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Posts tagged library
PROJECT BRAND YOURSELF A LIBRARIAN: Lauren Comito
48 months ago
Getting your first 90 day layoff notice bites. There are so many things that run through your head, and sitting at the reference desk you certainly have enough time to think about them. It was during one of these self pitying “what do I do now” reference desk hours that I created the image. It was my way of saying we won’t be shushed, you can’t shut us up, we won’t stop protesting until all of our branches stay open. Then the whole thing went a little nuts, and all of a sudden I’d taught myself to screenprint, broken my mom’s dryer, andcovered the trees in my mom’s yard with tshirts. The We Will Not Be Shushed attitude and image hit a nerve with us at Queens Library, and we fought like crazy. We had 400 people show up at city hall, we stayed up all night reading in protest and we got most of our funding restored.
Now we’re facing it all again. The proposed cuts this year will bring us up to a 40% cut since 2009. Libraries in New York just can’t function with that kind of cut. But that’s ok, because our librarians are a scrappy bunch of punk ass book jockeys. We’re planning more and bigger advocacy events than last year, and we’ll get our damn funding back.
The process of getting said tattoo was kind of weird and very librariany. The artist who did it was into comics and had a passion for bad post-apocalyptic fiction, so I found myself doing readers advisory while in the chair. “You might like S.M. Stirling, ouch, Dies the Fire is really good in a sort of awful way, ouch.” A librarian’s job is never over.
Clearly, when I say we should be in a permanent state of advocacy I really mean it. I was lucky enough to create an image last year that people could be inspired by and rally around, and at least part of the reason I got the tattoo was to try to inspire myself again. To remind myself to fight for the people in our communities who can’t. To remember why we do all this. And because being a librarian has become part of who I am, and it’s going to stay that way.
Check us out at www.savenyclibraries.org. If you’re in New York on June 11th and 12th, check out the read-in. Sign all three petitions!
I’ll appreciate it, and I know that my coworkers and patrons will as well.
Thanks for the post Lauren! FYI, Lauren originally accompanied the original Project Brand Yourself a Librarian group to Jinx Proof Tattoos in Washington, DC during ALA 2010 and was there for the initial branding! -Justin
Video Game Collection Development (UPDATE!)
310 months ago
Video Game Collection Development 101
VERSION 2
Much thanks to Alex Lent for giving us the nudge to update this post!
1. Start small
I still stand by this idea 100%. You don’t have to go for broke with your new collection. I recently had a great conversation with Devin Burritt of the Jackson Memorial Library about starting up a video game collection. He made it happen at his library recently and started off with a small collection of Wii titles aimed at all ages. By keeping things small at the start, you will understand how your collection is being used by your patrons. With this information, you can continue to build your collection and have it guided by patron input. Which brings me to my second point…
2. Know your audience
Who will be playing these games? Your patrons. As fun as it is to buy video games, you have to put aside your personal preferences. Sure, I really dug Elite Beat Agents but you know what? My patrons didn’t. It’s one of the few games that constantly stays on the shelves here at my library. What did I learn from this? Don’t trust my gut reaction when purchasing games. Instead, TALK to your patrons when they’re browsing your game collection. Notice what they’re checking out. Heck, just simply ASK them what they want!
3. Plan ahead
You have to have a plan for your collection. Are you going to collect games for systems that are no longer supported by companies? Are you going to invest in the newest video game systems even though there is a chance they may not take off? Once again, gauging your patrons interests is key to planning ahead. At my library, we recently received a donation of Nintendo Gamecube and Playstation 1 and 2 games. I decided to add them into the collection just to see what people would think. It turns out that they circulate like mad and now I have people asking me to get a bigger selection of older titles. I’ve even had to submit an interlibrary loan request for a title I couldn’t find in print anywhere.
4. Gamer’s Advisory
Over the past year, I’ve found the topic of what I’m calling Gamer’s Advisory key to making a video game collection work in your library. Sure, you will most likely have a rabid set of patrons that will check out your games, but the collection only really starts to show its true worth when you can add recommendations (not just for other games, but for other materials and experiences the library can offer). Keep the patrons coming back for more at the library. Turn the avid gamers onto something that else that they may not have tried in the past.
5. It’s not just about lending physical items out
I’m a big fan of this topic. Libraries are struggling to grasp how to circulate electronic materials in the library. This is cause for some concern, but at the same time it opens up a new door for us. Instead of lending out items, create experiences. Give the patrons something they cannot get elsewhere. I bring up the example of the local Portland, ME store The Fun Box Monster Emporium. They’ve got a row of awesome pinball machines in their store that their customers can play. Why can’t libraries do something like this? Invest in some gaming tools that will give patrons gaming experiences that they can’t get everyday at the local video game store. Personally, I want to buy a Pac Man arcade machine for my teen lounge.
Zukunftswerkstatt Gaming Roadshow
111 months ago
Recently, I had the opportunity to Skype with Christoph Deeg, Julia Bergmann, and many other amazing librarians in Cologne, Germany about gaming in libraries during the Zukunftswerkstatt Gaming Roadshow event on February 15 and 16. For the idea behind Zukunftswerkstatt, I’ll pass the mic to Christoph….
The roadshow is a mobile-future-library. The idea behind is to bring future-technologies such as gaming, mobile internet, and eBooks to the librarians. In the first step the roadshow is about the world of video games. Together with their patrons librarians can try out different games. After this they are asked to discuss the chances and the risks using games and then the possible next steps to integrate games into their daily business. In germany most of the public libraries rent games.
But most of the libararians do not know much about games and the culture behind them. We believe that in the future games and the internet will be the plattforms where cultural and scientific content is imparted/mediated. That means people will learn, play, work and create with video games – and of course they will have a lot of fun. Because of this we believe that libraries should start to think about gaming and develop new services for this.
What really interested me about the Zukunftswerkstatt Gaming Roadshow was the community and discussion aspect. It brings people together not only to experience the games in libraries but to also encourage discussion on how libraries and patrons can work together to bring gaming into libraries. Instead of us (librarians) running the show, it gives the power to our patrons and lets their opinion dictate the way we handle video games in the library. Remember, we are the PUBLIC library, and the Zukunftswerkstatt Gaming Roadshow is showing us just how important our public can be.
8bitlibrary+Unshelved+IMchat=#MIH
011 months ago
Can you really hold an interview on IM chat…with four people?
Perhaps, we here at 8bitlibrary (Andrea & JP) gave it a whirl with library comic legends, Bill Barnes & Gene Ambaum from UNSHELVED, which coincidently (nah, not coincidently at all, we’ve been planning this post since ALA MidWinter) is celebrating its 9th anniversary/birthday…TODAY: February 16th.
Here’s a snippet from the chat:
Andrea: sooooooo – unshelved….
happy early birthday!!!
Bill: Thank you.
Gene: Thanks!
Bill: Next year is our 10th. I think we’ll have to do something awesome.
Andrea how does a 9 year old comic strip behave?
Gene: I’m thinking cake
Andrea (you’re doing something awesome now)
10:37 AM Gene: Lots of random crying and temper tantrums. We’re hoping Unshelved will hit puberty soon.
JP: Why “un”shelved. Why not “de”shelved?
like that whole defriending/unfriending scandle
Bill: Unshelved predates defriending.
It also predates Facebook, Twitter, and the iPhone.
10:38 AM Unshelved is your grumpy uncle who doesn’t understand technology.
JP: Do you guys work in a library now?
Bill: I never worked in a library. And I never will.
Gene: Occasionally. But very occasionally. I left my full-tiMe job in library land in October 2009.
10:39 AM Andrea So Unshelved has become a fulltime gig?
Gene: It has!
Bill: It’s a little more than fulltime.
Andrea How does that feel?
Gene: fulltime+
Andrea Where do you get your “material” now?
Bill: I love answering to no one other than my wives.
10:40 AM Andrea plural?
JP: Poligamy!
Yes!
Now we’re getting somewhere
Gene: It feels strange whenever I have a moment to think about it. It’s usually when someone asks Me what I do for a living. “I write a comic.” “You draw a comic?” “No. Let me explain.”
Bill: I have my actual wife and two collaborators who I very much feel married to.
10:41 AM Andrea makes sense, interesting phrasing
JP: Ok, so you left your job(s) for Unshelved. Is this a “forever” thing for you guys?
Gene: I get my material mostly when I’m in line at Target, trying to return something, or just watching people lose it with their kids. Probably my favorite place to people watch these days because the red shirts make it so easy to figure out who’s the employee behaving badly and who’s the customer.
I’m like two questions back…
JP: Sorry lolBill & Gene of Unshelved
For the complete (hilarious) transcript, read on…
here are video for you to watch
01 year ago
Some videos:
Game Night X at Jackson Library in the University of North Carolina – Greensboro. (already dead link, bummer)
Some guy singing about reading books. I HATE library videos about books, but he steals books from a 7 year old kid’s birthday party, so i’m posting this for the LULLZ.
Here’s Green Day playing at a high school in 1990. The song is about a boy who has a crush on this girl who he met (i’m assuming) in the Library, since the title of the song is “At the Library”.
Most downloaded iPhone app Bubble Ball created at a public library
21 year ago
From John Kirriemuir over at his most excellent blog Use Libraries and Learn Stuff:
Where do you go to find help and information that enables you to make a game which is downloaded over two million times in two weeks, gets rave reviews and becomes more popular than Angry Birds?
When you are 14 years old.
The public library, of course. In this particular case, Spanish Fork Public Library in Utah.
Buy India a Library
21 year ago
From the minds of Jan Holmquist (representing Denmark), Andromeda Yelton (representing the USA), and Ned Potter (representing the UK)…
Click here to go to the Buy India a Library blog!
…comes Buy India a Library, a project started by librarians to fund a library in India via Twitter. Head on over to their blog for more information on the project and learn about how you can help them accomplish their awesome goal!
What an awesome project and a wonderful team. I’ve been lucky to meet in person with Andromeda a few times and have many great discussions with Jan and Ned online. Kudos to them for making it happen!
ALA Comic Book and Graphic Novel Member Initiative Group
61 year ago
by JP
in advocacy, collection development, event, link, literacy, marketing, news, programming, teen
Hey 8bitlibrarians,
Guess what? We’re starting a Comic Book and Graphic Novel Member Interest Group in the American Library Association! Robin Brenner, Creator and Editor-in-Chief of www.noflyingnotights.com & I will be co-conveners, with the fab Tina Coleman serving as our ALA Staff Liaison.
BUT WAIT! Before we can make it happen, a
“Petition to Establish a Comic Book and Graphic Novel Member Initiative Group
in the American Library Association”
must go before the ALA’s Committee On Organization (COO) to be voted on and approved. We need 100 signatures on that petition. Would you kindly help us get them?
Enclosed in this post is the petition and the statement of purpose for the newly proposed group. If you are an ALA member-in-good-standing (i.e., you’ve paid your membership dues) and you’d like to sign your name to the petition, please fill out this info. An automated email will be sent to my email box and will serve as your digital signature.
Thanks so much, and please help us spread the word by posting / tweeting this link: 8bitlibrary.com/?p=2101
And here’s what you are agreeing to when you email me:
Petition to Establish a Comic Book and Graphic Novel Member Initiative Group
in the American Library Association
To the Committee On Organization (COO)
We, the undersigned members in good standing of the American Library Association, ask that the Committee On Organization approve the establishment of a Member Initiative Group (MIG) concerned with comic books and graphic novels in libraries, pursuant to ALA policy and refer to Council the following “statement of purpose” for the MIG,
“To provide a method for engagement and networking among ALA members interested in comic books and graphic novels. To collaborate with ALA units to support the inclusion of comic books and graphic novels in library initiatives and programs across the Association. To advocate for wider incorporation and acceptance by the profession and the Association for comic books and graphic novels in library services, programming, and collections. This group is open to all members, and encourages participation from members from all library types and members who serve various library user demographics.”
IF YOU AGREE to this, please click here to email me!
Thanks errbody. – J2theP
5 Video Games That Should Be On Every Library Holiday Wish List
11 year ago
We Rule for the iPad
WHAT? Basically, it’s like a Farmville for your iPad, You build a kingdom, you interact with other players, and you can buy stuff to make your kingdom grow quicker. Simply put, the game is fun. It’s basically like a scaled down more social version of Sim City. The best part? It’s free.
WHY? Libraries really haven’t jumped onto the offering social games for patrons thing (other than offering computer use to patrons). Why not get a few iPads and encourage your patrons to play this game as they hang out in the library?
Halo: Reach for the XBox 360
WHAT? The popular first person shooter for the XBox 360 is back. This is developer Bungie’s last Halo game and boy did they go out with a bang. Halo: Reach will give any gamer, hardcore or casual, hours of enjoyment.
WHY? Multiplayer. Expect this title to be a hit at in library video game programming. Recommend it to patrons who are looking for a great multiplayer game that they can play with their friends and family.
Rock Band 3 for the XBox 360, Playstation 3, or Nintendo Wii
WHAT? The ever popular Rock Band series is back. This time around, a keyboard is thrown into the mix as well as the ability to use real instruments to play the game. Add in a killer song selection, great visuals, and you’ve got a bucket full of awesome on your hands.
WHY? While reports of music game sales declining across the board continue to show up in the news, that doesn’t mean that your patrons won’t enjoy Rock Band 3. Simply put, too many music games came out too quickly. Remember Wii Music? Yeah, we’re blaming games like you. Rock Band 3 is finely crafted game that will provide hours of enjoyment for friends and family.
Metroid: Other M for the Nintendo Wii
WHAT? Samus Aran, the ever so awesome lead in the Metroid series is back in this 2D/3D/First Person Shooter hybrid from Nintendo.
WHY? Because Metroid games are awesome. Seriously, Metroid: Other M gives the gamer an adventure they’ll never forget. The hybrid puzzle/action/shooter gameplay is something that you won’t see in ANY other games out there. A truly unique experience.
Kirby’s Epic Yarn for the Nintendo Wii
WHAT? Kirby’s latest adventure finds him/her (?) in a land full of yarn, buttons, and other cool stuff. This 2D adventure game is sure to wow you not only graphically but also give you a hell of a good time.
WHY? Kirby’s Epic Yarn has this beautiful blend of puzzle and action gaming that any age can pick up and enjoy. Highly recommended for families, so suggest this to the parents that come through the library with their kids. Plus, Kirby is just so damn cute.
PROJECT BRAND YOURSELF A LIBRARIAN: HEIDI GUSTAD IS AWESOME
41 year ago
Heidi proudly shows off her brandedness. That's not even a real word.
Heidi Gustad never really thought she would be a librarian.
“I grew up in Fargo, [North Dakota],” she says. “What brought me to Michigan wasMichigan State University. I was playing the oboe professionally . . and I came here because I got a music and honors scholarship.”
After a bout with tendonitis, Gustad re-evaluated the path that her studies were taking.
“I realized that being a professional musician wasn’t the most sustainable career, so I switched to telecommunications,” she says.
“I was able to keep all of my scholarship money and I liked MSU’s campus. I had made a lot of friends, and I like being in a totally new environment.”
To read more about Heidi’s awesome story, click here. Heidi got branded long before the Project Brand Yourself A Librarian project and she rules.
GO HEIDI GO. (and congrats on getting married in March!)