A few thoughts on Game Changers by Dan Golding, Leena van Deventer

Game Changers by Dan Golding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read the subtitle of this book, as it provides a summary of the contents. This is a powerful and disturbing about the recent history of conflicts relating to video games. While this book contains the very disturbing experiences of key figures, it is also an encouragement to make and play games. Both Leena and Dan provide their own experiences of harassment, and these areas of similarity and difference are important. The key section to remember is that ‘video games are for everyone’.

Even if you are in the minority of people who do not play games this book will resonate because other elements. This would be a helpful book for library staff to read because of the way it may help with thinking about games.

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A few thoughts on Buried (Twisted Cedar Mysteries, #1) by C.J. Carmichael

Buried by C.J. Carmichael
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a book featuring a librarian as one of the characters, and 4 (or 5) librarians as the murder victims. With the librarian character there are some rather frustrating cliches (like there is often time for reading novels on the job), but she has good research skills. Other librarians in other towns also feature good research skills and this research is key to helping solve these decades old crimes.

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A few thoughts on Really Cross Stitch: For when you just want to stab something a lot by Rayna Fahey

Really Cross Stitch: For when you just want to stab something a lot by Rayna Fahey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a call to action with many cross stitch patterns so you can stitch the revolution. It is an entertaining and engaging read which also includes space for a lot of anger at what is happening in local and global politics. This book is a useful addition to craftivism publishing.

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a Storify of Shetland Wool Week 2017

I think of this as an impressive local studies event (which I have yet to go to). The photographs show locations, people and events. I hope that the Shetland Library is collecting from this and other events for their local studies collection.

The Great Strike, 1917 - centenary exhibition

This was a very impressive exhibition with huge banners hanging in very large spaces.
 It is hard to give a good idea of how big these banners are. There were some art works inspired by the original objects, but really the most powerful elements were the original objects, and perhaps was the key role of the art works, that they made you look at the original works with a different filter.

Atherton Library, Queensland

Atherton Library is a lovely looking library which seems to have had a recent refurbishment.


It was so popular, there were quite a few areas of it I was not able to photograph as they were in use.




It also had this listing of staff - and what you could ask them about.

 There was also a readers' advisory promotion about the website in the library.


This was outside the library.
More photographs of the library are here.

Mossman Library, Queensland

The entrance to Mossman Library had a local studies display supporting a recently released book.
 With some detailed information on display.
 Part of the library was a quiet zone (and it was interesting how this was described).
 I don't usually comment about books sales in libraries, but this was a good one. It was tidy. It was not in the entrance of the library. I don't like to see book sales dominate the entrance to libraries, especially when messy, but even when neat as it detracts from the loan items, and there should be better use made of entrance spaces to libraries.
 You can see more of the library here
 and here.
 

Cooktown Library, Queensland

Cooktown Library is a nice looking library.


There was this welcome outside the library.


Plus an ebook promotion


You can see more photographs of Cooktown Library here

ice cream and social media

I liked the way this ice cream company provided their social media information on site.  It was easy to see, and they were making it easy to share photographs and to follow them. This is more helpful than 'find us on [insert name of social media]'.
   
There were other signs too,  to provide more information about the fruit being used.  I like the way this open air storage had fruit names included.  The ice cream was great too.
 

thinking about the ideas of safe in libraries for #glamblogclub

As Terry Pratchett wrote in Soul Music
The Library didn't only contain magical books, the ones which are chained to their shelves and are very dangerous. It also contained perfectly ordinary books, printed on commonplace paper in mundane ink. It would be a mistake to think that they weren't also dangerous, just because reading them didn't make fireworks go off in the sky. Reading them sometimes did the more dangerous trick of making fireworks go off in the privacy of the reader's brain. This quote demonstrates the safety to explore a wide range of ideas in libraries.

Thinking about this post and the idea of libraries as safe places has also made me think back to my post about silence as some of those who are silent/silenced in the library may also not feel that that library is safe, or that it saves their stories for the community. 

There has been a lot of discussion about libraries being neutral places (for example this and this). I am not convinced that libraries have ever really been neutral, as often it is those who have not been excluded who are writing about the neutrality of libraries.The discussion of neutrality is not always accompanied by discussion of libraries as safe places.  Sometimes it is not possible for the library to be both safe and neutral, and safe should not be sacrificed.  Safe was sacrificed for decades in libraries in the south in the USA (Not Free, Not for All: Public Libraries in the Age of Jim Crow - is an amazing and disturbing book to read) although they also may not have said they were neutral.  This is true in other places around the world where there have been (or maybe still are) restrictions on who can use the space, or the library intimidates (by the building, by the staff...).  Libraries should be safe places to go to.

They should be safe places to explore ideas, without risk of harm.  Libraries should also make sure their client data is safe, and that as much other data as possible is open for people to use.  Digitising and collecting digital content can be ways to make information available (but often isn't as people choose copyright over open creative commons licenses). If your organisation owns the copyright on something, they can choose to make it widely available while it is still in copyright.

Maker spaces are a great way for people to explore ideas and to experiment (and yet they need to safe so that people are not injured). Libraries should be safe for staff (think work health safety, not bullied, support from managers) and all who use them (in the library and online).

The tweet, below, shows libraries as a safe place to explore literacy.

The @freelibrary’s @freelibrarycook is an innovative and hands-on way to advance literacy through cooking. It was fun to join these cooks! pic.twitter.com/rz0bDcVHAj

— Carla Hayden (@LibnOfCongress) September 20, 2017

Read more about Dr Carla Hayden, and the importance of libraries as safe places (repositories). There continues to be much destruction of libraries, both by war and by neglect (including inadequate funding).

Neil Gaiman says "Libraries really are the gates to the future" (go and read the whole article here) Libraries should be a safe place to explore a wide range of ideas, and this includes through collections, services and programs, and this can lead to a very wide range of outcomes.  There is much more to ponder on this idea, but I am almost out of September to write it in. 

Welcome Blanket at Smart Museum (and some nifty cataloguing)

The Smart Museum in Chicago is having what is described as an artistic action.

On the museum website it says:
Welcome Blanket is a crowd-sourced artistic action that calls for over 3,000 blankets to be knit from 3,500,640 yards of yarn, a length equal to the proposed border wall dividing the United States and Mexico. Welcome Blanket invites participants to knit, crochet, or sew the blankets for new immigrants as well as for refugees seeking resettlement and send them with personal notes of welcome and stories of immigration to the Smart Museum of Art.


You can read more about it on the museum blog.

You can see the catalogue in this image from Instagram, and you can see the online catalogue by scrolling down at this link.

Now you can scroll through the Welcome Blanket catalogue!! You can check it out both on the Smart's and our websites. Thank you @smartmuseum for making this happen 💕🗽💕 ・・・ New #welcomeblanket tool: a digital catalogue of blankets! On the @welcomeblanket exhibition page on our website, you can now scroll through images and other details about the blankets we have opened and documented so far. We still have many, many more boxes to open and blankets to catalogue. You can help! Join in one of our unpacking parties, held every Saturday from 1–4pm.

A post shared by Welcome Blanket (@welcomeblanket) on Sep 13, 2017 at 4:52pm PDT

You can see how people are sharing their #welcomeblanket photographs. 


This is an impressive collaboration, and I really like how quickly the museum is cataloguing the material, as the catalogue keeps changing and being updated.  I figure this is part of the whole art experience, but this is an art experience with practical outcomes.  I had a look at the representation on Instagram of #wrapwithlove as I thought aspects of #welcomeblanket sounded similar to Wrap with love.

A key difference is the documentation and cataloguing. I have not found a library which photographs each wrap and includes the photograph in the local studies collection.  If anyone knows of this happening, I would be very interested to hear. I really like the #welcomeblanket for what is doing as an 'artistic action', and I really like the way the Smart Museum is cataloging all the wraps.

#rakowinspired from @corningmuseum

The Corning Museum of Glass, is an amazing museum. They are continue to profile the library at the museum, the Rakow Research Library. Recently on the museum Instagram account, they have been encouraging people to share their #rakowinspired work. This is a lovely way to share work inspired by the library at the museum (which is why I did a storify of it).

#thegreatmnknittogether and local studies potential

Here is a storify of the #thegreatmnknittogether which was planned and implemented for the recent Minnesota State Fair. It is a wonderful tale of collaboration and hard work.  The photographs are one way to record the state fair. The items knitted also demonstrate social history, and perceptions in the community. I am hoping the local public library is collecting some of this information, as it would be an interesting inclusion in local studies.

The first video in the storify has more information about this.

an example on Instagram from Phoenix Public Library

This repost on Instagram from Phoenix Public Library

LOVE. OF. BOOKS. ❤️ #Repost @hereweeread ・・・ "There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all." –Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis #quoteoftheday #quotesofinstagram #quotestoliveby #blackgirlmagic

A post shared by Phoenix Public Library (@phoenixpubliclibrary) on Aug 23, 2017 at 9:40am PDT

is a lovely promotion of reading widely.  There is a mosaic of titles to explore, and it is a great photograph for readers' advisory.

Have at look at your library Instagram feed - does it reflect the diversity of your community?  If not what steps are you taking to make sure that it does?

twisted preservation

Last year I heard a talk by Frank Vagnone. I found out about it from an email update from Museums and Galleries NSW. The talk was looking at historic house museums, and the ideas were of relevance to many other sorts of organisations as well.

The label photographed shows a feedback mechanism which was used to explore how people saw historic houses. It was a way to learn about what people liked, did not like and their ideas for change. This is a way to encourage people to suggest ideas.

For more ideas go and read Anarchist's Guide to Historic House Museums by Franklin D. Vagnone, Deborah E. Ryan.  It is a really interesting book with some great ideas about looking at history (and the need to be inclusive). I am thinking it is time for me to read it again too.

silence for #glamblogclub

There are a lot of ways this can be explored.  I thought about the ideas of the Silence and Silence in the library. Since starting this post I have read Jane Cowell's piece on silence which I enjoyed.

I am interested in who in your community is silenced:

• because they are not using the library
• because their history and stories are not being collected in local studies
• because people like them are not shown in the collection

This will vary from library type to library type.  My comments are mainly about public libraries, but are relevant for other libraries too.

Who is the library silencing?

With membership data it is possible to see, at least roughly, who is using the library.  For public libraries membership data could include postcodes and location names.  It should be possible to work out if there are geographic areas where residents are not connecting to the library.  There can be many reasons for this, and each library will need to investigate as they can include:

• not knowing what the library offers
• knowing what the library offers and not thinking it is relevant
• hours which make it hard to access the library
• slow download speeds so that even if you can get to the library to join borrowing econtent is not feasible
• the programs and services are not seen as relevant 

Are the programs targeting a narrow range of the community? When you try something different and have lower numbers, do you interpret this as a fail, and decide to never try something different again? 

Is how the collection structured silencing people?  In Australia we have not had the same high profile approach as the We need diverse books in the USA.  We also need diverse books, so that everyone is seeing someone like them in the collection, in fiction and non-fiction, but also so that we are all seeing a wider world.  This means working a bit harder on collection development. Also keeping in mind every community needs this diversity, even if the same diversity is not visible on the street (because you don't know who you are silencing).

Local studies as a special area of the collection also needs to not silence people.  Only collecting people of certain backgrounds is silencing everyone else.  As well as silencing them, you are making them invisible as well. 

We all need to change our ways.

A few thoughts about Not Free, Not for All: Public Libraries in the Age of Jim Crow (Studies in Print Culture and the History of the Book)

Not Free, Not for All: Public Libraries in the Age of Jim Crow by Cheryl Knott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a very disturbing book. I read it because of a tweet from @Tuphlos. This is a book, wherever you work in the world, if you work in libraries, you need to read it. It is important history for one location, but it highlights ongoing issues for libraries around the world. It demonstrates that saying your library is welcoming and inclusive are a long way from your library actually being welcoming and inclusive. It also shows the need for effective outreach so that people who aren't using the library know about what it can do for them.

While this book shows legal barriers - segregation - to library use, make sure there are not other barriers in your area. This is a disturbing and important book to read. There was one sentence which highlighted problems "Most [libraries] who reported some move towards total desegregation also acknowledged that African Americans had not been told of these policy changes". Do you ever change something but don't tell the clients about it? Also "Libraries continued to restrict use to whites only...almost 2 million southern blacks lived in areas with public libraries that refused them service". This book continually demonstrated the need for a diverse collection and diverse staff - no excuses.



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#cookingforcopyright - what I made today

My grandmother hand wrote her recipes, because there were not a lot of other options. I have digitised these, and have started a slow transcription process - which I am really happy for others to join. Today I made a bran date loaf.

Bran loaf ingredients

The recipe for this is shown below.  The variations from the recipe are that I used oat bran (because I had it) and wholemeal flour (as I only have wholemeal flour).

On this page I have previously made the Quong Tart Scones and the Currant Scones - both of which are lovely.
 

You can read an earlier post I wrote showing this recipe on a Spoonflower product I made.

encouraging making

 This photograph shows some of the action in one of the Woolcraft sheds at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show last week.  It was to encourage making (and give people a chance to sit down).  It really was an old blanket with which you could use the various items on the table to decorate - trying a new skill or participate in visible mending. I liked that it was simple, and was for experimenting with.  There was no overall design, so it was impossible to do the wrong thing with it.

Showing detail on the blanket of some embroidery

Do you have things like this for adults in your library?

how to you let people know what hashtags you are monitoring?

 This photograph shows a sign which was attached to a fence, at what was mainly an outdoor event.  It was easy to see.  It was helpful to have the social media streams spelled out, as with some organisations, this can be a challenge.

How do you let people know how they can connect with your organisation on social media?

A few thoughts on Servant of the crown (and there is a library connection)

Servant of the Crown by Melissa McShane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this book because I wanted to see how a royal librarian was depicted in fiction. This is a political thriller and romance with a mistreated library in the middle. There are cataloguing problems (the single volume listing is stolen), supply problems for cataloguing cards (and creative solutions for substitutes), there are humidity issues which are destroying the collection, and on top of that there is theft and corruption. There also have been no new collection items acquired for over two years. This is not a problem of supply as there is a local publishing boom, but one of how new materials are not always welcomed in a heritage library. In this context since this library is similar to a legal deposit library a broader acquisition approach is needed. Issues of appropriate training for librarians are raised and that is a problem which is not effectively resolved.

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I will be participating in #glamblogweekly or #libblogweekly or whatever the hashtag is

I made it half way through #blogjune and then did not blog for the rest of the month. I really enjoyed reading the blog posts from others.

At the end of the month I read this post by Kathryn (so make sure you head over and read her post now).

I am viewing #glamblogweekly, #libblogweekly  (or whatever the hashtag ends up being) as an encouragement to blog, and work on writing and communication skills, rather than a threat.  I have lots of deadlines in the rest of my life which have no flexibility, so the choice and encouragement of blogging once a week will be viewed as a choice and an encouragement.

I have set up my calendar alerts, to remind me to write posts. I am not going to guarantee to write a post every week - since I did not manage every day of June this year.  Some weeks will be photographs with little writing.  I look forward to seeing what blog posts are written by others participating in this.

Happy blogging.

Using storify - work done by @abcemergency

ABC Emergency on storify is great local studies work. This account brings together information about (mostly weather related) emergencies across Australia.  I would be interested to know how local studies staff are using this information and these resources as part of their collections as photographs of different local areas are included.

Have a look at the work done by ABC news on storify too.

Using storify - work done by @hrw

Human Rights Watch uses storify to highlight issues of concern around the world.  I have embedded a recent one, but you can see more here. I am including this group because of the wider information potential they have.

A few thoughts about Grief works: stories of life, death and surviving

Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving by Julia Samuel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book because I heard a talk by the author on Dan Snow's history hits. I would suggest going and listening to this first.

This is an impressive book, and although I have finished it, and returned it to the library, it is one which I want to reread and mull over more. This book highlights the need to talk about death in whatever way is most needed by those who grieve. It is a series of stories of different people grieving. At times this is a very sad books to read, and a little awkward on public transport, or other public locations. This is one to consider adding to library collections, but also reading yourself. It is hard hitting while also being very gentle and compassionate. One to read to think about how you grieve, but also how you can help others who are grieving. There is no simple solution, but there are a few things not to do. Give it a go. It is most likely to appeal to people who read for story or character.



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Burton Barr Library - making and connecting

Phoenix Public Library is very interesting.  They have some very lovely libraries, and they keep looking at changes which can be made.

In their central library they have added Mach and Hive.

Hive is for small business

with a mix of books

and other elements

space

and they make it easy to find out about social media.


Mach is about making and is impressive.

local studies and art

There is a very interesting artist, Jane Hunter, whose work focuses on maps.

The making of a mountain. This is 'Geology, Ben Nevis'. One last little look at our highest peak before being parcelled up and shipped to a private collector in USA. How much will Parcelforce charge to carry 1,345 metres of rock across the Atlantic?! ⛰ Take a look at original art and prints I have available on my website (link in bio 👆🏼) 💻 Or pop into my Ayrshire studio/gallery to see work close up. Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 11am. 📍 Studio 117, Main Street, West Kilbride, KA23 9AR

A post shared by Jane Hunter (@janehunterart) on Apr 5, 2017 at 12:56pm PDT

This has amazing local studies potential. Is there someone in your area whose art relates to maps?

readers' advisory - it is about the client and not you

I know this is a tough idea for some people to understand. I still hear people 'recommending' and not suggesting titles.  There is a really big difference.

Becky Spratford has a great series on her blog which is a Call to action which makes vital points about readers' advisory skills in public libraries. I would suggest reading all of Becky's blog at RA for all, and RA for all horror are there are great ideas which you can use straight away at your library.

Start by reading this post Call to Action: Allow People To Dislike The Books You Suggest and go on from there.  It is about the client and connecting them to something they may enjoy (and not your latest read, not matter how much you think they may like it).  You want to encourage them, and not scare them.

Biodiversity Heritage Library: Inspiring Discovery at the 2016 BioBlitz and Biodiversity Festival in Washington, D.C.

Biodiversity Heritage Library: Inspiring Discovery at the 2016 BioBlitz and Biodiversity Festival in Washington, D.C. go and read this blog post from @BioDivLibrary

This is a nice example of a pop-up library and the use of reference related interaction for a pop- up too.

a few thoughts on Reading the reader: A survey of Australian reading habits

Recently the report Reading the reader: A survey of Australian reading habits was released.  The whole report is here, or you can read an overview here with some graphs.  It is a good idea to look at the methodology because it shows that there were some library connections in the research.  I think the research shows some recognition of the work that libraries do with readers' advisory work in many forms. 

This graph (and you are going to have to click the link as it won't let me embed it), actually proves the value of appeal characteristics for readers advisory work (think of the Nancy Pearl element of setting, story, language and character), because 90% of people said that 'topic, subject, setting or style' were important elements.  45% of people said price was key too, which makes me think there should have been more research with people who use libraries as that removes the price element. 

Go and have a look at the report and think about the implications for readers' advisory work in your library and how you suggest reading to your clients.

Connecting information...local land services

There is an impressive series of videos produced by Local Land Services Western Region in NSW. It really looks at land is a variety of ways.  The video I have embedded is by Ben Flick, a local Indigenous man, and is part of the Through our eyes series which has Indigenous people talking about the land and sharing stories. 
 
These videos are interesting, and highlight the importance of exploring local information.  These are impressive local studies videos, and hopefully they are being collected by relevant libraries and promoted to their communities.  This shows some partnerships for libraries, including with their local land services.

does the library support local sporting teams?

Some public libraries in the USA and Canada have been having fun with book spine poetry to support their local sporting teams.  Have a look a this article which brings together some examples.  How do you think this would look supporting people who play sport in your community?

I think this covers a wide range of library skill sets.

Great season and a good run by our @Raptors! Good luck @Cleveland_PL & @cavs #WeTheNorth #RTZ pic.twitter.com/65wy69jvDd

— TorontoPublicLibrary (@torontolibrary) May 7, 2017

where photographs end up : part 2

I have an alert set up so I can see where the photographs I post on Flickr end up.  There are a wide range of places including articles about:

•  free things to do in Los Angeles
• free wifi in Melbourne, Minneapolis, 
• public lending right, 
• late fees
• fighting mosquitos by University of Minnesota, 
• news reports (apparently in the video), 
• School Library Journal, 
• in an article on green buildings, 
• on the digital reader (with a very nice embed), 
• and on what to do in Phoenix (more than once)
• in an article about culture in Singapore, a list of libraries, 
• a blog about writing. 
• a blog in Bosnian
• an article about universities
• In a farming related tweet (this photograph is actually from Timor Leste)

How now, brown cow 🐮 CC Photo by Ellen Forsyth on Flickr - https://t.co/OjQ99rWl4W pic.twitter.com/VSjywrkAey

— Nifty Homestead (@NiftyHomestead) January 18, 2017

Why is this photograph listed as being in copyright?

Why is this photograph listed as being in copyright? This is clearly a photograph taken pre 1955, and yet, it is shown as being in copyright.  It shows the need to be careful about what is in and what is out of copyright.

Covent Garden flower women, c. 1877 standing outside St. Paul's Church, their regular spot through generations. By John Thomson Whilst Covent Garden Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Market was a wholesale market, there was room for a few sellers of nosegays to passers-by. From a series of 37 photographs published in the book, 'Street Life in London' (1877), with text written by Thomson and the journalist Adolphe Smith. #flowergirls #CoventGarden

A post shared by Museum of London (@museumoflondon) on Apr 13, 2017 at 2:33am PDT

back for #blogjune in 2017

I missed #blogjune last year.  It was my first year back at part time study while working full time, and I could not manage it, but...this year I am going to try.

I will probably look at games, readers' advisory work, local studies and whatever else takes my fancy.

That is where this photograph fits in.  I took it while the police car was parked, and I think that this is the reason for the social media promotion - to be read while the car is parked.  If you were reading it while driving along, you would be too close, and would have to be the passenger and not the driver.

So, think about how you let people know your library is on social media.  Do you make it possible to find out about this when library vehicles are out and about - or do you expect people to guess?

Happy #blogjune.  I look forward to reading what other people are writing this month.

A few thoughts on The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures

The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures by Library of Congress
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an impressive account of one card catalogue, that of the Library of Congress. The illustrations include items from the Library of Congress matched with their card catalogue records, which is lovely. It is also an account of the card distribution service, which sounds massive, and the change to electronic catalogues. I now want to read a more general history of cataloguing , not what I expected to feel like reading.

This is an enjoyable, pacy read.

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writing about hope for #glamblogclub

This is a lovely theme, as we need to have some hope to keep going every day.

Even with the dangerous political decisions being made around the world, and the many grim things happening, there is still some hope. It may be in:

• how a library is encouraging the photography of the local area, for local studies
• how people are using craftivism to resist what is happening and to lobby
• showing how libraries can help people know what is fake news
• the work of people like Becky Spratford and Robin Bradford
• the Washington Post 
• the just in stream on ABC news
• Colombia Journalism Review
• people speaking out and not being silent
• the work of Felicity Ford who does amazing local studies work (from a non-library perspective)
• UNICEF stories of innovation
• Superheroes in color/colour and We need diverse books and the much more diverse authors I have been reading
• serendipitous discovery

an example of serendipitous discovery - a friend pointed this sign out to me as we were walking along
 

This is only a short list (with a mostly work focus), and there is a lot more.  It is also communities of people encouraging and helping one another, some of this is seen in the links above, some of it is online connections, and some are the face to face connections we all have.  It is also the knowledge that we can all make a difference, but we must choose to take action.

scent and local studies

Earlier this year, as part of the Sydney Festival there was an exhibition called Scent of Sydney by Cat Jones.  People had been interviewed, and from their interviews, scents were created.  Under each ceramic cup there were ashes which could be smelled.


 It combined oral history and smell, as you could listen to each recording, where people talked about places, and people, and the smells associated with these memories.  Then you could smell something which was evocative of this.  It struck me as a very interesting oral history project, and also as a powerful way of connecting to the stories, as you tried to identify the various elements of each combined scent.  This triggered memories as well. It was a very powerful combination of local studies and art.  You can read more about it here.

a few thoughts on Social Media in Southeast Italy by Razvan Nicolescu

Social Media in Southeast Italy by Razvan Nicolescu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book I have read in the Why We Post, series which looks at the work of 'anthropologists who each spent 15 months living in communities across the world'. I had read How the World Changed Social Media which brings together the findings of all the research projects. Social media in south east Italy, looks at how social media is used in one town, with use changing according to age, and commitments. How this changes is different in each of these communities, so I will be reading more of these books. This series of ethnographies is a reminder that while social media is the same, it is very different as well.

This is also a work of local studies as it explores daily life in a community, and indepth social interactions.

I am reading these both for the research methodology and the content. This book was an entertaining and engaging read.

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How does your organisation encourage feedback and interaction?

The Tramsheds at Harold Park have a sign near the entrance (and near the old tram) encouraging feedback, and showing how to connect with them on social media.

Does your library make it this easy?

yet another post about Storify and local studies

I know Storify is not a conservation tool, but it is a useful way to bring together material which you may choose to collect for your library in other ways. ABC Emergency does a great job with Storify to bring together information (mostly) about extreme weather.

Think about how this could be used for bringing together information of local interest, with local studies potential.

Instagram potential for local studies by @oclslibrary

The library staff at Orange County Library System do many amazing things.  Recently on Instagram they announced an #oclslovesorlando instagram challenge. Each day through April there is a different theme.  This is a great way to see how your community sees their environment.  As part of this there is the potential to collect these images for locals studies as a great way of recording what 2017 (for example) looks like.  This is a very exciting project.  Other libraries have done similar things.

I would be very interested to know if libraries are collecting this kind of material for local studies, as collecting recent/current content is really important.

Great work by OCLS, and great hashtag.

We're launching a new Instagram Photo Challenge and we want you to participate! Get out and explore your community in April. Show us your favorite local places and what makes Orlando unique using the hashtag #oclslovesorlando. We'll repost some of our photo favorite submissions during the month. Now get out there and start sharing! #orlando #ocfl #whyorlando #downtownorlando #obrag #localloveorlando #loveocls #orlandodoesntsuck #orlandolife #alocalthing #libraries #library #librariestransform #librariesofinstagram

A post shared by Orange County Library System (@ocls) on Apr 1, 2017 at 11:25am PDT

Craftivism discussion, on video and with lots of links

While this is a long video to watch, it is a very interesting discussion.  It is one to give time to, and to see the different ideas, tensions and cultural differences.  It also demonstrates an extended hangout, and could be a method of programming to consider for a library.

Hearing this discussion is a reminder to think about how people are collecting for their libraries.  What craftivism and activism books/dvd/streaming have you added?

Is there collecting for local studies? Denver Public Library put a call out for collecting material from the local women's march, and various museums (including Fuller Craft Museum) are also collecting in this space.

Have a look at the analysis of twitter from the women's march in Washington, and some additional resources to explore for craftivism.

Has your library connected with local craftivists?  Don't forget groups like the knitters for Wrap with love.  There are many ways to connect with, support and record these communities.

What I wish they taught me in GLAM school for #GLAMBlogClub

This is a tough question.  It has been many years since I qualified as a librarian and there have been changes in workplaces.  I studied cataloguing as part of my qualifications, and my first job was as a cataloguer.  What I learned in my course was useful for this, but, it would have been useful to have been thinking more broadly about cataloging and metadata at that time, and to have been encouraged to think more broadly about these areas.  I still think learning about cataloguing and metadata is important.

Areas like local studies and readers' advisory work were not addressed at all, neither were programs.  There are important areas for public libraries, and have relevance in other library sectors as well.  It would have been helpful to have these areas explored as well.

There is a need for proactiveness in our personal learning.  We will each be interested in different things, or will need different information/knowledge.  Learning is active and continuous, through out our lives, and we will need to explore different methods of learning, and of obtaining information.  I appreciate when other people share what they learn, as I can also learn from this.

Growing library garden programs from @webjunction

Growing Library Garden Programs: Upon hearing news of First Lady Michelle Obama's surprise visit to school and community gardens, we thought it would be a good time to collect together a list of related resources and examples of libraries who are creating gardens and hosting garden programming. Many public libraries are connecting to community partners and transforming spaces to engage patrons of all ages in growing library garden programs. Perhaps the First Lady could visit some of the many library gardens next! Middle Country Public Library's Nature Explorium in Connecticut: Learn all about this innovative garden in a WebJunction webinar, Explore and Discover: Nature-Based Spaces and Activities at your Library Westbank Community Garden at Westbank Libraries in Texas rents out fourteen 8' x 8' organic plots to community members.



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Go and read the above post in Webjunction.  It is a lovely collection of what is happening in the USA in terms of library garden programs.  Library gardens can be useful for so many aspects of library services, and have the potential to connect with:

• readers' advisory (non-fiction and fiction) - connecting plants to reading perhaps through seeing plants which have been read about, or mirroring the growing of plants described in books, or as a way to explore cooking or the environment.
• reference and information - a garden may be the answer to information people are seeking, and instead of the answer being found online or in a print resource, the answer may be in a plant in a garden, or in a method of gardening
• as well as local studies - with the growing of heritage or historic plants

Think about the potential for a library garden in your area.

local studies and knitting

This...

SO excited! I'm teaching a class on psychogeography & knitting at @yarninthecity Yarnporium in London this November. #mapmaking #stitchesandstories #knittingthelandscape #flaneur

A photo posted by Karie Westermann (@kariebookish) on Sep 30, 2016 at 6:44am PDT

print on demand fabric - local studies potential

I recently had my first play with Spoonflower. The image below shows what the print looks like. I was impressed. I hemmed these and they became small table cloths (for gifts).


There is a lot of potential for local studies digitised material to be turned into fabric, and Spoonflower is just one option.  I am a fan of Redbubble too, for the objects which can be created, but this time I wanted the flexibility of fabric, not an end product.

The print is from hand written recipes which one of my grandmothers recorded, and, as you can see from the scan below, became a bit battered over time.   I like that they were used. I have not made all the recipes on this page, but the Quong Tart Scones and the Current Scones are both lovely (even if I did have to look up weight conversions).

You can see more of these hand written recipes on Flickr.  If anyone wants to help transcribe them, that would be brilliant.  I am doing them slowly as part of a family project.

I have not seen local studies collections encouraging the use of their collections for print on demand fabric, but was impressed to see State Library of Victoria encouraging using designs from their collection for paper.

Boston Public Library profiling love of reading

I thought a while before I wrote that title, but, while obvious, it fits this series on Instagram

In anticipation of #ValentinesDay, some of our staff members’ #children are sharing which #books they #love most. Kamari, son of BPL Technology Access Manager Jeff Lindsey, tells us his choice. Help #spreadthelove by letting us know which book captures your #heart. #Boston #BostonPublicLibrary #diaryofawimpykid #books #keepreading

A photo posted by Boston Public Library (@bplboston) on Feb 10, 2017 at 6:03am PST

This is the first in what promises to be a series of photographs showing children of Boston Public Library staff, and what they like reading.  This is a lovely photograph.

I also like that this is a way to show that libraries have a range of jobs too.  Great work by Boston Public Library.

some thoughts on @Knitsonik stranded colourwork sourcebook

Knitsonik Stranded Colourwork Sourcebook by Felicity Ford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful and inspiring book about knitting. It is also a great book for local studies. Felicity Ford takes inspiration from daily object including brickwork, beer, fruit cake and walnut trees and turns them into stranded colourwork. Ford takes the reader through her process, and shows the various stages, including the colour combinations which she regards as not as successful. All the examples are kept as a record, and they are interesting in their own right. I look forward to exploring this work in more detail as I would like to see what I could come up with. I also want to try the fruit cake recipe which is included in this book.

How I think this book could work for local studies, is that local knitters could have workshops exploring the built and natural environment and knit their responses to this. Ford uses examples from Reading (where she lives), and from her drive to work, so some of the examples in this book are also recording material of interest for local studies collections.

View all my reviews

#lightrailbookreview from @PhxLibrary

Phoenix Public Library has a lovely series on Instagram of book reviews from people using the light rail system.  They are all people reading library books, and it is an excellent way to show how people are using the library.  It has local studies potential too. Have a look a the #lightrailbookreview tag on Instagram.

#lightrailbookreview 🌟 Quinn is reading "The Fireman" by Joe Hill. 🔥 "Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King. He's written 3 other books and they are all amazing. I've discovered this new author and I hope he has longevity like his father." 📚 #phoenix #phoenixpubliclibrary #phoenixlightrail #readingandriding #bookstagram #bookreview #igreads #nowreading #joehill #thefireman #stephenking #downtownphoenix #dtphx

A photo posted by Phoenix Public Library (@phoenixpubliclibrary) on Dec 7, 2016 at 2:49pm PST