A raccoon (more specifically, a “wily” raccoon) broke into the basement of the Brooklyn Public Library in July of 2010. Plenty of snappy commentary from all concerned. Apparently, the raccoon may still be down there a week later. Thanks, Kris Kanthak!
The Old Spice guy is a fan of libraries. Or anyway he’s willing to pretend to be. Here’s the video, and here’s some context, and here’s some more context. Thanks, Steve Lawson!
Tutt Library is in the process of discarding bound journals now available in JSTOR and backed up electronically and in hard copy in multiple locations in the state and the country. Last night, somebody — or more likely somebodies (students? we don’t know) pulled hundreds of them out of the dumpster and built an igloo-like structure in the parking lot.
It’s beautiful, I think, and a fitting monument to progress and the future and all that stuff. It’s sad, too, and in the few minutes I stood near the igloo I heard wistful comments from passers-by, even some anger or disappointment that the library would throw these things away. I found myself defending the library’s decision, but feeling a mixture of emotions as I did so. Frustration at how bad we are at explaining ourselves, love and affection for the people who feel love and affection for these materials. A feeling of helplessness.
Why do people assume that libraries and librarians hate books (or bound journals) and can’t wait to get rid of them? We went into this field because we love books, most of us. But we have to care more about the students and researchers who use our libraries, and we have to try to do what’s best for them. For a long time that meant taking flimsy journals and magazines and binding them, making them into solid book-like objects that would last a long time. Now it’s a new paradigm, and we’re making the texts in those journals available via the internet. We don’t like throwing out the bound journals, but we have to make room for other things in the library. We receive something like 6000 new books a year. The library building isn’t getting any bigger, but our collections are growing and growing …
Ah, I’m doing it again. I’m defending our decision — which I should do, as a librarian. But let’s talk about the shenanigan. It’s a well-built piece of art, and does just what art should do. It moves us, surprises us, makes us see things in a new way for a moment. And makes us see other things besides itself in a new way for a while.
Whoever has to put all the journals back in the dumpster probably won’t appreciate it, though. And I hope it doesn’t rain.
Addendum, Thursday, July 15: I should make clear that the bound journals get recycled. And I can report that the library staff worked together on Wednesday to get the volumes back into the dumpster before the rain hit.
Further addendum, November 2: One of the culprits/artists who involved tells me that a CC student and two alumni built the “crater/kiva/igloo” in about three hours, completing the project just before dawn. The student remarks: “I apologize if the book-toss was more work than it was worth. I fully understand the practical reasons for tossing the books, as well as the aesthetic, tactile, and conceptual beauty of ‘the book’ (both in the platonic sense and as physical/individual objects). Very rarely is one presented the opportunity to work with such a quantity of anything, let alone a medium as interesting and iconic.”
Can we call this a library shenanigan? Oh why not. Rintala Eggertsson created this bookshelf apartment for the “Small Spaces” exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. The bookshelf staircase in a private house in London is pretty cool too. Thanks, BoingBoing and Gizmodo!
George B. Zip tries to convince the Seattle Public Library that they should open a branch in his apartment.
Ninjerktsu: Public Library Ninja is a comic strip showing what can happen if you annoy a ninja in a library. Thanks, Karen Lakes!
The Friends of Irony describe this library desk sign as “recursive,” which is not quite right, but pointing out the silliness of the sign does seem like a shenanigan, and there are further amusements in the comments. Thanks, Kris Kanthak!
Librarians and library students tell you that you can use their ca-ca-catalog (don’t forget the databases). I want to be friends with all of these people. Cameo appearance by Nancy Pearl! May 2010, University of Washington’s iSchool. Thanks, Suzie DeGrasse, Kris Kanthak, Gail Plummer-Davis,and Jennifer Gresham!
In May 2010, local bands played at the Toronto Public Library to celebrate its local music collection. Apparently, there was moshing and pit-diving, IN THE LIBRARY. C’mon. That’s cool. Thanks, Suzie DeGrasse!
In 2002, after asking themselves “What would be the most absurd place to picket? What is the one place that no one in their right mind would oppose?,” Improv Everywhere staged a fake protest, “Writers Against Piracy,” at the NYPL. WAP members chanted “Only crooks … check out books!” and said writers should receive royalties from libraries. (This is actually not as crazy as it sounds — I believe that in some countries authors do receive small payments based on library borrowing records. Anybody know more about that?)