Cultural Research

Using The Smoking Gun as Bait for Public Records Workshops

In today's social landscape, it behooves librarians to find ways to draw in an audience without becoming outright entertainers. I have to admit, I'm still torn on the library coffee house concept, especially for academic settings, but I understand how it fits a "library as community gathering place" approach.

That said, two of my core interests, reference and marketing, will probably move me more in such directions as I dig deeper into how libraries must change given the many new players in information services and the emergence of information as entertainment facilitated by the Web.

For example, I was just checking out an email from The Smoking Gun, an extremely popular site that uses public legal records to create entertaining content. Though I hope librarians will recognize that there's a downside to laughing at people who've been arrested*, TSG is an excellent example of how the Web has connected everyday folks to seemingly esoteric pursuits such as searching public records.

I'm guessing most folks don't think of TSG in those terms but it struck me that TSG could be used as bait for a very solid public records workshop .

I know some librarians may wince at the thought but I feel the Web offers us an opportunity to reinsert ourselves as core resources in people's daily lives if we're willing to make such moves rather than thinking of the Web as competition.

I'll be dropping more ideas along these lines in the Marketing category as I go. Please feel free to add your ideas by commenting, sending me email suggestions or writing a guest post!

Contact Clyde Smith: culres(at)gmail(dot)com

*Note: Sounds like a good lead-in to a discussion of relevant ethical issues!

Volunteering at Cleveland Library

As I mentioned last week, I checked out the Cleveland Library, in Cleveland Township, NC, over the weekend as a possible volunteer/learning site. Since that visit, I've decided to help with getting the Koha Integrated Library System (ILS) fully functional and with entering titles into the catalogue.

This project has become more about technical services than public services but I'll also get introduced to the checkout and related processes and seek a systematic understanding of how this ILS functions.

More importantly, I'm going to be contributing to the development of an emergent community library that is currently outside of the county public library system but would like to be part of the system when all is said and done.

I need to check with folks at the Library to figure out what's appropriate to discuss here but I can already see that my bookstore experience will be as valuable as my current understanding of how libraries operate. Because this library is operating out of a thrift store, is in the early stages of getting systems in order and generally operates in an ad hoc manner, it feels much more like a used bookstore than a modern library. I'm curious to find out if that throws library professionals when folks from the Cleveland Library reach out to them.

That said, I knew they had a lot of books but it was a much more diverse selection in much better shape than I anticipated.

I'll leave it at that for the moment but I will say that I'm excited about the possibilities and of being a part of what I think will one day be an awesome public library.

Cambridge Library Collection: Library & Press Partner for Online & POD Access to Special Collections

The Cambridge Library Collection - Books of Enduring Scholarly Value

I used to think of digitization as an incredibly boring topic but the continuing drive to move special collections online, giving potentially universal access to rare materials previously limited to fixed locations, along with Google's massive scanning operation have certainly changed that landscape.

The above video, an excellent marketing tool, discusses the Cambridge Library Collection, a project that grew out of a partnership between the Cambridge University Library and the Cambridge University Press.

What I especially appreciate here is the addition of publish-on-demand (POD) services to the process of scanning out-of-print titles for online access. As I understand it, the Library is responsible for the digitization of the books and maintenance of those archives while the Press handles the publish-on-demand aspect providing individual copies as needed.

This is an awesome example of a partnership that builds on individual strengths to create a complete system providing access to otherwise difficult to obtain materials.

Via TeleRead.

Clyde Smith: Continuing Ed Volunteer in Action

I am doing a number of things to build my experience in and understanding of the library world, including launching this blog, and am currently looking for volunteer opportunities with an eye towards my own continuing education.

Volunteer's a problematic word because I'm really looking for training and experience in library settings related to reference and public service. Though there are many opportunities to shelve books, there aren't so many opportunities to learn to work with Integrated Library Systems* (ILS).

I'm currently investigating a volunteer opportunity at an ad hoc community library based in a thrift shop!

I found the Cleveland Library, based in Cleveland Township, NC, through the list of libraries using the Koha open source ILS. Since I'm interested in working with open source software, building public service skills and understanding how library systems are increasingly tied together via software, I reached out to see if they might have a place for me and it sounds like there's plenty to do at this stage!

I'll be reporting back on this and other continuing education pursuits as things get interesting.  In particular, I plan to start reviewing webinars and podcasts that I find useful and that will continue to be available online with free access.

If you have suggestions for such opportunities and resources, please email me at:
culres(at)gmail(dot)com

*Note: Since this blog is intended, in part, to connect folks inside and outside of library/education settings, I'll often be writing out the many acronyms one encounters in library and education blogs that speak to other librarians and educators. Especially when I have to look them up myself!

Seth Godin on Using New Media to Create 10 Bestselling Books

Seth Godin on 10 Bestsellers: Using New Media, New Marketing,
and New Thinking to Create 10 Bestselling Books

Over the last 9 years I've learned a lot about how technology has impacted many industries with strong ties to libraries and education settings including the book business and journalism.

The above video featuring Seth Godin shares some insights into book marketing with new media that offer examples of disruptive innovation in action.  He also drops some quick but interesting observations on libraries along the way.

Seth Godin's presentation from O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference, New York City, NY, February 11, 2008.

Via Seth's Blog.

HERB & DOROTHY: Indie Collectors Extraordinaire

HERB & DOROTHY Trailer

The serendipitous announcement of the upcoming PBS broadcast of HERB & DOROTHY feels like a great way to start blogging for real here at Cultural Research.

Much of my interest in library and information science grows from my love of books which I began collecting seriously as a teen. I definitely have a warm spot in my heart for renegade collectors and librarians:

"As the series opener for the 2009/2010 season of PBS's acclaimed 'Independent Lens,' Megumi Sasaki's delightful documentary 'HERB & DOROTHY' tells the extraordinary story of Herb, a high school dropout and postal clerk, and Dorothy, a librarian. Living in a humble, one-bedroom New York apartment, this seemingly ordinary couple turned out to have a keen eye and all-consuming passion for modern art that led them to amass one of the most important contemporary art collections in history."

"'HERB & DOROTHY' will air nationally on 'Independent Lens' on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 10PM (check local listings)."

Official Site: HERB & DOROTHY