| Biography
Mark
Hepworth is Director of Local Futures, where he leads the Knowledge
Economy Network. He is also Visiting Professor at Birkbeck College,
University of London, where he has established the new Centre for
Applied Economic Geography. Mark's geo-economic studies of the knowledge
economy have influenced the Government's innovation and skills strategies,
and economic strategy at the regional, city-region and local authority
levels. His latest work includes published reports on the knowledge
economy that highlight the importance of public libraries (see MLA
web site) and information and communication technologies (see London
Connects web site). Mark is on the international academic panel
for Canada's five-year research programme on city-regions in the
knowledge economy, and is a board director of the new Thames Innovation
Centre. He holds an economics degree from Warwick University and
masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Toronto.
Abstract:
The
Future of Public Libraries in the Knowledge Economy
This
presentation summarises the key findings and recommendations of
a new MLA report entitled “ The Future of Public Libraries in
the Knowledge Economy ”. Based on case study and survey evidence,
the report argues that public libraries should be viewed and encouraged
to develop as hubs of community-driven knowledge economies. Their
largely unacknowledged role in economic value creation derives from
libraries' unrivalled ‘customer capital' assets – the main source
of growth and business competitiveness. These intangible assets
enable libraries to create ‘bridges of engagement' with people who
are economically excluded in the areas of skills and learning, ICT
and enterprise start-ups. These ‘bridges' are increasingly recognised
by other local authority departments and external service providers,
such that libraries have become ‘natural partners' in local economic
development. The challenge ahead lies in creating a wider understanding
of the libraries' bottom-up contribution to the knowledge economy
and what it implies for traditional thinking and practice within
the sector and about the sector.
This page was last updated
on:
12 September, 2006
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