Augmenting Education: The Collision of Real and Virtual Worlds

Augmenting Education: The Collision of Real and Virtual Worlds from Bryan Loar

This presentation explores augmented reality and potential uses within arts education.  It was presented as part the SECAC 2012 Visual Resources Curator Group session, "When the Past Collides with the Present: Moving Beyond the Single Classroom Experience via Digital Technologies."

BeecherHill

My employer recently announced a name and brand change from SC search consultants to BeecherHill.  The process took about a year, and I was fortunate enough to take part in the process.

BeecherHill as a name pays homage to both Founder Cindy Hilsheimer and to the locations of our business (Beecher Rd. and Beecher Crossing North).  However, as one of our associates put it, the name goes beyond that...it is a representation of climbing towards a goal.  For me, that goal is excellence.  Excellence in our service, our community, and each other. 

I'm very proud to work with such a talented group of professionals, and I'm inspired by the impact we have on exceptional leaders, our clients, and our community.

Augmented Reality Resources

Image: Slide from Augmenting Education: The Collision of Real and Virtual Worlds. 

I've compiled a number of nice resources and examples for my upcoming presentation on augmented reality in Diigo.  Check them out at bit.ly/secac12-AR.

(Note: This is a work-in-progress.  Collection is still ongoing and some cleanup of tags & descriptions before the conference need to take place.)

Upcoming SECAC Presentation on Augmented Reality

Image: Slide from Upcoming Presentation on Augmented Reality. 

I am very excited to be part of the upcoming session "When the Past Collides with the Present: Moving Beyond the Single Classroom Experience via Digital Technologies" at the Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) 2012.

My presentation focuses on augmented reality (AR) and how AR can enhance the educational experience.  Below is my abstract.

Augmenting Education: The Collision of Real and Virtual Worlds

Augmented reality contextualizes and gives deeper meaning to real-world objects, and it provides educators with a means to extend the classroom beyond traditional confines.  The technology uses mobile devices, head-mounted displays, or eyewear to produce an informational layer between the viewer and the viewed.  Unlike virtual reality, a completely simulated experience, augmented reality overlays virtual information over the real world.  Architecture, sculpture, and the visual arts in situ can be complemented with a rich layer of data.  Consequently, living labs may be constructed that enhance the educational experience and student engagement.  This paper explores current case studies, suggests practical applications, and speculates on the future of education-based augmented reality.

For more information on SECAC, please visit www.secollegeart.org.

Maira Kalman

Image: "Maira Kalman at the Contemporary Jewish Museum" Courtesy of Susan Magnolia. 

Video: Illustrator Maira Kalman Explores Art and Existence by thinktv. 

Nice video where Kalman gives biographical info as well as some insights into her work.

Robin Hoods L!brary Initiative

Image: New York City Public School 47 Library.  Still of "Maira Kalman's Library Art" Courtesy of the Robin Hood Foundation. 

 Video: Maira Kalman's Library Art by RobinHoodFoundation. 

What an awesome initiative!  They've created some beautiful, inspiring school libraries.

The L!brary Initiative, a partnership of the Robin Hood Foundation and the New York City Department of Education, with support from the Mayor, corporate donors, and a team of architects, seeks to reverse these patterns of low literacy skills and underachievement by working with community school districts and public elementary schools to design, build, equip, and staff new elementary school libraries.

Christian Moeller Sculpture at Walnut Creek Library

Image: Image of "Shhh" Courtesy of UCLA. 

Video: Walnut Creek Library Art Time Lapse by CityofWalnutCreek.  

I wonder if Moeller or the City of Walnut Creek chose the subject's "shushing" pose.  While I respect Moeller's ability to create visually striking art, I was disappointed to see the final product--an image that reinforces the stereotype of librarians as "bespectacled, bun-sporting ladies who shush patrons."

More about the sculpture can be found at http://gallery.dma.ucla.edu/christianmoeller.com/Shhh

Lois Lenski E-Book Promo Video

Image for the Milner Library site at Illinois State University. www.mlb.ilstu.edu/ressubj/speccol/lenski/Welcome.html via Lifeonthecutoff Blog. 

Video: Meet Lois Lenski by Open Road Media. 

Nice video with biographical details.  [Not mentioned...she's an Ohio State grad! ]  More about the e-books can be found here.

Better Book Titles Tumblr

Image: Retitled "The Hungry Catepillar." 

I love this site.

Butte Public Library Musical PSA

Video: Butte Public Library Musical PSA version 1 by MontanaMovieFactory. 

All libraries should have chorus lines.

OSU Billy Ireland Caroon Library & Museum

 
Video: OSU Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. 

Nice video talking about the library within the Wexner complex at Ohio State University.  For more information, please visit http://cartoons.osu.edu/

Pelotonia - Please Help Fight Cancer

 

This weekend over 6,000 riders will ride from Columbus in an effort to raise funds to benefit The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center- James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute.  I humbly ask you to support my effort to end cancer.
 

My grandmother, two of my grandfathers, and my father all had cancer.  Cancer will continue to deeply affect our families if we do not stop it.  Together we can end cancer, but our financial support is absolutely vital.

I ask that you consider a twelve dollar ($12) donation of which 100% goes directly to cancer research at the James.   

My team's hope is to secure hundreds of nominal pledges to reach our ambitious goal! (Therefore, we won't be upset if you share a gift larger than our request.)

To pledge, please follow this link:
http://bit.ly/pelotonia2012_bryanloar

Cancer knows no strangers: my hope is that Pelotonia knows none, too!  Thank you for your consideration of this request and I'd be grateful for your participation. 

Libraries as Refuge

Image: "Oasis Motel retouched neon sign" Courtesy of Lost Tulsa

With the recent wave of storms and power outages in the U.S., libraries have provided a refuge to those looking for cool, indoor relief.  Additionally, they have provided the necessary electricity to re-power mobile devices.  Here are some nice examples of libraries meeting their communities' needs.

Image: "Readers in the children's room" Copyrighted by Arlington Public Library

Arlington Public Library
Arlington Public Library in Virginia partnered with Dominion Power to keep their doors open, the cool air blowing, and the electricity flowing.  Library staff and volunteers generously worked additional hours to serve their community.  To read more, please go here.

Bridgeport Public Library
Bridgeport Public Library in West Virginia, a state with 35,000 still without of electricity, positioned itself as the perfect place to keep cool and discover the back story to movie blockbusters like the Avengers.

Geisel Library

Image: "CatinHat" Courtesy of jtrummer. 

An amazing library located at the University of California-San Diego.  Formerly known as Central Library, the Geisel Library was renamed in 1995 in honor of the generosity of Audrey and Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss).

For more info, please go to http://libraries.ucsd.edu/about/geisel-building.html

The USPS as a Warning for Libraries

Image: "Cisco Post Office" Courtesy of Kazz.0. 

The debate over the relevance and viability of the United States Postal Service and how to stop the USPS' massive borrowing to stay afloat is far from over.  In May, the U.S. Senate stopped a House-backed bill to begin closures of primarily rural post offices.  Instead, they opted to reduce the post offices' operating hours and move full-time employees to part-time.  Yet, some lawmakers believe that isn't enough (Bingham, 2012).

Librarians take note.

"I hope that my colleagues understand we are looking at basically a dying part of America's economy." - Sen. John McCain reflecting on the USPS (Welna, 2012)

A. Lee Fritschler, a professor of public policy at George Mason University and former chair of the U.S. Postal Rate Commission, argues the primary role of the USPS has shifted from communication to a medium for broadcasting advertising (Moe, 2012).  The adoption of technologies such as the Internet and telephone have brought about that shift.

Libraries face the same challenges.  Libraries, for the most part, have taken a passive role in the creation of technologies to address people's information needs.  Instead of taking a major role in computer sciences, libraries focused on being a service provider--a mediary reliant on others to create information systems.  The mass adoption of information systems that are also providers (e.g. Google) erode libraries' relevancy.  Publishers who can control pricing tiers to different customers as well as who they sell to (e.g. ebook publishers) threaten libraries' relevancy.

I used to think the debate over the death of libraries had no merit.  People will always have information needs.  Libraries offer platforms for the exchange of information, debates, performance, and community development.  Libraries are beacons for fostering intellectual freedom.  Libraries moved away from being book warehouses whose goal was to instill acceptable social norms and behaviors.  Instead, they've placed greater resources on consultancy models that help information seekers effectively navigate massive amounts of data.  However, as information systems become more sophisticated and are able to provide more relevant results to information seekers' queries, the role of the librarian will be diminished.  As publishers create an atmosphere hostile to library acquisitions, libraries' ability to serve their communities' needs will be diminished.  As budgets strain, services such as hours of operation and community services will diminish.  As libraries increasingly move towards not hiring/replacing professional librarians and hire capable para-professionals and part-time employees, the library profession as a whole will be diminished and library/information science schools will begin to close.

Some arguments for the death of the libraries have indicated that the library will just morph into something that can't currently be foreseen, but, what if, the library dissipates into the ether?  The library no longer exists--the library is everywhere.  I'm thinking about the virtual librarian in Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash."  The book's librarian is a piece of software visualized in a virtual 3-D environment.  While not able to deduce, the librarian asks qualifying question (much like a reference interview) to "understand" the semantics of its patrons' queries.  The librarian can access sheer amounts of data very quickly.  Now imagine having this librarian at your disposal at any time in any place.

The United States Postal Service is economically unhealthy, currently unsustainable, and did not adequately transition to meet the needs of the public.  Can we say differently about libraries?

***

Further Reading of Possible Interest

Academic Library Autopsy Report, 2050
by Brian T. Sullivan
The Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/125767/ 

Extinction Timeline 2
by what'snext
http://nowandnext.com/PDF/Extinction%20Timeline%202.pdf 
[Note: Interesting the original timeline had all libraries, but the second timeline has just school libraries.]

Libraries Within Libraries

Image: "Integrated Marketing: Lady Gaga's Workshop at Barney's New York. #gagasworkshop" Courtesy of Robert Raines. 

I was thinking about the stores-within-stores concept that I originally learned about at Fitch, and I wondered if there was anything like that in the library world.  I was curious how this might be different that just areas set aside for a particular subject area (like LAPL's children's lit department).  A Store-within-a-store "is an agreement in which a retailer rents a part of the retail space to be used by a different company to run another, independent store" (Wikipedia, 2012).  So, what if the library rented space out to another non-profit like a historical society or to a a for-profit like a publisher that is library/e-book friendly?

In searching, I didn't find any concrete examples (read: opportunity!), but I did come across the National Library Board of Singapore's "unlibrary."  In essence, they created nodes within the library that subverted physical/virtual space and adopted means that challenge the traditional knowledge transference from book to person (i.e. "living library" or "borrow a person" concept).

The UnLibrary: library within a library

View more PowerPoint from Damien_Wang

***

Further Reading:
PSFK has a nice post on stores-within-stores here. 

Stefano Arienti's Library

Stefano Arienti: Library - installation video from Lehmann Maupin on Vimeo.  

Artist Stefano Arienti "transforms his source material through a minimal gesture (like folding or puncturing) that he repeats systematically, almost obsessively.  In doing so, he subverts the visual cliches of popular culture."

I like in this piece, called Library, Arienti encourages the viewer to explore and discover.

Anthology Library App

Anthology from Noah Blinder on Vimeo. 

Anthology is an interesting (iPhone?) app that creates location-based suggestions from materials that you've checked out from the library.  The real trick will be how relevant the user thinks the suggestions are, how the app interacts with integrated library systems, and the willingness of businesses to pay for a listing in yet another location-based service.

So, the real question is...is the video just a demo reel, or is the app actually out there?  A quick Google & iTunes search did not retrieve any positive hits.

Museum of Sydney's Now and Then Exhibit

Video: Now and Then exhibition at the Museum of Sydney from ABC Open Hunter on Vimeo. 

The Museum of Sydney's Now and Then Exhibit along with Historic Houses Trust's photo competition is a great method for a museum/historical society/library to connect to the communities they serve and beyond.  The exhibit and competition are a nice example of "glocalization" where the local is celebrated on a global platform (i.e. local photographic history is combined with today's environments while being celebrating on the Internet).

Graffiti and Art History Canon

Image: Graffiti And Street Art Cover Courtesy of Thames & Hudson. 

Sure graffiti has been in galleries since the eighties and documenters Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant largely started a tradition of capturing street art for over 30 years, but I never thought I'd see the day when a respected press like Thames & Hudson creates a survey.  I recently looked over Thames & Hudson's fall/winter catalog & found this gem.  Although the series usually lacks enough substance for serious study, the World of Art series is always a good primer.

Graffiti and street art
Author: Anna Wacławek
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, 2011.
Series: World of art.
ISBN 9780500204078
http://www.thamesandhudson.com/9780500204078.html

Information Security and Passwords

Video: SPACEBALLS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 REMIX Courtesy of CounterClockWise000

Mashable has a recent post on the 30 most popular passwords stolen from LinkedIn.  In the post, Samantha Murphy wrote, "Number sequences such as '1234' and '12345' also made the list."  I couldn't help but think of the scene in the movie Spaceballs where the secret combination of 12345 is revealed.

New Integrated Library System Promises to Be More Open

Image: "Welcome to Sierra" by and Courtesy of Innovative Interfaces, Inc.

Innovative Interfaces' Sierra gives libraries greater flexibility to customize the integrated library system (ILS).  That's welcome news to many who have asked for greater flexibility to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies into the backbone of library systems as well as their online public catalogs (OPACs). 

Libraries have wanted this for about 6 years or more, and the pressures of library needs, shrinking budgets, and open source threats have caused Innovative to innovate.  Although it is understandably difficult for a company to completely revamp their flagship product, some may feel Sierra is long overdue in a world that has lost its patience with clunky library systems.

Marshal Breeding has, of course, given a nice overview of the ILS.  Additionally, the University System of Georgia has a nice PowerPoint that Innovative Interfaces provided for a webinar.

The Ohio State University's library system will be moving to Sierra according to this position posting.  From a patron standpoint, it will be interesting to see if there are any noticeable changes on the front end.

Touché Creates Smart Objects from Almost Anything

Image: Still from "Touché: Enhancing Touch Interaction on Humans, Screens, Liquids, and Everyday Objects" by and Courtesy of Disney Research.  

Imagine controlling your iPod or any other networked device simply by how you touch your forearm?  This is the future of interface.

Touché, a joint project being developed at Disney Research Pittsburgh in collaboration with researchers from the University of Tokyo and Carnegie Mellon University, "enables objects to know how they are being touched."  Using predefined gestures, a person can interact with objects like doorknobs and even liquid surfaces to perform unique actions.

The team has created a proof-of-concept video that demonstrates their revolutionary work.


Video: Touché: Enhancing Touch Interaction on Humans, Screens, Liquids, and Everyday Objects

Findings from the research team will be presented on May 7, 2012 at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, and they will be recognized with a prestigious Best Paper Award.

Here's the information about their research paper.

Touché: Enhancing Touch Interaction on Humans, Screens, Liquids, and Everyday Objects.

Sato, M., Poupyrev, I, and Harrison, C. Touché: Enhancing Touch Interaction on Humans, Screens, Liquids, and Everyday Objects. In Proceedings of CHI'12. 2012. ACM.
Paper [PDF, 10Mb]

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Sources

Carnegie Mellon University. (2012). Revolutionary Technology Enables Objects To Know How They Are Being Touched [Press Release]. Retrieved from http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2012/may/may3_disneyresearch.html

Disney. (2012). Disney Research: Touché: Enhancing Touch Interaction on Humans, Screens, Liquids and Everyday Objects. Retrieved from http://www.disneyresearch.com/research/projects/hci_touche_drp.htm

Wilderness Years, Steve Jobs, and Innovation

Image: On Buckhorn Mountain (6 of 6) by and Courtesy of V.H.S. 

Fast Company's article "The Lost Steve Jobs Tapes" by Brent Schlender is an interesting piece.  Schlender reviews taped conversation that he had with Jobs, and he makes the argument that during the years Jobs was away from apple (i.e. the "wilderness years"), Jobs was able to gather the knowledge needed to make Apple an innovative juggernaut.

Two interesting takeaways from the article.

Vacations are not only seen as a perk, they are also viewed as a means to re-energize the associate.  Take this a step further, as was the case with Jobs, could/should top executives take an extended leave, a sabbatical?  It would force the organization to perform without its head leader (good for succession planning), and it could lead to greater innovation when the executive returns--both from innovation in absence of the executive and what the executive might bring back to the organization.

Jobs had a number of things wrong.  For example, his ideas regarding open organizations did not work.  It was in partnership with others that his ideas were either tweaked or disregarded.  Furthermore, he adopted others' ideas (e.g. moving Pixar to only animation).  I believe the mythology of the lone leader who is able to lead and innovate within a vacuum permeates throughout American culture.  We have elevated Jobs to mythical proportions.  However, this article humanizes Jobs, and it highlights the importance of partnerships with regards to innovation.

Social Networks, Reliability, and Death

Image: Data Reliability by Bryan Loar.  Source Images: Volvo 262 c by and Courtesy of Andreas Nilsen, Car104 by and Courtesy of detritus. 

I recently came across my first postmortem LinkedIn profile.  The profile led me to ponder that, in our age of social networks, a deceased person could have hundreds of profiles scattered across the web.  Will their family leave the profiles up like roadside memorials (e-desconsos)?  Or will they remain unchanged, like space debris floating in the netverse?

In regards to data reliability, this could be a serious problem.  Today, much focus is given to data curation, the ability to manage and find meaning in large volumes of data.  When information professionals talk about reliability with respect to the Internet, they typically focus on query results.  However, greater focus needs to be placed on source reliability.

One solution could be a three-pronged approach.  Greater emphasis should be placed on teaching information literacy.  Starting in elementary school, students need to learn how to critically analyze information and its sources.  This critical analysis needs to become habitual. 

The means to analyze information within our current systems needs to be widely adopted.  Dating information is an important first step.  Press releases are notorious for not having dates. This is unacceptable.  Additionally, profiles, such as those on LinkedIn, could be enhanced with a date of last modification.  By displaying modification dates, users can quickly determine currency.

Finally, information validation applications should be built.  Applications could search across social networks using known names, facial recognition, and any other known biographical information.  From a broader perspective, an application could fact check news reports by analyzing differences.  Those differences could be highlighted and summarized.

As our information systems age, information reliability will increasingly become important.  While information management and query-results reliability are important, information reliability is equally important.  If we do not teach information literacy at an early age, adopt the means to analyze, and create applications to assist information validity, we will spiral downward into a misinformation glut where "good enough" won't even be good at all.

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Other sources that may be of interest.

Dobler, R. (2010). Alternative Memorials: Death and Memory in Contemporary America. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1794/10821

Howison, J., Wiggins, A., & Krowston K. (2009).  Validity Issues in the Use of Social Network Analysis for the Study of Online Communities, Second Round Revision. Journal of the Association of Information Systems. Retrieved from http://www.andreawiggins.com/research/HowisonEtAl-JAIS-SNA-Revision.pdf

Stokes, P. (2011). Ghosts in the Machine: Do the Dead Live on in Facebook? Philosophy & Technology, Special Issue, 1-17. doi: 10.1007/s13347-011-0050-7
(Preprint Version)

Joseph Tatum

Video: Library from Joseph Tatum on Vimeo. 

Joseph Tatum's video work as a student is impressive.  Check out his work on Vimeo and his well-designed site.

St. Vincent + Ron Mueck

Video: St. Vincent "Cheerleader" from Hiro Murai on Vimeo. 

Great song by St. Vincent directed by Murai with an homage to Ron Mueck.

Stephanie Rond's Toys and Tools

Image: Detail of Toys and Tools Announcement by and Courtesy of Stephanie Rond

Columbus-based artist Stephanie Rond's Toys and Tools solo show is coming up.  Check out Rond's innovative style where street art blends with "human nature, animal instinct, [and] gender."  For more info on Stephanie, check out her site.

May 4, 2012
6:30 - 9p
Ray's Living Room
17 Brickel Street
Columbus, OH
614.228.1150

[p.s. Thanks, Stephanie, for sending the announcement!  Your work is reproduced nicely.  The card stock is a perfect weight.  And the hula shirt stamp is classy.]

Hatsune Miku, AI, and Personality Rights

Image: Hatsune Miku in Concert Courtesy of Everyday Me. 

Recently I've been pondering our ability to recreate the human experience--both in in the virtual and real world.  I was surprised to learn about Hatsune Miku.  Hatsune is a completely computer animated "singing synthesizer application" (Wikipedia, 2012).  2,000 people have been willing to fill a venue to be entertained by a proxy for an artist.  Of course, the music and animation were all created by artists & designers, but we are already at a point when computers are "quickly doing things that the programmers hadn’t planned for," including music, visual art, and language.

Video: Hasune Miku Concert Courtesy of knucklesmega

A few days ago, I came across Next Media Animation (NMA).  NMA is a computer animation studio and a unit of Next Media Limited, "the No. 1 source for print and online news in Taiwan and Hong Kong."  NMA reenacts news events where images or videos can not easily be obtained.  The video below is of Charlie Sheen's infamous escapades.  The animation does not exactly replicate the individuals, but what if it did?  What if in the future, these kind of reenactments are so lifelike that we cannot discern between reality and artifice.  This calls into question the ownership of our likeness (aka personality rights).  Can our likeness be owned?  Can it be owned after our death by an estate?  In the case of Steve Jobs, can a company own your image?

Video:  "Charlie Sheen raises hell at Plaza Hotel" by & Courtesy of NMA World Edition

Nirvan Mullick

Video: "The Box Man" by and Courtesy of Nirvan Mullick.  

While Caine's Arcade is rightly getting a lot of air time, I thought I'd highlight another of Mullick's gems, The Box Man.  It's a great short animation that makes me miss film festivals of yore at Little Art Theatre (not that Spike & Mike rubbish, more like the goodness that is known as the National Film Board of Canada).

Aerosol Warfare + Houston Public Library

Image: "Linking You to the World" by & Courtesy of Aerosol Warfare. 

This fantastic mural is a result of the collaboration between a public entity and street art.  The Houston Public Library (HPL) did not have the funds to include their parking garage in their renovation.  However, HPL's staff suggested reaching out the Aerosol Warfare's CKC StART Street and Urban Arts, a program "whose mission is to promote street, urban and alternative forms of art as a positive and creative force in communities."

Aerosol Warfare energized a space and extended the HPL's theme of "linking you to the world."  The collaboration between the library and the studio is a great example of how street art can play a role in urban renewal.

Here's a nice slide show by Gonzo247.


Downtown HPL Artwork Dedication from GONZO247 on Vimeo.


Other resources of interest:

Aerosol Warfare's post

Glasstire's post

Houston Chronicle's article

Urban Library Council's 2011 Innovations Initiative study

CKC StART's Flickr Photostream

Aminah Robinson, Todd Slaughter, & CML

Video: Columbus Metropolitan Library - Commissioned Art 1991.  

Aminah Robinson & Todd Slaughter discuss their commissions for the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Interesting note: Slaugher's work looks like it could be cast bronze, but it is actually wood.

Side note: While I interned at the Columbus Museum of Art, I had the pleasure of archiving some of Robinson's personal correspondence and ephemera.  It was one the highlights of my summer.

Amalia Amaki + VSU's Odum Library

Image: "For the Love of Books" by Amalia Amaki Courtesy of Valdosta State University

This beautiful mixed-media piece was commissioned by Valdosta State University's Odum Library in honor of William H. Mobley IV, a Valdosta native and former curator of the Library of Congress Archives.

"Suddenly a universal piece about joy, support, aspirations, and promise, is wedded to the specific: here, locally, through books donated by Mobley, through the library and the university, the sky becomes the limit of student aspirations."

For more information about Mobley, Amaki, and Odum, please visit their blog post here.

The Amazing Andersen M Studio

Image: Smuggler Courtesy of the Andersen M Studio. 

 

 Video: Going West Animated by Andersen M Studio.

Andersen M Studio, the folks who directed and animated the Pottermore video below,  is a brilliant studio based out of London.  Besides film, they also work in photography & music, and their recent clients rightfully include some very well-respected companies.

Gordon Carlisle + Laura Richards Elementary School

Image: "The Sky's the Limit" by Gordon Carlisle Courtesy of Robert Meyer

Carlisle created an amazing & inspirational trompe l'oeil mural on the ceiling of the school's library & media center.

Columbia University Slide Library

Image: Columbia University Department of Art History and Archaeology Slide Library Courtesy of Marble Fairbanks

Columbia University's Department of Art History and Archaeology has a beautiful space for their slide library.  The wall was collaboratively designed and constructed using new material and fabrication techniques.  To learn more, visit Marble Fairbanks.

Image: Columbus University Department of Art History and Archaeology Slide Library Courtesy of Marble Fairbanks

2011 Engaging New Technologies: Productivity

2011 Engaging New Technologies: Productivity

View more presentations from Bryan Loar

In March 2011, I had the privilege of presenting the following presentation with Meghan Musolff, Assistant Coordinator of Visual Resources at the University of Michigan.  We presented at the Visual Resource Society and Art Library Society of North America's joint 2011 conference, and we discussed current productivity technologies as well as potential future variations on today's technologies.  We tackled task, project, and information management.  In my section, I expanded on those three categories to envision future scenarios by mashing up the categories with artificial intelligence, simplicity & precise utility, simplified realities, dashboards, and ambient information.  It was a great experience, and I am very thankful for the opportunity.

Some of the categories, tools, and concepts discussed include the following: futurism, Dentsu London, BERG, project management, information management, task management, lifehacks, social bookmarking, diigo, delicious, aggregators, bloglines, google reader, onehub, doodle, teuxdeux, remember the milk, wunderkinder, evernote, wunderlist, microsoft surface, OLED displays, 5pm, basecamp, wrike, zoho projects, clarizen, artificial intelligence, readability, augmented reality, incidental media, mixing media, media surfaces, screen technology, ambient information, and rainmeter.

Fairey + West Hollywood Library

Image: Shepard Fairey's Mural taken by Joshua Barash Courtesy of the City of West Hollywood

The new County of Los Angeles Public Library opened in Oct. 2011.  The county in collaboration with Cadillac and L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art installed a number of public artworks.  In the video below, Shepard briefly describes his work.

Get on Callesen's Library Bus

Image: Library Bus Courtesy of Peter Callesen

Callesen has created a striking skin for this Danish Bookmobile.  The Bookmobile is a commission of the Danish Art Council and spreads library goodness to remote townships in the southern part of Denmark.

New Titles from Thames & Hudson

Yesterday, I received the new catalog for Thames & Hudson.  Two titles caught my eye.

Image: Bookshelf by Alex Johnson courtesy of Thames & Hudson

In Bookshelf, Alex Johnson explores creative structures to house book collections.  With 300+ color illustrations, there are plethora of examples.

Image: Mathematics, A Beautiful Elsewhere by Michael Casse & Jean-Pierre Bourguignon courtesy of Thames & Hudson

I'm always drawn to the intersection of art + science, so Mathematics, A Beautiful Elsewhere is right up my alley.  In the book by Michael Casse & Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, the authors explore the pairing of 6 scientists with 4 contemporary artists.  The artist/scientist collaboration produced "specially and aesthetically designed ways to exhibit mathematics," unveiling "the beauty and visionary insights of this discipline."  Reads like delicious infographics to me.

Libraries & Automated High Density Storage

Image: The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library courtesy of the University of Chicago

The Mansueto's reading room and high-density, automated storage site is an interesting concept.  The storage area is located underground while the reading room rests on top of the storage and below a glass curtain dome.  I like the idea at first, but then I wonder what happens when repairs are needed to the cranes.  Do librarians don grappling gear and scale the storage walls?

Here's a nice video that illustrates how it works

Gordon Smith + Surrey Centre Library

Image: "Winterscape" by Gordon Smith courtesy of Surrey City Centre Library

Nice video of Gordon Smith talking about the commission with a little biographical info.

My Old PalmV

Image: PalmV with Folding Keyboard

2004 seems so far away, and the PalmV that Jason Latta handed down to me with additional OmniSky hardware seems so quaint.

The Awesome Kinect Graffiti

Kinect Graffiti™ from Jean-Christophe Naour on Vimeo.

Makes me actually want a Kinect now.

"Kinect Graffiti is a digital graffiti tool using "Microsoft Kinect" camera.

Idea behind this project is to use the kinect to track the motion behind graffiti. Visualizing the body and drawing trough different angles in realtime, Understanding surrounding space, pausing the time, etc...

Kinect Graffiti is a tool built in processing & openGL, SimpleOpenNI, openNI and primeSense libraries.

More stills are available at :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/njc002/sets/72157626221800708/

Credits :
http://innoiz.com
http://jcnaour.com

Download for Windows 7 :
http://innoiz.com/apps/

(Music : Harmonic 313 - Galag-a)"

Douglas County Library Digital Promo Vid

 Video: Douglas County Libraries Digital Branch Via: kklossner


Really nice promotional piece on the digital resources that DCL offers as well as addressing library relevancy in the 21st century.

[Well, it was a good video.  - Bryan 2012-01-27
 & we're back up - Bryan 2012-02-06]

Sketchtravel Project Animation

SketchTravel from Curio on Vimeo.

The Sketchtravel project is a genius idea and for a great cause. I'd love to see this between art & visual resource librarians.

"This animated short was created as a part of Sketchtravel project
which is an international charity art project where one red sketchbook
was passed around between 71 artists around the globe for 4 and half
years.
The original Sketchbook was sold for 70,000 Euros (96,200 US$) and its
entire proceeds will go towards building libraries in the third world
countries in partnership with a child literacy non profit Room to
Read.

For more info, please go to www.sketchtravel.com


Directed/Animated by Dice Tsutsumi
Original Score - Zach Johnston | Dan Govier
Original Story - Dice Tsutsumi | Zach Johnston
Additional Animation - Jeremy McCracken | Ed Robbins
Additional Art - Robert Kondo | Jennifer Chang | Shelly Wan"

Morris Lessmore

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore Trailer from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

Yeah, I've been living under a rock for the past year. Finally, found the short film "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore." I love that William Joyce is involved, but I wish the ebook was more than just aniPad app. There's also a nice piece by the LA Times on it published on Monday.

"Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, “Morris Lessmore” is a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) award winning author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a hybrid style of animation that harkens back to silent films and M-G-M Technicolor musicals. “Morris Lessmore” is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time."

Andrew Berman's Writing Studio & Library

Private Library from David Vegezzi on Vimeo.

Beautiful.

A short film about New York architect Andrew Berman's dream project.

Commissioned to design a writing studio in the woods in Long Island, he took the challenge and created a building which seems to float in a sea of foliage.



The film, while informative conveys the tranquility of the building by simply inviting you to enter and experience the pace of the writer's world inside.

http://www.andrewbermanarchitect.com





Directed & Produced by David Vegezzi

Cinematography by Ben Wolf

Edited by Carsten Becker

Music by Circle of Sound

© 2008 http://www.davidvegezzi.com