"Libraries face a future brimming with economic, organizational, and technical challenges. It is a certainty, no longer seriously debated, that we will have to make fundamental shifts in what we do and how we do it."
Recent survey of 240+ future library leaders reveals
lack of investment by libraries in areas of future growth
continued investment in low-value functions
librarians slow to react to the new technological service demands of their users

 What is an Unconference?An unconference is a participant-guided experience that actually brings the unstructured conversations people usually have between conference sessions into the conference itself. Unlike most conferences where a group of leaders determine what will be discussed, the participants make those decisions at an unconference, and usually either on the day of the unconference or shortly before. Unconferences usually aren't about big-name speakers, but are more about letting everyone attending take part in the conversation.
http://wikis.ala.org/annual2009/index.php/Unconference
code4lib
unconference
meetup
New Approaches to Professional Development for LIbrarians
NEW APPROACHES TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LIBRARIANS