The Right Place at the Right Time: Creative Spaces in Libraries

Purpose This essay explores the recent trend in libraries: that of the establishment of spaces specifically set aside for creative work. The rise of these dedicated creative spaces is owed to a confluence of factors that happen to be finding their expression together in recent years. This essay examines the history of these spaces and explores the factors that gave rise to them and will fuel them moving forward. Design/Methodology/Approach A viewpoint piece, this essay combines historical research and historical/comparative analyses to examine the ways by which libraries have supported creative work in the past and how they may continue to do so into the 21st century. Findings The key threads brought together include a societal recognition of the value of creativity and related skills and attributes; the philosophies, values, and missions of libraries in both their longstanding forms and in recent evolutions; the rise of participatory culture as a result of inexpensive technologies; improved means to build community and share results of efforts; and library experience and historical practice in matters related to creativity. The chapter concludes with advice for those interested in the establishment of such spaces, grounding those reflections in the author’s experiences in developing a new creative space at Virginia Commonwealth University. Originality/value While a number of pieces have been written that discuss the practicalities of developing certain kinds of creative spaces, very little has been written that situates these spaces in larger social and library professional contexts; this essay begins to fill that gap

Capturing analog sound for digital preservation report of a roundtable discussion of best practices for transferring analog discs and tapes

The report investigates "procedures to reformat sound on analog carriers to digital media or files. It summarizes discussions and recommendations emerging from a meeting of leading audio preservation engineers held January 29-30, 2004, to assess the present state of standards and best practices for capturing sound from analog discs and tapes"--P. v

E-powering the people : South Africa's Smart Cape Access Project /

A project to ensure that all citizens of Cape Town, South Africa have access to basic information and communications technologies."March 2004."A project to ensure that all citizens of Cape Town, South Africa have access to basic information and communications technologies

CLIR Publication Number 161

This report looks at how staff at eight academic institutions gained new insight about how students and faculty use their libraries, and how the staff are using these findings to improve library technologies, space, and services. Participatory design is a relatively recent approach to understanding library user behavior. It is based on techniques used in anthropological and ethnographic observation. The report is based on a series of presentations at the second CLIR Seminar on Participatory Design of Academic Libraries, held at the University of Rochester’s River Campus June 5-7, 2013. Chapters focus on projects at the University of Colorado, Boulder; Colby College; University of Connecticut; Columbia University; Rush University Medical Center; Purdue University; Northwestern University; and the University of Rochester. David Lindahl, of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, provided the keynote

IFLA Principles for the Care and Handling of Library Material

Ky dokument është një hyrje e përgjithshme në përkujdesjen dhe përdorimin e materialit bibliotekar për individë dhe institucione me njohuri të vogla apo pa fare njohuri në prezervim. Kjo nuk ofron një list gjithëpërfshirëse të metodave dhe praktikave të detajizuara, por sjell informacion bazë për të asistuar bibliotekat në krijimin e një qëndrimi të përgjegjshëm në përkujdesjen për koleksionet e tyre. Rreziqet për koleksionet shpesh janë të njohura, por bibliotekarët shpesh nuk i theksojnë zëshëm pasojat e injorimit të rreziqeve. ‘Parimet e IFLA-s për përkujdesjen dhe përdorimin e materialeve bibliotekare’, janë bërë kështu me qëllim të inkurajimit të atyre që janë përgjegjës për t’u ballafaquar me këto pasoja dhe që, së bashku me ekspertë shkencorë dhe teknikë, të bëjnë formulimin e një politike pozitive për të ardhmen e materialeve në koleksionet e tyre. Në rend të parë, ky publikim ka për qëllim: të ekspozojë rrezikshmërinë e materialit bibliotekar të avansojë njohurinë lidhur me vazhdimësinë dhe qëndrueshmërinë e materialit bibliotekar të inkurajojë përkujdesjen dhe përdorimin e duhur të materialit bibliotekar të ndihmojë stafin bibliotekar në kërkim të zgjidhjeve të problemeve të prezervimit të inkurajojë linja të qarta komunikimi midis drejtuesëve të bibliotekave, drejtuesëve të ndërtesave dhe stafit të prezervimit dhe të bibliotekave, në mënyrë që të gjithë të interesuarit të punojnë së bashku drejt prezervimit të përmbajtjeve të bibliotekave

IFLA Principles for the Care and Handling of Library Material

This document is a general introduction to the care and handling of library material or individuals and institutions with little or no preservation knowledge. It does not provide a comprehensive list of detailed methods and practices, but gives basic information to assist libraries in establishing a responsible attitude to looking after their collections. The threats to collections are often known, but librarians frequently do not proclaim suciently loudly the consequences of ignoring the dangers. ‘IFLA Principles for the Care and Handling of Library Materials’ is therefore designed to encourage those responsible to face up to these consequences and, together with scientific and technical experts, to formulate a positive policy for the future of the material in their collections. Primarily, this publication sets out to: * expose the vulnerability of library material; * advance knowledge about the permanence and durability of library material; * encourage proper care and handling of library material; * aid library staff in their search for solutions to preservation problems; * encourage clear lines of communication among library managers, buildings managers, and preservation and library staff so that all concerned work towards preserving the library’s holdings