Fostering and supporting Fostering and supporting creativity through digital creativity through digital librarieslibraries
Shalini UrsShalini UrsProfessor and ChairpersonProfessor and ChairpersonDepartment of library and Department of library and Information scienceInformation scienceDirector: Vidyanidhi Digital Director: Vidyanidhi Digital LibraryLibraryUniversity of Mysore, IndiaUniversity of Mysore, India
Outline Outline Context : Convergence and Context : Convergence and integrationintegrationInformation cycleInformation cycleDigital libraries: role in the Digital libraries: role in the information cycleinformation cycleCreativityCreativityDigital libraries role in Digital libraries role in supporting creativity : cases supporting creativity : cases and examplesand examples
Digital revolutionDigital revolution
Key word-ConvergenceKey word-Convergence
Convergence of activities and Convergence of activities and processesprocesses
Roles are converging- what is Roles are converging- what is the role of Libraries?the role of Libraries?
Technologies are convergingTechnologies are converging
Result: confusion and creativityResult: confusion and creativity
Digital libraries for Digital libraries for creativitycreativity
Two facetsTwo facetsDigital Libraries supporting Digital Libraries supporting creativity creativity
Creativity in developing Creativity in developing Digital librariesDigital libraries
Information cycleInformation cycle
Creating informationCreating information
Fixing the information in a Fixing the information in a mediummedium
Storing the informationStoring the information
Distributing informationDistributing information
Archiving informationArchiving information
Accessing informationAccessing information
Using informationUsing information
Information cycleInformation cycle
The cyclic nature of information The cyclic nature of information has not been explicitly studied has not been explicitly studied and exploitedand exploited
Link between creating Link between creating information and using information and using information is not taken into information is not taken into consideration in our discussions consideration in our discussions of knowledge creation and useof knowledge creation and use
Digital librariesDigital librariesDigital libraries : what are they?Digital libraries : what are they?Digital libraries are a focused Digital libraries are a focused collection of digital objects, collection of digital objects, including text, video, and audio, including text, video, and audio, along with methods for access and along with methods for access and retrieval, and for selection, retrieval, and for selection, organisation, and maintenance of organisation, and maintenance of the collectionthe collectionOperative words : Operative words :
Focused collectionFocused collectionDigital objects: text, video, audio Digital objects: text, video, audio etcetcMethods for-Methods for-
Access and retrievalAccess and retrievalSelection, organisation and Selection, organisation and Maintenance of collectionMaintenance of collection
Role of digital librariesRole of digital libraries
Enhancing access : breadth and Enhancing access : breadth and depthdepth
Enlarging audience : breadth Enlarging audience : breadth and depthand depth
Improving retrieval : locating Improving retrieval : locating hidden treasurehidden treasure
Preservation and archivingPreservation and archiving
Has always been recognised Has always been recognised and efforts are made to develop and efforts are made to develop and design digital libraries for and design digital libraries for the above functionsthe above functions
Digital libraries as dynamic Digital libraries as dynamic landscapes forlandscapes for
CreatingCreating
AccessingAccessing
StoringStoring
RetrievingRetrieving
DistributingDistributing
ArchivingArchiving
Knowledge Knowledge
Role of Digital libraries Role of Digital libraries
In fostering and supporting In fostering and supporting creativity is not recognised and creativity is not recognised and understoodunderstood
Digital libraries play a Digital libraries play a significant role in the creation significant role in the creation of knowledgeof knowledge
CreativityCreativity
Creativity is ability to create Creativity is ability to create ideas and artifacts-knowledge, ideas and artifacts-knowledge, information and other artifactsinformation and other artifacts
Creativity also ‘called in’ to Creativity also ‘called in’ to solve wicked problemssolve wicked problems
Creativity : Perspectives Creativity : Perspectives and frameworksand frameworks
Three frameworks for creativityThree frameworks for creativity
Inspiration : the Eureka kindInspiration : the Eureka kind
Structural : based on Structural : based on exhaustive exploratory exhaustive exploratory approachapproach
Situational : based on social Situational : based on social and intellectual contextand intellectual context
Inspirational creativity- Inspirational creativity- revolutionary kind- intuitive revolutionary kind- intuitive varietyvariety
Breakthrough Breakthrough discoveries :Illuminatory discoveries :Illuminatory moments moments
Archimedes’ EurekaArchimedes’ Eureka
Kekule's Benzene ring discoveryKekule's Benzene ring discovery
Newton’s gravitational theoryNewton’s gravitational theory
Points to ponderPoints to ponder
Luck favors the prepared Luck favors the prepared mindmind
Key is the prepared mindKey is the prepared mind
99% perspiration and 1% 99% perspiration and 1% inspirationinspiration
Though it might happen at Though it might happen at one moment, behind that one moment, behind that breakthrough is the hard breakthrough is the hard work and the persistent and work and the persistent and focused attention to find focused attention to find solution solution
Breakthrough discoveriesBreakthrough discoveries
The critical factor is the sudden The critical factor is the sudden association between seemingly association between seemingly unrelated issues or factorsunrelated issues or factors
Creativity is also defined as Creativity is also defined as ‘seeing relations’ or ‘seeing relations’ or associations where none is associations where none is apparent apparent
Such association of seemingly Such association of seemingly unrelated factors for solving unrelated factors for solving problems has led to some great problems has led to some great discoveriesdiscoveries
The key is ‘seeing’ relations The key is ‘seeing’ relations between unrelated thingsbetween unrelated things
How do Digital libraries How do Digital libraries support the inspirational support the inspirational creativity?creativity?Free association Free association
Today digital library Today digital library technologies support free technologies support free associationassociationExample : traditional Example : traditional classification vs Free classification vs Free associationassociationSearch engines support free Search engines support free association : example many association : example many advanced features support advanced features support exploratory approachexploratory approachDiverse categorizing techniques Diverse categorizing techniques offered by some search tools offered by some search tools such as Vivisimo categorisersuch as Vivisimo categoriser
Hypertext linkingHypertext linking
The very word hypertext and The very word hypertext and hyper media refers to non hyper media refers to non linear presentation of linear presentation of informationinformation
Early hypertext systems such as Early hypertext systems such as Engelbrat’s Augment was the Engelbrat’s Augment was the first to recognise the potential first to recognise the potential of technology for augmenting of technology for augmenting human intellecthuman intellect
Human mind does not think in a Human mind does not think in a sequential manner but works in sequential manner but works in a ‘Hyper’ modea ‘Hyper’ mode
Some Examples:Some Examples:
Search for ‘communal problems Search for ‘communal problems in India’in India’
Throws up Kashmir issuesThrows up Kashmir issues
Click on Kashmir – leads to Click on Kashmir – leads to Kashmir CarpetsKashmir Carpets
Click on Carpets leads to Click on Carpets leads to Persian carpetsPersian carpets
Write up on carpets leads to an Write up on carpets leads to an anecdote about Cleopatra anecdote about Cleopatra wrapped in a carpet seducing wrapped in a carpet seducing CaesarCaesar
Some more examplesSome more examples
Search Nose jobs led to Search Nose jobs led to cosmetic surgerycosmetic surgery
Surgery leads to caesarean Surgery leads to caesarean sectionsection
That leads to Caesar- the first That leads to Caesar- the first one to be borne by C sectionone to be borne by C section
Creativity is fostered by:Creativity is fostered by:
Searching and browsing digital Searching and browsing digital librarieslibraries
Thinking by free associationsThinking by free associations
Consulting with peers and Consulting with peers and interactivityinteractivity
Visualizing data and processesVisualizing data and processes
Exploring possibilitiesExploring possibilities
Intuition supported by instant Intuition supported by instant access to knowledge and access to knowledge and informationinformation
Structuralism :Structuralism :
Emphasis on exhaustive Emphasis on exhaustive exploration of previous work exploration of previous work and possible solutionand possible solution
Studying previous workStudying previous work
Methodological techniquesMethodological techniquesUnderstanding the problemUnderstanding the problem
Devising a planDevising a plan
Carrying out the planCarrying out the plan
Looking backLooking back
Levels of creativityLevels of creativity
Classification of creativityClassification of creativityBreakthrough types- Breakthrough types- revolutionaryrevolutionary
Evolutionary : day to day tasks Evolutionary : day to day tasks –simple and routine jobs –simple and routine jobs improved upon with creative improved upon with creative ideas such as doctors doing ideas such as doctors doing their jobs and architects their jobs and architects designing buildings, and designing buildings, and librarians finding relevant librarians finding relevant information for their usersinformation for their users
The focus- Evolutionary The focus- Evolutionary creativitycreativity
Beliefs:Beliefs:Knowledge or creativity is-Knowledge or creativity is-
Cumulative-built on previous Cumulative-built on previous knowledge- both societal as well knowledge- both societal as well individualindividualIs a continuous process-Is a continuous process-Improvement is creativeImprovement is creativeCreativity is a integrative or Creativity is a integrative or integration processintegration processTechnology supports and fosters Technology supports and fosters creativitycreativityLibraries and digital libraries Libraries and digital libraries support the above support the above
Focus:Focus:
Some simple examples and how Some simple examples and how they could be used and applied they could be used and applied to improve things or makes to improve things or makes things betterthings better
The development of digital The development of digital libraries and ICTs to foster the libraries and ICTs to foster the simple taskssimple tasks
Word Processing software Word Processing software and creativityand creativity
Yesterday : the word processing Yesterday : the word processing software only supported simple software only supported simple creation, editing and text creation, editing and text formatting, with minimal support for formatting, with minimal support for creativitycreativityToday : ability to integrate text with Today : ability to integrate text with diagrams, pictures , sound etcdiagrams, pictures , sound etcSupport ofr creativity –quite highSupport ofr creativity –quite highSome examples: spell checking, Some examples: spell checking, synonymous words, thesauri etcsynonymous words, thesauri etcTomorrow: when a new word is Tomorrow: when a new word is presented, it is linked to its presented, it is linked to its meanings, definitions, translations, meanings, definitions, translations, hyperlinked to picture libraries, hyperlinked to picture libraries, usages in different contexts etcusages in different contexts etc
Another example: Another example:
Multitasking- windows and tool Multitasking- windows and tool bars today support multitasking bars today support multitasking – fostering creativity– fostering creativity
Tomorrow- integration with Tomorrow- integration with other software tools, we can other software tools, we can expect support for example expect support for example synchronized scrolling of synchronized scrolling of related documents to support related documents to support comparisonscomparisons
Simple tools such as style Simple tools such as style sheets , windows wizard foster sheets , windows wizard foster creativitycreativity
Power Point presentations: Power Point presentations: another exampleanother example
Windows wizard helps creativityWindows wizard helps creativityAnimations help express ideas Animations help express ideas betterbetterSlide layouts and slide Slide layouts and slide transitions and such other transitions and such other features foster creativityfeatures foster creativityUse of facilities for creating Use of facilities for creating drawings, tables, cuing and drawings, tables, cuing and many other featuresmany other featuresInnovative use of colors and Innovative use of colors and other featuresother featuresMost applications now being Most applications now being multimedia helps foster multimedia helps foster creativity in idea generationcreativity in idea generation
National Libraries and National Libraries and digital domain : Two main digital domain : Two main dimensionsdimensionsBuilding digital collection of Building digital collection of
traditional materials such as old traditional materials such as old books, rare book collections, books, rare book collections, newspapers, printed music, newspapers, printed music, maps, manuscripts, maps, manuscripts, photographs, paintings and photographs, paintings and othersothers
Preserving digital heritagePreserving digital heritage
Decades Of ChangeDecades Of ChangeWaves Of Internet EvolutionWaves Of Internet Evolution
Browse Browse the Webthe Web Program Program
the Internetthe Internet
Technology
Technology
XML Web Services
XML Web Services
XMLXML
ProgrammabilityProgrammability
HTMLHTML
Web PagesWeb Pages
PresentationPresentationStandardStandard
FTP,FTP, EE-mail, Gopher
-mail, Gopher
TTCCP/IPP/IP
ConnectivityConnectivityInnovation
Innovation
ICT and DL support for ICT and DL support for disadvantaged groupsdisadvantaged groups
Use of icons- support illiterates Use of icons- support illiterates and oral culture and oral culture
Touch sensitive screensTouch sensitive screens
Text to speech functionality Text to speech functionality
Insets to elaborate furtherInsets to elaborate further
Insets- to special groups- ex- Insets- to special groups- ex- dumb people- special featuresdumb people- special features
Elderly and childrenElderly and children
Ebooks: Another exampleEbooks: Another example
eBooks today maybe easily created eBooks today maybe easily created with software tools such as MS with software tools such as MS reader reader
One can easily create cover designsOne can easily create cover designs
Convert any text into a book formConvert any text into a book form
Text to speech functionality allows Text to speech functionality allows one to make the ebook suitable for one to make the ebook suitable for visually handicapped. illiteratesvisually handicapped. illiterates
Customization- of fonts, size and Customization- of fonts, size and other featuresother features
Turning pages- metaphor Turning pages- metaphor
Annotating, book marking and other Annotating, book marking and other featuresfeatures
Creativity through Creativity through collaborationcollaboration
Simple tools for collaborative Simple tools for collaborative creative processescreative processes
DLs are called as DLs are called as collaboratoriescollaboratories
Simple tools- Review feature in Simple tools- Review feature in WordWord
Net meeting – allowing people Net meeting – allowing people to meet on line to meet on line
Another example Wiki – fosters Another example Wiki – fosters collaborationcollaboration
Specialized tools to foster Specialized tools to foster collaborative writing-many collaborative writing-many examplesexamples
Invisible college conceptInvisible college concept
Virtual collegeVirtual college
Brining like minded and similar Brining like minded and similar thinking people to share and thinking people to share and collaboratecollaborate
E-mails, Videoconferencing, E-mails, Videoconferencing, teleconfercing and many other teleconfercing and many other toolstools
ListservsListservs
Closed interactive workspace-Closed interactive workspace-allowing members to share and allowing members to share and create works collaborativelycreate works collaboratively
Digital Libraries for Digital Libraries for childrenchildren
Visual Query specificationVisual Query specification
Example : children wanting Example : children wanting some pictures of fish eating some pictures of fish eating other animalsother animals
But children are not able to But children are not able to articulate their queryarticulate their query
Digital libraries created for Digital libraries created for children can incorporate children can incorporate innovative query interfacesinnovative query interfaces
Left: This where the children begin.
They can go to the zoo, find animals
in the world, or search by category.
Right: This is where children search.They can search in four ways.
BrowsingBrowsingBrowsing has been one of the Browsing has been one of the well known process that well known process that supports creativitysupports creativity
Open Access was introduced Open Access was introduced with the idea of supporting with the idea of supporting browsing rather than searchingbrowsing rather than searching
Digital libraries with their rich Digital libraries with their rich linking features support linking features support browsingbrowsing
Browsing also promotes Browsing also promotes recognition rather than recallrecognition rather than recall
Traditional IR tools supported Traditional IR tools supported Recall but recall is not easy, Recall but recall is not easy, while recognition is easierwhile recognition is easier
Personalization and Personalization and customizationcustomization
People need to seek, use, re-use, People need to seek, use, re-use, create, maintain, and preserve create, maintain, and preserve information in support of their work information in support of their work and life activities. In a world of print and life activities. In a world of print and hard-copy documents, the and hard-copy documents, the process of creating new works process of creating new works involves copying, rewriting, cutting, involves copying, rewriting, cutting, pasting, and rearranging prior works pasting, and rearranging prior works of one’s own and of others, while of one’s own and of others, while adding ideas, data, analysis, effort, adding ideas, data, analysis, effort, and other forms of valueand other forms of value In the digital world, creators are In the digital world, creators are dependent upon digital tools to dependent upon digital tools to perform tasks that once could be perform tasks that once could be accomplished with scissors and accomplished with scissors and paste, pencil and paper calculations, paste, pencil and paper calculations, and later with photocopiers and and later with photocopiers and other reproduction devicesother reproduction devices
Digital libraries and education-Digital libraries and education-from asynchronous to from asynchronous to synchronous modesynchronous modeLearning moving beyond acquiring Learning moving beyond acquiring
facts and datafacts and dataLearning can be more interactive Learning can be more interactive with the support of DLswith the support of DLsDLs support rich interactionDLs support rich interactionClassrooms are becoming creative Classrooms are becoming creative work spaceswork spacesTeacher’s lectures linked to Teacher’s lectures linked to supporting materials, tools and supporting materials, tools and resourcesresourcesBlending of library support with Blending of library support with classroom teaching in a synchronous classroom teaching in a synchronous rather than asynchronous mannerrather than asynchronous mannerPractical training, visits to Practical training, visits to museums, galleries and all other museums, galleries and all other activities may be made synchronous activities may be made synchronous today with the help of DLstoday with the help of DLs
Visualization processes and Visualization processes and creativitycreativity
Visualization is a powerful tool Visualization is a powerful tool especially in some fields- such especially in some fields- such as chemistry, medicine / as chemistry, medicine / surgery, design, architecture surgery, design, architecture etcetcToday, many software tools Today, many software tools support converting data to support converting data to visual representationsvisual representationsSimple to complex tools have Simple to complex tools have made these processes very made these processes very simple and leading innovationssimple and leading innovationsVisualization software; Visualization software; Examples-Examples-http://http://www.spotfire.comwww.spotfire.com
Some more examplesSome more examples
http://www.thebrain.comhttp://www.thebrain.com
Taps the power associations by Taps the power associations by visualizing information flow and visualizing information flow and relationships between words , relationships between words , concpets etcconcpets etc
http://www.mindman.comhttp://www.mindman.com
Creates relationships among Creates relationships among information easily, identify information easily, identify relationships between items and relationships between items and branchesbranches
http://singnet.com.sg/%7Eaxon200/http://singnet.com.sg/%7Eaxon200/
A sketchpad for visualizing and A sketchpad for visualizing and organizing ideasorganizing ideas
Exploring tools-simulation Exploring tools-simulation toolstools
Supporting methodological Supporting methodological exploration of solutionsexploration of solutions
Simple tools-electronic Simple tools-electronic spreadsheets-what if tools that spreadsheets-what if tools that allow business planners to try allow business planners to try out different strategies and out different strategies and approachesapproaches
More complex tools- flight More complex tools- flight simulators, traffic flow models, simulators, traffic flow models, weather modelsweather models
Creativity and digital Creativity and digital librarieslibraries
Many simple tools can be Many simple tools can be effectively used to support effectively used to support creativitycreativity
Different tools may be Different tools may be effectively integrated to effectively integrated to support higher level of support higher level of creativitycreativity
Using these helps better digital Using these helps better digital librarieslibraries
Good digital libraries support Good digital libraries support creativity in the end-users- who creativity in the end-users- who are the creators of ideas, are the creators of ideas, knowledge in other fieldsknowledge in other fields