How to Become a Trend Tracker

Think you don’t have time to be that person in your library or school who sees new trends and opportunities ahead? Think again!  And take a few minutes to read this great strategy from Elisabeth Doucett in American Libraries: 10 Tips for Tracking Trends

• Step 1: Identify potential sources of information for societal and library trend tracking.
• Step 2: Develop a method for regularly reviewing those resources.
• Step 3: Search social networking sites.
• Step 4: Review each idea that you pulled out of your research, considering potential implications for your library.
• Step 5: Leave your idea list in a file until you start the same process the next week.
• Step 6: When you identify the ideas that you want to pursue for your library, get together with some of your fellow librarians to help you review the ideas and find the good and bad about them.

Read her article for more!