#colourourcollections - an enjoyable way of interacting with collections

I enjoyed seeing this through various social media streams, hence this Storify.  I liked the way it helped people look at and think about collections.  It also showed a different kind of value of digitisation.  I liked the collaborative approach to.  I did notice a few different hashtags, but it all seemed to work.

Impressive work from Smithsonian Libraries

I came across this tweet

It is #NationalCraftMonth and about time you learned how to net. http://t.co/uIj5ibhZG2 pic.twitter.com/HqcllsJ4Ol
— SmithsonianLibraries (@SILibraries) March 11, 2015

and the first link takes you to a fully digitised book from their collection which can be easily looked at page by page.  I like the way this digitisation is promoted, and the digitisation is lovely.

The homepage is lovely with some of the navigation by coloured dots.  You can also read more of their books online in many different subjects.

The knitting reference library at the University of Southampton

The University of Southampton library includes the Knitting Reference Library.  It contains collections gathered by Richard drug, Montserrat Stanley and Jane Waller.

You can find out more about it from the library web site.  It includes some digitised works, so could be of interest to library clients doing knitting related research, 
or looking to explore heritage knitting in a different way.  They also have a blog. It could be interesting 
information to show any knitting groups who meet in  your library.

I came across this information while reading Rowan 54.

Reading about this reminded me that many libraries, for reasons of legal deposit, or historic collecting practices  would contain materials relating to knitting, crochet and woodwork, but these were often not receiving the same publicity, except rarely, as many other digitised materials.  I really liked that the University of Southampton is valuing this part of the collection.

The newspapers on Trove Australia can also be a useful way to research knitting.There is knitting research and discussion about knitting research taking place, and these online resources help.