In November of 2011, The Library as Incubator Project went on their first IncubaTOUR of the University of Wisconsin Archives, a vast collection of images, films, sound recordings, and documents housed in Steenbock Memorial Library on the University of Wisconsin Campus. Vicki Tobias, the Images and Media Archivist at UW Archives, gave us a tour of the collections...
I recently read an article for class called “Personal Relations Between Librarians and Readers” by Samuel Swett Green of the Worcester Free Public Library. In the 1876 essay, Green, who is considered to be one of the founders of reference services, writes about how librarians should not just be interested in books. They should instead...
The Guggenheim Museum in New York has many exciting digital and preservation initiatives, including the ambitious Variable Media Initiative, which works to preserve media-based and performance art works in the museum’s permanent collection. In terms of easy access no matter where you live, though, the latest Guggenheim digitization effort is even more exciting: Earlier this year, the Museum made...
Anyone who loves the narrative tension between episodes of a favorite TV series or issues of a comic book will understand the appeal of serialized novels– there’s something about waiting to see what happens next that makes the story even better. In serial fiction’s heyday, Charles Dickens was the master of the form. He penned...
If you are an academic or research librarian working in/interested in the visual or performing arts, consider getting involved with the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Arts Section. According to their webpage on the ALA-ACRL website, “Arts provides an umbrella organization for the promotion of library service in this field through discussion of current...
We are so pleased to present a Pinterest board curated especially for the Library as Incubator Project by collage artist Mel Kolstad. We featured Mel and her awesome work with the Fond du Lac Visual Arts collective and its partnership with the Fond du Lac Public Library a few weeks ago. We don’t know much...
This Valentine’s Day, we present a delicious new kit that is perfect for young adult and even adult audiences. The recipes for hair mist shine spray and solid perfume in the “Sweet Scents” library kit come courtesy of Martha Coons, Young Adult Librarian at the Springfield City Library in Springfield, MA. Download the...
As part of its robust Online Gallery, the British Library features a growing collection of virtual books – and these aren’t your average e-books. Among the newest additions to the collection are selections from the draft score of Handel’s Messiah; Diamond Sutra, the oldest printed book; Bedford Hours, a beautifully illustrated 15th-century text owned by Henry V’s brother; and...
I love posters. I imagine my project colleagues and many of you feel the same. But I don’t actually know a ton about the history of poster design as an art form. That’s why I was so pleased to find Posters for the People, a very cool website/database that holds, reproduces, and discusses the history...
If you visit the site today, you may notice that things have shifted a little bit in our top menu. We’ve added a new page titled “Support.” Early this year Erinn, Christina and I made the decision to start accepting donations for the website and project through PayPal. We hope to get linked up with...
Hello, and welcome back to our serial fiction series! When we left the heroines of “The Timely Adventures,” Rachel and Leigh were on their way to the New York Public Library with a breath of spring in the air…in 1956! Read on to find out what happens next in this fabulous, library-inspired project from the...
It’s actually really exciting to me when I go in a library and I find a contemporary craft book. It’s like, Wow these librarians are on the ball! ~ Sarah Hemm Need some inspiration for your next needlework, fiber art, or craft project? Stumped on how to collect cutting-edge resources for the avid crafters at your...
