Blockchains for the Information Profession

National Forum
2018-08-06
LiveStream Link
We are pleased to invite you to view the live-stream IMLS-funded Blockchain National Forum recordings from the event held in San Jose, CA on Monday, August 6. The format for this live-streamed event included panel presentations and discussions from notable experts in the information professions, business, government, and urban planning. They focused on suggested blockchain applications that might be employed by libraries and archives. The day’s proceedings were live-streamed and participants had the opportunity to submit questions and comments. You may view the recorded sessions here. The Blockchain National Forum will be live-streamed and recorded. Please feel free to distribute this link widely so others may participate in the discussions.
View Recorded Sessions: https://livestream.com/accounts/20480259/events/8179548
The goal of this forum sponsored the SJSU School of Information and a grant from IMLS was to discuss and make recommendations about the future uses of blockchain technology within the information professions. The results of the forum are the basis for a White Paper that will be submitted to IMLS and distributed to the information communities.
This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services – LG-98-17-0209-17. The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
In preparation for the National Forum the participants prepared Executive Summaries on possible blockchain applications and considerations for the information professions.
National Forum Schedule
August 6, 2018
View Recorded Sessions: https://livestream.com/accounts/20480259/events/8179548
Topics: Urban Planning/Smart Cities; Enhanced Metadata; Standards; Legal Issues; Community-based Collections; Civic Data; Partnerships; Credentials; Provenance
9:00 – 9:55 Overview: Possibilities and Issues Panel Presentation and Discussion
Moderator: Miguel Figueroa
Panelists: Jason Griffey, Dan Blackaby, John Bracken,.Bohyun Kim
10:00 – 10:55 Public Libraries: Panel Presentation and Discussion
Moderator: Annie Norman
Panelists: M. Ryan Hess, Chris Martin, Toby Greenwalt
10:55 – 11:15 Break
11:15 – 12:10 Academic Libraries: Panel Presentation and Discussion
Moderator: Frank Cervone
Panelists: MacKenzie Smith , Alexandra Lederman, Tim Thompson, Eli Edwards
12:15 – 1:15 Lunch
1:20 – 2:00 Partnerships: Panel Presentation and Discussion
Moderator: Andrew Pace
Panelists: Nader Afzalan, Todd Carpenter, May Chang, Alex Voto
2:05 – 2:50 Additional Applications of Blockchain Technology (Credentialing, Community-based Collections, Blockchain Education, Provenance, Civic Data, Archives/Record Keeping) Panel Presentation and Discussion
Moderator: Jason Griffey
Panelists: Amy Jiang, Link Swanson, Darra Hofman, Yao Zhang
2:50 – 3:10 Break
3:15 – 4:00 Round Table Discussions to Finalize Recommendations
4:00 – 5:00 Recommendations and Discussion
Moderator: Jason Griffey and Miguel Figueroa
National Forum Participants

Last Name

First Name

Institution

Afzalan

Nader

Urban Footprint/American Planning Association Technology Division Director

Alman

Sue

SJSU Faculty – Co-PI

Blackaby

Dan

Cornell University School of Law

Bracken

John

Executive Director Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)

Carpenter

Todd

Executive Director National Information Standards Organization (NISO)

Cervone

Frank

Director of Information Technology, School of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Chang

May

Library Chief Technology Officer, University of Cincinnati

Coward

Caroline

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Edwards

Eli

Emerging Technologies Research Librarian Santa Clara University School of Law

Figueroa

Miguel

Executive Director American Library Association Center for the Future of Libraries

Greenwalt

Toby

Director, Digital Strategy & Technology Integration Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Griffey

Jason

Fellow, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University, Founder: Evenly Distributed

Hess

M Ryan

Palo Alto City Library, Library Services Manager for Digital Initiatives

Hirsh

Sandy

Director, SJSU School of Information and Co-PI

Hofman

Darra

University of British Columbia, JD, MSLS, current doctoral student focusing on blockchain with patient rights and archives

Jiang

Amy

University of La Verne, Associate Professor and Library Technology Coordinator

Kim

Bohyun

President, ALA LITA (Library Information Technology Association) and University of Rhode Island Chief Technology Officer and Associate Professor

Lederman

Alexandra

The New School, Digital Asset Manager

Martin

Chris

King County Library System PC Services Manager

Norman

Annie

Delaware State Librarian

Norton

Robert

CEO and Founder Verisart

Pace

Andrew

OCLC Executive Director, Technical Research

Smith

MacKenzie

UC Davis, University Librarian and Vice Provost of Digital Scholarship

Swanson

Link

University of Minnesota, Systems Engineer and Developer

Thompson

Timothy

Yale University, Discovery Metadata Librarian

Voto

Alex

ConsenSys, West Coast Regional Director

Zhang

Yao

Kent State University, Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Library 2.018, Blockchain Applied: Impact on the Information Profession
2018-06-07
The June Library 2.018 conference, Blockchain Applied: Impact on the Information Profession, included sessions that focused on blockchain technology and the ways it can be used by libraries and information centers as a community anchor.

Here is the link to all of the recorded sessions on YouTube

Blockchain technology has the potential to enhance the role played by libraries within their communities, however, there are many questions yet to be answered about how specifically blockchain technology might be used and how much value it would add to library services and the communities they serve. The San José State University School of Information (iSchool) received an IMLS grant to investigate ways that blockchain technology can be used by libraries as a community anchor to partner with other organizations and to support city/community goals.
This online and participatory conference presented a unique opportunity to explore the possibilities of the ways that libraries and librarians can use blockchain technology in the future or are incorporating blockchain technology into their current practice.

TIME

THEME

SPEAKERS

Noon – 12:30

EXPLANATION

Jason Griffey

12:30 – 1:30

ISSUES

Standards

NISO – Todd Carpenter

Legal

AALL – Dan Blackaby

Security

Tonia San Nicolas – Rocca

DPLA

John Bracken

1:30 – 2:30

APPLICATIONS

General Applications

Christina Cornejo and Stacey Johnson

Health Records

Frank Cervone

Records

Pat Franks

Metadata

Ravi Singh

Credentials

Amy Jiang and Heather McMorrow

Community Based Collections

Ryan Hess

Provenance

Eric Meyer

Verisart

Norton, Robert

Strategies for libraries to provide blockchain education, tools, and training

Swanson, Link

2:30 – 3:00

WRAP-UP

Pros/Concerns

Miguel Figueroa

Toby Greenwalt

Bohyun Kim
