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.



View all my reviews

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.