Images and Creative Commons

The Internet is such a wonderful source of images! I am a very visual person and enjoy taking my own photographs. I have had fun trawling Flickr for images of libraries.

In several positions I have been responsible for library signage. Budgets for signage are often disappointingly small, despite the importance of clear signage to library users. Limited funds can lead to disappointingly bad quality or boring signs, so this Flickr image, "UQ Library - 36" from the University of Queensland really appeals to me. The sign clearly indicates the Social Science and Humanities Library, in a wonderfully dynamic way. Its license is some rights reserved - copying is permitted with atribution to cas_ks

Displaying Books Imaginatively

One of the tasks that I find most interesting and challenging in library work is to plan and put together displays to publicise the library, its collection and/or its services. I am very conscious of the need to attract people, to interest them and to persuade them to think about the display. Aesthetics is very important when I mount a display but so is adding meaning to the display.

UTS Display of Books during the 2010 Election

Usually library displays include collections of carefully chosen books. A pile of books is not usually, of itself, very effective as part of a display - it needs to have some expressed purpose (as in a new book display) and to be put in context so it speaks to an observer (as for instance a selection of books on a particular subject.)

If you are lucky, the person looking at the pile may be interested in the authors or titles of the books, or maybe the design of the books and their covers will attract interest. However, it is unusual for a passer-by to give a pile of books more than a glance. Quite likely the person may conclude that it is just a random pile of books and move on. Unless the relevance of the pile is made clear to the viewer, it will look like a pile of books or maybe a display which is being prepared.

The image above which I found on Flickr is a good example of the display of collection of books - it draws the viewer in and is thought provoking. The photograph is of a book display put on during the 2010 federal election by the University of Technology Sydney. I enjoy the fact that the photograph both makes me laugh and makes me think. I like it!

The Ambivalent Blogger

Welcome to my newly created blog. I hope to contribute something which you will find worth reading and I also hope to hear from colleagues and fellow participants. I look forward to receiving and considering their comments.

While I have been aware of blogging for a long time, I have up till now been reluctant to join the Blogosphere. Although I love communicating (try stopping me talking sometimes), I am very aware that once my missives are made public, they are really public – not sure I like this idea!

I have had the advantage of starting work in libraries many years ago and have watched the development of computing with great interest. I have usually been an early adopter of technology but am cautious about social networking online. A large part of my reluctance is that I find it hard to keep in contact with my offline friends often enough.

My library work involves me in publicising the library, its services and activities. Blogging is a wonderful extra tool to use for publicity but my employer does not allow staff access to blogs. We are unable to access even the State Library blogs. I access these from home.

I am looking forward to completing the Web 2.0 program and grateful to the State Library for making it possible to learn online so easily.

True Blue