OCLC report: Information Format Trends: Content, Not Containers (2004).
"Containers" are things like books, journals, and CDs - the 'unbundling' of these containers has changed how information is looked at (for example, a person can preview a book on Amazon rather than physically look through it before buying it). This, then, affects how libraries and sellers present the information.
Because things are now more readily accessible, the "container" is no longer the important thing - what is important is getting the content quickly and easily. This means not just computers in general, but also things like cell phones and iPods. Because of this, "microcontent," things like single songs or a cell phone wallpaper, is now commonplace and readily paid for.
People are also progressing towards "on-demand" content. Libraries must adapt to this trend - for example, more are choosing magazines that can be viewed online. Another example, in my experience, is the library offering audiobooks for the patron to download.
Last, because information is so readily available by way of search engines such as Google, it is no longer in context, as it would be if it were compiled in a book. Some search engines are trying to remedy this by bringing up search results by category.
Clifford Lynch, “Information Literacy and Information Technology Literacy: New Components in the Curriculum for a Digital Culture”
Gaining a basic knowledge of technology is good, but it is not enough. Skills must be taught that let the student adapt in the face of rapidly-changing technologies - for example, learning basic trouble-shooting skills, so they will know what to do if they encounter a problem down the line.
It is also important for the student to learn a broad view of technology, so that they can see how many things in society are connected.
Vaughan, J. (2005). Lied Library @ four years: technology never stands still. Library Hi Tech, 23(1), 34-49.
In a span of four years, the Lied Library system added more new technologies than they had initially installed. This paper shows what that requires. For example, time to swap the technology (such as when they upgraded the computers), and money for maintenance and licensing. There is also the matter of how to distribute their resources, such as how to allow students to do research when all computers are in use. The paper also addresses how they dealt with issues such as theft, space constraints, and software glitches.
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I think that most students today pretty much know their way around a system or even multiple operating systems. All the work of today's students is mostly on the internet and computer based. Take Pitt for example, my freshman year here I might have had 1 class listed on courseweb, but today almost every class is listed on it. Even the labs, you could always just sit down at an Apple computer because no one knew how to use them, but now all of the computers are usually taken and everyone just takes whatever is first available. Given that every one relies on computers for their connection to the world, students today have a better understanding of technology and can already adapt to whatever environment there is.
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