Libraries and Flickr

Flickr is something that we have talked about often, and it a program that I know little about - though I have uploaded some photos, I have yet to figure out any special features or cool tricks.

The New York Library has posted a thousand photos in the Flickr Commons and, in doing so, has significantly increased the availability of their resources.

And how beautiful they are! The NY Public Library thinks of this as "a sort of appetizer course, a sampler of collections accessible in greater breadth and depth on the NYPL Digital Gallery, and on-site in our network of libraries." There is really no greater tool at the disposal of libraries in the displaying and publicizing of their photographs.

I think that Christa is correct here: What about our little collection downstairs? No one ever takes a look at those pictures and, let's face it, we do not have the resources to preserve them for the long haul. But, if we were to digitize them and make them public some how (either with Flickr or a program on our website), we will have made them instantly usable.

By making these things available, libraries are able to reach that wider audience that we are always striving for!

Donnell Library Center

It is hard to watch a great library fall. Here is a link to the sad story.

Take a Walk with Me My Literary Friends

This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo.

I feel calm and rested!

Library Imagination from Years Past

I follow a blog, called Modern Mechanix, which scans all of these amazing old advertisements, the more quarky and unique, the better. Today's addition is one that caught my attention.

I wonder if someday all of our forward looking and predicting will look as silly. To be honest, I hope so! That means we were actually making an effort and keeping our eyes to the future - never content with the status quo.

**** Update 12/2/08: Here is the BoingBoing Blog post about the same thing! ****

Cool Libraries of the Future

This is pretty... uh... interesting. Check out the plans for the Goucher College Library.

Treadmills in the library? I supposed that it is not a bad idea because one of the most important parts of mental retention is to exercise - get the blood flowing. The logistics would be a nightmare - electricity, noise control, and how do you prevent someone from sweating all over the books? Though, I always go to the gym with a magazine - is that really so different?