Abigail Reynolds

Woodsmen (2008) 17.5 x 14 cm
Cut and tiled book plates

Amazing works created by using multiple photographs, etc., to create geometric abstractions.

Via: Cool Hunting

Liquid Bookmarks

Liquid Bookmarks

How Cool Are these?!

Via: Designboom

Librarians Who Brew

So I was perusing Karen Schneider's blog, and I came across her post about homebrewing beer. As one who has culinary aspirations as well as a taste for good ales, I began to wonder if they're other homebrewing librarians out there.

Apparently (not surprisingly) there are.

We've got Wes, library assistant @ the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; Kira Barnes, cataloging and metadata librarian @ the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT); Carolyn Blatchley, Training Services Coordinator at Cumberland County Library System; and the list goes on.

I'm thinking next winter the brewing is ON!

Crowdsurfing @ the Charleston College Library

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIf9LpGUQLs

Miss Loon is our librarian
She hides behind the shelves
And often cries out, “LOUDER!”
When we’re reading to ourselves.

Hooray for Diffendoofer Day by Dr. Seuss, Jack Prelutsky, Lane Smith (Illustrator)

The Power of the Public Library

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http://splicd.com/8YEKU9adL1A/72/88

Janet Robinson (CEO of NYT) quotes Arthur Schlesinger (a Columbus, OH, native)

"The public library has been historically a vital instrument of democracy and opportunity in the United States. Our history has been greatly shaped by people who read their way to opportunity and achievements in public libraries."

Nice. And notice how Schlesinger's quote does dwell on the idea of libraries as repositories. Instead, it speaks to the fact that libraries and librarians are enablers--connecting the public to the information that brings about knowledge and hopefully wisdom. The quote does show it age, however. "In public libraries" no longer holds true in many cases, now that so much information is available digitally.

The New Fitch Resource Library

fitch_resource_library-books4
Originally uploaded by Fitch Resource Library

The library that I manage is now in it's new home in Columbus' Brewery District. It's a fabulous space, and everyone seems very pleased to have books, mags, and materials so accessible. Now to get some info lit programs in place ;)

Shepard Fairey and Copyright

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Shepard Fairey's Obama poster design, originally done outside of the official approval of Obama's campaign, has certainly hit the mass, pop-icon threshold. Could Fairey be our modern-day Warhol? Maybe. But what if Warhol was alive and active in these modern, producer/consumer times?

Fairey's position on copyright is interesting and a bit troubling. He indicates that he goes after those who wish to profit on his design while turning a blind eye to those who bootleg for entertainment. Fairey's position is interesting because it demonstrates the need for copyright revision, and it is troubling because the law is not evenly applied. Creative Commons (CC) offers solutions through various licenses. For example, CC's noncommercial licensing would have satisfied Fairey's needs.

So, I'm curious why Fairey would not go this route. Is there a need for something between copyright and licensing law?

via: The Blarg

ObamaconMe

Fun online app to make yourself cool via Shepard Fairey's design.

Via: Anh-Minh.com

12 Seconds: Video Microblogging

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Cool app highlighted Chad F. Boeninger (Ohio University Libraries). 12 Seconds is much like video twitter--you have 12 seconds to pump out your video update. In fact, you can set it so that 12 seconds tweets your followers.

When Social Networks Die

Image: photos_by_ish

As I was updating my MySpace page (and basically making it a placeholder for content I create elsewhere), I began to ponder what would happen if there was a great MySpace exodus.  The content would remain, but no one would be there to maintain and update. 

Of course, Tom and his buddies would pull the plug on their servers, but what if they didn't?  The site would be analogous to a virtual ghost town where the artifacts of life point to a once flourishing metropolis.  What if everyone does what I've done--make their pages proxies for information created elsewhere?  The ghost town's TVs are all turned on and tuned in to its former citizens lives, lives that now inhabit foreign soil.

Sweet Design Offices

Find cool offices like Nordkapp @ Where We Do What We Do. Look for some Fitch photos soon.

Via: Brandflakes

Howard Rheingold on the Importance of Libraries

image: Justin Hall



Jaap van de Geer (DOK) intervied Howard Rheingold at the Internet Librarian 2008 conference.  Here's what Reingold said

"Well, if you think the library is a place where books are stored, then they're out of business.  If you think of the importance of knowing how to ask questions and how to verify the answers, I'd say the importance of libraries is more than it ever was before."

Unfortunately, it appears that vimeo hasn't enabled deep linking yet.  The quote is @ 1:53-2:06.

http://www.vimeo.com/2018287