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Have you noticed how fast the world is changing? Even the pace of change is constantly acceler-ating. Over time communication technology has enabled faster transfer of knowledge, resulting in innovation; innovation, in turn enables faster knowledge

transfer.

The challenge today is in understanding and reacting to the trends

that are impacting us all. Businesses need to react or

they will no longer be able to compete. Our education system must change if we want to train future workers for this newly hyper-con-nected world. Individuals need to understand how the new forms of human communications impact us, and in my view, free us to ac-cess the knowledge you want, gain experiences you need and allow you to interact socially with others like never before.

A Little History The history of humanity has been about innovation. Central to this is the ability to communicate, to exchange ideas, to build upon others’ successes. We have seen tremendous change over the last millennium in the higher speed and lower cost for people and organizations to travel and to communicate. We’ve moved from walking caravans to wind powered ships to trains and automobiles. But the acceleration really increased with the introduction of wired telegraph and telephone to terrestrial and satellite links to fiber optics networks... and the Internet. We are currently experiencing unprecedented change in human communications. Here are the three big technology trends that are rapidly changing the way we live, learn and work:

Trend: Digital Everything The music industry offers a perfect example. Remember Napster and the legal battles over digital download and file sharing? Then iPod and iTunes taught the industry that people are not necessarily willing to pay for content – but they are more than willing to pay for convenience. Once virtually all music became available as digital files using a standard format, huge new opportunities were created – and old business models collapsed.

Since then, the economics of digitization have affected broadcast video, movies, magazines, newspapers, phones, and of course, books. The defenders of traditional business models first deny it, then attack it, and then try to control it. Then, if they’re smart, they adopt it and transform their business to deliver convenience.

Trend: Collaboration and Communication in the Cloud Our world is rapidly moving to a place where instantaneous com-munication is the norm. The advancement in Internet bandwidth and computational capability are creating an explosion in online services that allow on-demand downloading of any digitized media and computational output. These online data center purveyors are commonly called cloud computing vendors. Since it doesn’t matter where or how these services are provided, to you they exist in the Internet “cloud.”

Social network platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube allow you to communicate via text messages and share video and links to digital information and media. Increasingly, organizations are moving away from self management and relying on others who specialize in those systems. There will always be a place for face-to-face meetings, live performances and physical books and artwork. But now all of these experiences can also be accessed virtually and on-demand.

Trend: The Rise of Wireless DevicesBefore the end of the year, we will cross the five-billion mark for con-nected wireless devices worldwide. Next year, more smartphones with Internet capability will be sold in the U.S. than less capable feature phones. Sales of new tablet sized devices like the Amazon Kindle and the Apple iPad are increasingly eating into traditional desktop and laptop sales. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter report that users who access them via wireless devices post 3 to 4 times more often than those that use a traditional browser. All of these trends demonstrate the dramatic shift to hand-held devices soon becoming the norm for most consumers.

What about you? Has your cell phone usage increased in the last decade? Have you disconnected your traditional phone line? Don’t be surprised if in a few years your television viewing is completely on-demand and your first means to find any information is via your smartphone. There is still a place for newspapers, magazines, muse-ums and libraries. But there will be a virtual cloud-based version for you to access at your convenience.

By Jeffrey Stewart, Chief Technology Officer at Trekk Cross-Media

Communication Trends Impacting All of UsEverything is Digital and Always Available On Demand by Everyone who is Inter-Connected Via the Cloud which is Everywhere.

Electronic Information DatabasesRockford Public Library offers an extensive selection of in-formation databases, most of which are accessible from your home computer, if you have a Rockford Public library card, or available to use at the library. Here is a sample of what you will find at: http://www.rockfordpubliclibrary.org/research/databases.

Career InsiderA comprehensive online career resource database, Career In-sider provides access to downloadable career guides, employer profiles and rankings, discussion boards and more.

Consumer Health CompleteNeed to research a health-related topic? Consumer Health Complete covers a full range of health-related topics, such as aging, cancer, diabetes, drugs & alcohol, fitness, children's health, men & women's health, etc.

Mango LanguagesTraveling abroad? Brush up on your French, Spanish or learn a new language quickly and easily through Mango’s unique teaching method. Choose from 48 unique courses including ESL.

MyMediaMallThis downloadable audio and digital book service is available to all RPL cardholders. You can download bestselling audio books and other digital content directly from RPL’s website. Installa-tion of free reader software is required. For instructions, click on the “MyMediaMall” link under e-resources on our home-page at: www.rockfordpubliclibrary.org.