Ranga 2.0 January 10, 2006
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With no apologies to Ranganathan because he may just have said the same thing given the circumstances…..using his five laws in this “Library 2.0″ age
1. Content are for use.
Libraries are designed to be used in the physical and digital dimensions, they are not icons or symbols we are in awe of – except in that they should be “cool” “awesome” or “wicked” from the patron’s perspective. We want people to interact with our libraries, bounce around in them, do things, work with us and have fun in the process. We want people to use and interact with our libraries, wake them up, produce things there, be creative, and have fun doing it.
2. Every bit of content its user
All of our collections, book or other content item, seek to have a direct or indirect connection to at least one of our patrons – our job as library workers is to make sure that the item gets enough exposure that it fulfills its potential or being read, passed on, quoted from and therefore has a useful life while in our collections. In order to do this we need to engage more tightly with our resources making sure that they all get the description, access points, display and promotion they deserve. Maximising the value of our materials by keeping them current but not forgetting that we need to have access to the “long tail.” We need to entertain our patrons with the content such that they discover beyond what they are immediately looking for.
3. Every reader their book.
We have such an intimate connection with our patrons and our content that we know (before them) what they are likely to want. All of our content services are based on patron information of the first quality through (inter)face-to-(inter)face exchanges.
We don’t want to be too intrusive but we do want to know what they want/need to know! Otherwise we end up buying things, doing things in a vacuum – which is where we are now. And this one also takes account of those who see no need for what we do or what we think we offer.
4. Save the time of the user.
This is where we ensure in our public areas that people quickly find what they are looking for and in our backrooms to keep in touch with how our information is described and structured in a way that access is seamless and rapid (with all the description and access points and metadata necessary to make the item “glow in the dark”). The continued TLC of the library public relations engine is important since we need to be constantly in touch with what our patrons are wanting, needing, doing or trying to achieve while in our physical or digital domains.We need to be clear on the main reasons why our patrons come to us – and prioritise these for ready accessibility and findability.
5. The library is a living organism.
This is the area where we have been most negligent. Our libraries are at risk of becoming marginalised and moribund. The Internet Age has given us the means to re-invent what we do. Can we make use of its opportunities and its tools, those feverishly sprouting social softwares for example, to draw in, connect, engage, excite and keep our patrons coming back for more! The library needs to be flexible and agile in order to response to the evolving needs of the patrons. This can only be the case if our librarians keep up on all of the opportunities presented by this social software age.
Loving Patrons January 8, 2006
Posted by unamable in Repatronising.add a comment
Must say, lovely to see Edward Vielmetti’s blog, “Superpatron” which ….. “is a weblog for library patrons who love their libraries, who take advantage of everything they have to offer, and are always on the lookout for great ideas that libraries around the world are doing.”
The ideas are a mixture the slightly techie (for me that is) – the extended use of RSS (his visual wall of books for a “What’s New” feature); highlighting services in his local library (AADL since you asked) – their art prints for loan service; commonsense collaborations for patrons -techie patrons working together for the library’s benefit and musing on how th elirbary could be better – findability within the physical space.
It’s just a great example of how to engage and energise our patrons and, as he says, a great rapid response forum for any ideas you have or opinions you are seeking on new or upcoming services.
Beckett – Yes and Noh January 6, 2006
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Apologies for the resistible pun, which links to Beckett’s influence on contemporary Japanese theatre specifically “The Little Theatre Movement” – shogekijo – which was kick-started by young performers dissatisfied with the existing theatre forms seeking their own forms of expression. It is based on small venues and individuals who take on multiple roles as playwrights, directors, and lead actors. The Beckett connection stems from a student Ando Shin’ya, who was so knocked out by the landmark 1953 Paris performance of “Waiting for Godot” that he then went on to direct the Japanese premiere of Godot sparking a resurgence in avant garde theatre form in Japan.
Noh is Japan’s “most classical” form of drama akin to Greek tragedy. Its roots lie in religious ritual, where the miraculous appearance of old gods, releases the players from the rigours of earthly life into the purity and clarity of the spirit world. The purpose of Noh is neither narrative nor moral, but is simply an attempt to express beauty – the essence of Noh is that true art is felt, not understood.
This may seem a little removed from Beckett’s tramps, dustbins and reel-to-real replays. However the spaces, the purity and clarity are there (although as in Godot are we asked what is where?) In Noh the drama strives to reveal its own essence. In Beckett, all we (we all) face is situation, just situation. The essence never arrives, except that the non-arrival itself, may be the essence. Just as Noh flows between reality and dream, life and afterlife; Beckett challenges dualistic thinking and crosses borders of language, genre, culture, bringing the ultimate questions into the commonplace – and then asking if the questions matter.
To further explore this deep, clear pool (aka murky lagoon) turn up at Tokyo’s Waseda University between 29 September and 1 October for Japan’s first international Beckett Symposium entitled “Borderless Beckett.”
Beckett at Reading January 4, 2006
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Another “puff” for the events in the Beckett year. Reading University, as part of their Beckett’s birth celebrations between March and June 2006, will host an an exhibition ’Samuel Beckett – The Irish European’ covering the story of Beckett’s life and achievements from 25th March to 25th June 2006 . It promises to have interactive, video and audio elements with a highlight being an installation with significant stage images and props. It is held as part of the Beckett at Reading 2006 which also includes a conference, the premiere of an new adapation of the novella ’First Love’ and a display of the work done on the digital manuscript project, a joint collaboration between the Universities of Reading and Antwerp, will be on display. There will be various other things going on including a gala evening in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Relief
Looking for a Library 2.0 Moment January 3, 2006
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Yes, I think that’s right – Michael’s post connecting up Library 2.0 back to 1876 – I am trying to find out what I am trying to say by saying “Library 2.0″. If that means I look back to make sure that my “long tail” is still twitching or that I’m still going round that ole “Sleeper Curve” – that’s o.k. If we, as a profession/workgroup, don’t reflect on and learn from our mistakes, our successes and our history – then who will move on at all?
The Library 2.0 flurry or meme is connecting with/to the opportunities in the right now: ubiquitious this, instantaneous that, neat and accessible techbits. Library 2.0 is the catch-all phrase which kinda labels what I want to talk about with regard to the libraries I work in now (until Library 2.0 is either defined, acceptable and then passé or it is killed off by scepticism before it is born and the opportunities to think that it offers are squandered). By the way, I am not so sure that there are that many rip-roaring librarians out there -sure we all work hard but, have we, in the old hackneyed phrase actually, really, truly begun to work smart? The opportunities and creations which are aggregating around Library 2.0 will perhaps better allow us to do that – and, as somebody has already said, somewhere – other library advances have always cost libraries dear – at least these are low-cost and so far pretty entertaining! The bonus might be that we also begin to look intriguing and maybe useful to a wider range of users wherever they choose to be – and I am all for that.
