The quest for great new products and services is never ending. However it can be difficult to know what's going to be hot next.
Example: In the Fall of 2012, mermaids were the hot topic in young adult fiction. However, how long will this trend last?
Brian Mathews (2009, 71-72) suggests the practice of "coolhunting" to spot trends early and integrate them into library practices. Start by people watching. Immerse yourself in the culture of your user. What are they doing. What tools are they using? How are they communicating?
Example: High school students send and receive hundreds of text messages a day. How can the library make use of this system to engage users in the library without becoming annoying?
lockSometimes new services come from necessity.