UTS Library:dangerous ideas for our future(Part One)

IMAGE: Salt Lake City Public Library, Utah

Wednesday, 16 November 11Freeing the library space from its current focus on storing books to more people friendly spaces facilitates the delivery of new services and functions for the library. Freeing our staff from transaction processing means that we can provide more of the value added services that we know are appreciated by our clients.

IMAGE: UTS Campus Master Plan

LIBRARY RETRIEVAL SYSTEMUnderground

LEARNING COMMONSRelocated & upgraded UTS Library

Wednesday, 16 November 11Map context: urban campus, inner city; limited space; Broadway is a major avenue & thoroughfare to Sydney City; close to Central station and other transport hubs.

This map is the UTS Campus Redevelopment Masterplan. Projects currently underway include the Student Housing Tower, an underground Multi-purpose Sports Hall and a new Broadway Building for the Faculty of Engineering & IT. Building 14 will be a Frank Gehry designed building for the Business school and soon we kick off the preparatory work for the Library Retrieval System with excavation to begin in late 2011.

The UTS Library will be relocated in two stages from its current location in Building 5 of the Haymarket Campus:Stage 1 is the occupation and operation of our Library Retrieval System (LRS) to be installed under Alumni Green. It will be operational in 2014.Stage 2 is the occupation of the redeveloped Library building or Learning Commons in what is currently Building 2. Currently that is envisaged for 2016-17.

UTS Student vision film http://www.youtube.com/user/UTSLibrary#p/c/EB8DFE0C0A8A304D/0/G8TnzAdGnqIFrom restricted opening hours -> towards 24/7 services

From book storage & shelving desertsIMAGE: Dr Alex Byrne, Tampere Public Library , Finland

Wednesday, 16 November 11(Image taken by Dr Alex Byrne in the Tampere Public Library, Finland.) Libraries storing all or most of their collections on open access (like this image) become shelving deserts with the patrons mostly isolated in the remaining space on the periphery as collections continue to grow. Occasionally patrons make raids into the stacks to hunt for resources, returning to the relative safety of their own spaces.

Our future library will not be designed as a book storage facility. About 75-80% of our collection will be housed in a Library Retrieval System like the one in this link http://www.flickr.com/photos/malbooth/4118722777/in/set-72157623121781717/.From book storage facility + a website -> customised physical spaces & personalised web services/apps that assist users to search for and find what they want and also to discover resources they did not know about. From books & journals -> multiple media formats & games

Library Retrieval System:fast & storage for 950k items

IMAGE:J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah

Wednesday, 16 November 11(Image taken by me in the ASRS of the University of Utah Library, Salt Lake City.) The LRS will take away the ability to serendipitously browse the entire physical collection. It will, however, improve access to and delivery of those items stored in it. It also allows for a less cluttered and more spacious display of the most well-used books on open storage in our new Library, allowing for them to be found more easily.The LRS is an investment in the Library space. It provides compact storage for much of the book collection and in doing so it saves investment in about four times as much traditional Library space that would need to be lit, heated, cooled, cleaned, etc. What we need to do, however, to maximise our investment in such a facility is to encourage use of the materials stored within it.

LRS in operation at ChicagoVIDEO: http://youtu.be/ESCxYchCaWI

Wednesday, 16 November 11This video from the University of Chicago displays a working LRS in operation. It is also an underground installation, like ours.

To better spaces for peopleIMAGE: Philological Library of Free University, Berlin

Wednesday, 16 November 11We believe that a sense of place and space will be important in our new library. With less books on display that is easier to deliver in a given space.

Even current school students have recently reminded us of the importance of an appropriately welcoming space to first enter for the Library. They recognised the critical importance of that space in reminding you about the purpose of the institution you are entering. The use of appropriate orientation spaces has been well recognised in the museum world and in well-designed new libraries such as the one shown here in Free University, Berlin.

Clever design can assist us in designing out undesirable behaviour (like theft, excess noise, vandalism, etc.) and in encouraging appropriate behaviour like reading, study, collaboration, self-service, reference assistance, etc.Some answers and ideas will come from participatory design: we are already working with 4th year design students on projects such as Designing Out Crime to explore the possibilities offered by RFID and mobile computing platforms as well as more traditional solutions to be found in spatial and furniture design.We believe it is very important to have our current and future students participating in the conceptual design stage. As a university of technology our design, engineering, and IT students and researchers also have much to offer us from their own expertise.

Design

– Welcoming.– Porous.– Merging physical & digital.– Encouraging behaviours.

IMAGE: Philological Library of Free University, Berlin

Wednesday, 16 November 11From restricted opening hours -> towards 24/7 servicesFrom desks/counters/signs/screens/boards -> orientation spaces From website -> applications and open development with our content/dataFrom catalogues -> Google, Amazon, iTunes (interfaces)From face-to-face classes -> ubiquitous learningFrom Library (only as a location) -> mobile services across the campus (people & virtual)From passive consumers of technology -> active trend-setters and explorers through partnerships in research & publishingFrom GATES, DON’T! & SHUSH! -> Welcome, how can we help? & influencing behaviour (theft, vandalism, inappropriate behaviour/food/drink) by design

And improved search and discoveryIMAGE: Philological Library of Free University, Berlin

Wednesday, 16 November 11Image taken by me at the British Museum.

We will replace physical browsing with improved browsing online of entire covers of “virtual shelves” (including the uniting of print & online resources, books available & those on loan & possibly arrangements other than Dewey), suggestions and recommendations (like Amazon & StumbleUpon), an opt-in “Genius” like service that can list books you might be interested in based on your browsing and use patterns.We are also looking at the application of social bookmarks to the collection (e.g. using something like Delicious or Diigo) as well as offering users the ability to tag catalogue entries.We are talking to UTS visual communications staff and students to look at visual ways to represent the vast amounts of data we have about our collections, their attributes and their use in terms of In addition, we are looking at things like the ratings, recommendations and folksonomies or tags to our catalogue search and also investigating whether features like Apple’s Genius selections or a feature like StumbleUpon discovery service might be possible. We know our users also enjoy accidental discoveries, not necessarily related to what they first started searching for. So we might also look at services like Tumblr, a cross between a blog, Twitter, and Flickr/YouTube as a good example of shared discovery or crowd-curated discovery. I think we can incorporate something like this in addition to more focussed catalogue search facilities.

9

DiscoverySearch

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.

10

DiscoverySearch

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.Search is a bit like the White Pages. Specific, targetted.

11

DiscoverySearch

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.Discovery is a completely different concept, more like Christopher Columbus - he was looking for something, but he didn’t really know where it was or what it was like.

12

DiscoverySearch

efficienttargettedspecific

advancedexpandedtext-biased

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.So this is search in more detail. What we specialise in now.

Our thoughts and dreams possess no typographic

system. We dream in pictures, feelings and imaginary awareness.

Gunter Rambow

Wednesday, 16 November 11As Professor Brian Cox would say: “but ..”.Yes, we don’t dream & imagine the same way we search.

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DiscoverySearch

efficienttargettedspecific

advancedexpandedtext-biased

accidentalincidentalabstractnon-text

browsablesharedcurated

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.So this is my take on Discovery.

15

DiscoverySearch

efficienttargettedspecific

advancedexpandedtext-biased

80

accidentalincidentalabstractnon-text

browsablesharedcurated

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.And if we think of the 80:20 rule, where is 80% of our effort going? Yes, on Search.

16

DiscoverySearch

efficienttargettedspecific

advancedexpandedtext-biased

80 + 20

accidentalincidentalabstractnon-text

browsablesharedcurated

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.But the problem is that the other 20% of our effort is there too.

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DiscoverySearch

efficienttargettedspecific

advancedexpandedtext-biased

accidentalincidentalabstractnon-text

browsablesharedcurated

80 + 20

Wednesday, 16 November 11We think there is a spectrum of difference between search and discovery.So I am not saying that we should ditch Search for Discovery, but maybe just add some of our effort in that direction.

RFID tags will allow for virtual browsing of these

IMAGE:UTS Blake Library

Wednesday, 16 November 11Image taken by me in UTS Library.

A Cultural, Social & Learning hub

IMAGE: http://davidgarciastudio.blogspot.com/2009/07/archive-series.html]

Wednesday, 16 November 11• From service provider -> cultural, learning & community hub• Going beyond the ordinary; Importance of cultural materials within academic & other communities• Developing cultural & special collections, not an assumption, not passive!• Artist-in-residence programs• Understanding the curatorial process and what that means for access, exposure, promotion, research, publication,

etc.• Have we forgotten the full curatorial process?

o Develop>organise>manage>disseminate>imagine & createo Get out of silos and apply/develop the full range of your skillseto Better for your career anyway!

• Connecting to others and connecting others• Engaging effectively in a community – immersive in participation!• Shared interests – what are they in your community?• Promoting debate & discussion• Culture – what it is & why it is important. How did we ever forget that role?• Engage – don’t ignore!

Mobile Check Out Natural Light

Book HistoryCustomisable

SpacesComfy Chairs Participation

Inspirational & Quiet Spaces

24/7 Operations

Wednesday, 16 November 11(Images all taken by me in (L-R, top then bottom rows): iPhone screen; Vivid Festival 2011; British Museum; Philological Library of the Free Uni, Berlin; British Library; UTS Library Create Space; Poerhouse Museum Designers’ Markets 2010; Bike Tank at ulab, UTS.)

We have become aware of these needs through a number of small but useful initiatives:. using Wallwisher software on a spare large TV screen with a keyboard in our front stair well to facilitate a regular engaging conversation with those using our current Library. Moving from a culture of complaint in an old corporate complaint book to one of conversation with real people in the Library - not just because we moved from print to electronic media, but because we moved our responses from corporate to authentic individual voices of Library staff. by fully participating with academics, researchers and students as a “client” on some of their research projects into library services and spaces, and. by getting to know some local co-designers/design thinkers who understand the reality of community engagement and its potential to deliver outcomes that synthesise organically the perspectives of all people involved in or touched by a project.

Atriums Media Spaces

Art & Randomness Intuitive Tech Meaningful signage Thematic Identity

Obvious SustainabilityGreenery & Water

Wednesday, 16 November 11(Images all taken by me in (L-R, top then bottom rows): TU Library, Berlin; Macquarie Uni Library; The Edge at SLQ; The Grove Public Library, Perth; UNR Library, Nevada, US: Macquarie Uni Library; and SLQ Pacific Design Lounge.)These points are what the year 7 & 9 students told us they wanted in a university library of the future after a half day informal workshop in our current library in September of 2010.Extended learning means the opportunity to learn beyond the set curriculum.What can we do to provide randomness in our libraries. Everything we do is about (mostly outdated ontologies and structures!Gaming & media spaces are probably essential now. A library without them in the future will be irrelevant.Orientation spaces have a significant effect, more significant than any signage, on the behaviour of those entering. It is expected by our clients.Water features, greenery and natural light are probably things we would wish to see ourselves.Future students will expect all technology that we provide to be intuitive. If it isn’t it won’t be used.Signage can be over-done, and to be effective it must be meaningful.Our future students expect like-books to have some kind of thematic identity that gives users/readers a clue about their content.I didn’t really understand why students said they liked the curved spaces in the UTS Library until I saw those of the Philological Library in Berlin’s Free University.Library spaces and services must learn to be customisable and personalised. Maybe we are too precious about those spaces and don’t understand their true potential.We want our future library to be a social hub, but it also must provide exposure to culture, so the use of art within the library will be critical.Our sustainability initiatives must be visible and demonstrate our progress (or not) in all dimensions/facets.Comfy chairs are essential because patrons simply will not spend every hour in a library awake.“Lack of rules” perhaps indicates that we still have too many rules, or too many signs indicating the rules. Perhaps there are other ways to influence and encourage behaviour besides rules.

Suggestions for Adult

Learners & Researchers(Part Two)

Wednesday, 16 November 11There is also:http://webgear.pbworks.com/w/page/27624828/Welcome!http://libguides.mit.edu/content.php?pid=174869&sid=1481857

http://groups.diigo.com/group/research-utslibrary

Wednesday, 16 November 11You can just look through this list yourself. All the useful sites I found have been tagged and briefly described. If you have any feedback or more to add to the list, just join yourself or let one of us know at UTS Library.

Networks

http://www.academia.edu/

http://www.researcherid.com/

http://www.researchgate.net/

http://network.nature.com/

https://www.linkedin.com

http://www.graduatejunction.net/

http://sciencestage.com/

http://www.epernicus.com/

Wednesday, 16 November 11Links:http://www.academia.edu/ This is a bit like Facebook for academic researchers without the dumb ads and games.http://www.researcherid.com/http://www.labmeeting.com/http://sciencestage.com/http://www.epernicus.com/http://www.researchgate.net/http://www.graduatejunction.net/http://network.nature.com/ https://www.linkedin.com try some LinkedIn Groups for interesting discussions

Blogs & Twitter

Digital Researcher Blog 2011

http://www.researchblogging.org/

Twitter Search : #phdchat

http://thethesiswhisperer.wordpress.com/

Research@UTSLibrary blog

Wednesday, 16 November 11Other Links:http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1218/Postgraduate-researchers.htmlhttp://research-blog.lib.uts.edu.au/2011/09/shut-up-and-write-reverse-outlines.htmlhttp://rrresearch.blogspot.com/2010/12/arsenic-associated-bacteria-nasas.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/19/alan-rusbridger-twitterhttp://www.nature.com/news/2011/110119/full/469286a.html http://thewikiman.org/blog/?p=1328 http://thethesiswhisperer.wordpress.com/

TextTextText

http://www.tweaktown.com/news/21370/index.html

Wednesday, 16 November 11

Reference & Citation

http://www.citeulike.org

http://www.mendeley.com/

http://www.zotero.org

http://www.connotea.org

Wednesday, 16 November 11

Collaboration

http://wiggio.com

http://www.myexperiment.org

Jive engage employees

https://docs.google.com/

Wednesday, 16 November 11http://www.jivesoftware.com/products/engage-employees/modules/jive-for-office

Mindmapping & Data Presentation

http://www.mind42.com

http://www.bubbl.us/

http://flare.prefuse.org

http://www.degrafa.org/

http://popplet.com/

Wednesday, 16 November 11You may also be interested in:http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/01/07/creating-and-distributing-presentations-on-the-webhttp://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mrtu4MmthE (short video on Game Storming)

Utilities & Crowd Sourcing

http://www.backupify.com

https://www.dropbox.com/

http://www.quora.com

http://ideascale.com/

Wednesday, 16 November 11Some related articles:http://www.techi.com/2011/01/quora-has-social-trumped-the-semantic-web/ http://www.quora.com/Drew-Benvie/Quora/What-are-your-top-tips-for-using-Quora-10-from-me-to-starthttp://radar.oreilly.com/2011/01/esri-australia-ushahidi.html http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=question-time

BenefitsConnections

Engagement

Interactivity

Communications

Instantaneous

Extends reach

Learning

Sharing wisdom

Wednesday, 16 November 11This is just my own quick & dirty list. I’ve highlighted those that I think are the most important benefits with the most potential for researchers with an imagination.The benefits vary from an individual perspective, so I’ve tried to be generic here. I’ve also avoided the marketing benefits because if social media turns into marketing media, people will flock away from it in droves. Connections means that social media encourages and facilitates connections online and I think that can only be a good thing, whether they be for work, family, social or even intimate personal purposes. Engagement refers to the chance to engage with others whether they be individuals or organisations in communities of mutual interest. It is possible that such engagement simply was not possible or feasible before social media - well at least not as broadly and easily. Simply being able to participate is a major benefit facilitated by relatively simple and free social technologies giving everyone the opportunity to have their say should they wish. Interactivity refers to the fact that social media has changed communications in the media from one-to-many to many-to-many and from a one-way to a two-way process. So Communications have been broadened and now almost everyone has an endless list of possibilities for communicating. Social media can offer you an Instantaneous outlet and sometimes an instantaneous response to questions, observations, invitations, etc. The extension of reach is a huge benefit. It works that way for both organisations and individuals through the sheer global scale of the web. The web doesn’t really care when you are online or where you are - you can connect regardless of those factors. Social media has offered me major benefits in terms of my own learning in many different areas and on many different subjects. For researchers, perhaps the most important way that you can benefit from the use of social technologies is through the sharing of wisdom. Of course you still need to sort the cheese from the chalk, but you probably do that already in traditional media anyway, so all it takes is a bit of time getting familiar with the networks you select and it also helps to have list of trusted advisers you can run to when confused or in need or advice.See also:http://www.slideshare.net/ignatia/social-media-benefits-for-researchers-def

My suggestions

oh my god by Lucy Vader

Wednesday, 16 November 11For using social media. This is the how-to bit. It’ll be brief.

Start with your own

tribe

Wednesday, 16 November 11It is probably best to start within your own “tribe” as Seth Godin would say. Then branch out when you feel more comfortable. Networks can be funny things and a bit tribal to begin with so it is easier to stay on familiar ground. Don’t just be happy with family members and close friends on Facebook. You know your interests, so maybe try another platform that seems appropriate.

Perspective

Scale from the tool colour group by Robert MacPherson

Wednesday, 16 November 11Keep what you do in social media in perspective with the rest of your life. It isn’t everything.Try to remember that not everyone is going to be hanging on everything you do or say, so you cannot expect instant responses all the time.

Listen

hello mate by Stephen King

Wednesday, 16 November 11Listen to what is said online and try to understand why. You don’t need to react to everything. Sometimes people are just letting off steam.

Engage

Wednesday, 16 November 11Engaging in social media is probably one of the main things: just be involved. Do more than just lurk.

Play, fail, learn

Wednesday, 16 November 11It really is OK to try some different new things and make mistakes. You won’t be punished or kicked out. Listen to feedback and if in doubt ask someone what the form is, but experiment and play.

RespectWednesday, 16 November 11Respect for others is key. The social web is multi-cultural and it generally isn’t popular to be intolerant, ignorant or abusive.

Be real

Audrey Hepburn by Douglas Kirkland

Wednesday, 16 November 11Some people say that anonymity is OK, but I don’t agree. I think that you need to be as real as possible to have any real impact. You don’t need to give everything away, but the social web can be really generous with you if you make genuine contributions.

Be careful how much you revealsitting hen by Tae-Geun Yang

Wednesday, 16 November 11There are many ways to make sure you do not give everything away. Just read the guidelines and learn how to adjust the settings of the applications or tools you are using to suit your own interests.

Don’t feed the trollsjolly giants by Steve Croquett

Wednesday, 16 November 11You can read what the trolls are doing on the blog posts of any major newspaper or media enterprise. They enjoy being abusive and hurling insults in ongoing arguments, usually from the safety of their own anonymity. Don’t encourage them with a response.

Be patient

Wednesday, 16 November 11It isn’t always going to happen instantly, although sometimes it does. Wait for people on the other side of the world to wake up and then catch-up on their networks.

ReadingsEverything is

Miscellaneous, David Weinberger

The Long Tail, Chris Anderson

Tribes, Seth Godin

The Wisdom of Crowds, James

Surowiecki

Cognitive Surplus & Here

Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky

The Wealth of Networks,

Yochai Benkler

Wednesday, 16 November 11