Blogging Librarian

Video: “Unleash the Users” by Aarhus Public Library

Isaak Kwok — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:42:29 +0000

A video from Aarhus Public Library to show how libraries can use new ways to engage library users. This particular video is on user-driven innovation.

Cartoon of ‘Nancy’

Isaak Kwok — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:39:27 +0000

Quite apt for the current economic situation. And I think public libraries around the world have an increased visitorship and maybe even loans.

Personally, I’ve experience the busy-ness of the Adelaide City Council libraries as well as the South Australia State Library.

Managers and Complaints

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:44:41 +0000

(via Unshelved)

Today’s (yesterday’s if you are in Asia or Australia) Unshelved comic strips talks about the manager trying to avoid meeting a patron because the patron was trying to make a complaint to her.

I’ve got similar ‘adventures’ when I was a librarian. It was definitely not fun, particularly when the patron is fuming about something and just want someone to vent their anger at. But I guess I used something similar as in the comic strip to help defuse the situation. Of course, this doesn’t work all the time and things do get ugly when the patron just starts shouting in the library.

Have you encountered any ‘nasty’ customers in the course of your work in the library? If you have, please feel free to share them in the comments.

Quick Links - Video Promotion of New York Public Library and Others - 04 January 2009

Isaak Kwok — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:48:59 +0000

Some quick links:

A fantastic video promotion of the New York Public Library.

{via The ‘M’ World - Marketing Libraries}
Brilliantly Bookish: 15 Dazzling Library Designs
A wonderful list of 15 wonderful looking designs of library buildings around the world. Some are still in the design stage while others are already operating. Unfortunately, the NLB Building is not featured in the list. I particularly like the designs for Ballard Library, Philadelphia’s Parkway Central Library, and London’s Peckham Library. Go have a look and see which are your favourites.
{via LISNews}
Luckenwalde Public Library, Germany
The library is housed in a former train station and looks really beautiful. And the interior looks even nicer with the specially designed furniture.
{via walking paper}
Eat a scorpion? Anything to motivate teens to read
This is a really bizarre news article where the teen services librarian ate a scorpion pop as a challenge for the teens to post a certain number of comments about the books they have read. So, any other teen librarians interested?
{via LISNews}

Christmas Party Performance by the National Library of Australia

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:41:09 +0000

Merry Christmas to all the readers of Blogging Librarian!

Sorry that the blog hasn’t been updated for quite some time … nearly 2 whole months. Have been a little busy with moving the whole family to Adelaide, Australia. Have settled in a little and will definitely continue blogging about libraries, librarians and the wonderful stuff happening in libraries all around the world.

And before I resume my blogging, here’s a video of a wonderful performance by the staff at the National Library of Australia during their Christmas Party of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Enjoy!

(via librarian.net)

[UPDATE: Found on Librarians Matter that there are many more “Thriller” mashups by libraries and librarians.]

Library’s Eco-Roof Unveiled

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:23:26 +0000

Given the strong emphasis on climate change and being green, the library system in Multnomah County in the US has installed a US$180,000 eco-roof. The eco-roof is a structure that uses the plants to help clean the air and absorb rainwater.

Maybe MPOW can consider doing something similar for our library buildings.

(via LISNews)

Historic German library badly damaged by fire

Electronic Arts’ Cellphone Librarian

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:15:18 +0000

Meet EA’s cellphone librarian, Jackie Lin. The librarian keeps track of up to 15,000 different cellphones that aids EA develop and test new mobile games. In addition, he has to take care of all the chargers for the different cellphones. And he gets to see the latest cellphones before they are even available in the market.It is definitely a job I wouldn’t mind applying for.

(via LISNews)

Wikipedia Vandal Study

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:08:35 +0000

Quite a scary look at how the large number of vandalised edits are done, particularly for political figures. Although Wikipedia works on a community moderation system, some of the hurtful and defamatory edits of US Senators were left as is for up to weeks at a time.

Like what librarians like to tell you, use Wikipedia as a very basic search and background study. Then use other resources such as books, encyclopedia, and online databases to verify the facts.

The Future of Librarianship

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:00:54 +0000

A tongue-in-cheek picture of what the Future of Librarianship holds from the Speak Quietly blog by Scott Douglas.

(via LISNews)

Quick Links - Reference Books and Other Stories - 25 September 2008

Isaak Kwok — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:54:33 +0000

- Reference Books
This Wall Street Journal article suggests some reference books that are essential for a home library. Do you think they are essential for your library as well? And in our increasingly online-oriented world, do you think printed references are still essential when anyone with Internet access can just search for it through Google or Wikipedia?
(via LISNews)

- Is the use of book covers legal?
A wonderful blog post, written by lawyer and librarian Mary Minow, on the legality of the use of book covers by libraries on their Web sites and blogs. Do read the comments in the post for more discussion. What are your views?
(via LibrarianInBlack)

- The Back Nine Stacks
Ever thought of converting part of your stack into a mini golf course! Well, there’s now a non-profit organisation, the Library Mini Golf non-profit group, in the United States doing just that. The mini golf course is meant to be a one-off event for fundraising purposes as well as a way to get people to have a fun day at the library. The founder, Rick Bolton, estimates that a library can raise about US$10,000 in just one day. Maybe we can just do something similar at V.A.T. at Jurong Regional Library for the teens. I think they’ll enjoy it.