On the horizon: customer engagement technology world conference in NYC: parallels with community engagement in libraries

摘要

This new column highlights non-library industry conference reports as well as articles written by industry experts. Quite often, developments in technology used or available from industry find their way to the library market or are of interest to librarians to think of new and novel ways of exploiting these technologies to showcase their resources and services and provide outreach to the communities they serve. In November, I had the opportunity to attend the Customer Engagement Technology World Conference in New York City. In the retail setting, one speaks of customers. But, it became clear that by attending this conference that some of the technological ways retail businesses engage with customers are transferrable to libraries that engage and empower the communities they serve. I think that libraries have much to learn from the retail industry and besides reporting on some of the presentations and general impressions from the conference; I will also point out ways in which libraries might apply the same principles in community outreach and engagement.