing them to access tools and technologies that are either not widely available or affordable (Brady, 2014) (Fontichiaro, 2021).

From personal experience, the evaluation process can either be informal or formal. Sometimes the evaluation process is just a brief email with a simple rationale, budget and links to the technology in question; sometimes, it's a more directed research project that will generate a formal report that will demonstrate to management and other stakeholders the importance of including this technology in the organization’s collection. Regardless of the evaluation process, these are some criteria that I have used when considering which technologies are a good fit for an organization:

• Would this tool fill a gap in the current collection of technology? Is it needed?

• Is there room in the budget for this tool?

• Have many organization patrons expressed an interest in gaining access to this technology?

• Does the organization have available staff that would be able to learn and teach others how to use the technology? Would the physical space or the current technology accommodate the new addition?

• Have I personally had any exposure to this technology? If I can help it, I try to recommend technology I have used or previously researched.

• What were my thoughts about the tool and its user interface? A robust and easy-to-use and learn interface is critical to a reliable tool, especially when many beginners will use this tool.

• Are there programming or service opportunities associated with this technology? What would that look like?