Hi Jennifer,

 

I can fill you in a bit on the many enhancements we did as a part of the renovation of the UCSD Arts Library. Just FYI Trish Rose interviewed me a while back for a future VRA bulletin article (I am reviewing right now!), and I am in the process of writing an article about transforming the UCSD Arts Library for a future Art Doc article (winter 2010).

 

In summary, here are the highlights of what we did to our space:

 

-          Combined three arts service desks into one

-          Created very open floor plans for both the staff and public areas, including some “transparency” between both areas (installed large panels of colored art glass)

-          Opened up our floor to the various natural light sources we have (interior gardens, glass curtain walls) and also insured light was maximized for the staff area

-          Built several new studios: audio, still image, moving image (these are primarily for digital production) and a film preservation studio

-          Created various zones for the users: lounge chairs near windows with lots of electrical access, a relatively “quiet” carrel zone, an open area with tables (also with lots of electricity) for group interaction

-          Moved film and audio public workstations into open space (no longer in an enclosed room)

-          Installed compact shelving for almost all (95%) of our collections, including media and film. Built a film & tape vault (compact shelving, enhanced HVAC). We could do this because we are on the ground floor.

-          Planned and implemented a new infrastructure for the delivery of media (audio & moving image) from an equipment rack behind our desk to the public workstations

-          Built 3 new group viewing rooms (51” high def LED monitors) with media delivered from our rack

-          Consolidated music, art and film reference collections

 

-          This summer we will be renovating our seminar room, introducing more flexible furniture, new high def digital projector, large white boards on walls

-          We also conducted a wayfinding study and will be installing new signage this summer

-          We are starting to add new art and will be acquiring additional display cases to our public space

 

Hope this helps, and I will let the list know when the 2 articles are published.

 

Leslie

 

 

 

 

Collective wisdom,

 

I’d be interested in knowing what you perceive to be ‘cutting edge’ as far as art library spaces & technologies are concerned.

 

We’re renovating a couple of group studies and while the furniture is modular Knoll (which is staying) and the technology in one of the rooms works just fine (ceiling mounted projection w/laptop hookups; decent speakers/audio; dvd; vcr) it’s all a bit circa 1990’s. I’m thinking attractive, high-quality equipment/technology…

 

I’d love to hear your thoughts and/or see images of what you think is are most excellent spaces and/or technologies suitable for smaller (less than 20) art library group study rooms.

 

Thanks & be well,

Jen

 

 

 

MIAMI DADE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM

The Reading Room
A Temporary Space for Artists’ Books, Publications and Multiples
Friday, June 11, Noon - 2 p.m.
Miami-Dade Public Library System, Main Library Children’s Room, 101 W. Flagler Street, Miami

[log in to unmask] / www.mdpls.org / 305-375-5048

With special guests:

Cristina Favretto, Head of Special Collections, University of Miami Libraries and founder of the Zine Collections at the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture at Duke University; Tasha Lopez de Victoria, artist and zine educator, TM Sisters; Carol Todaro, artist, educator, printmaker; Ximena Izquierdo, artist, zinemaker, student, assistant director, University of Wynwood

With special feature:

A selection of zines from 1992-1996 from the collection of seminal zinestress Scapula Ray

On the second Friday of each month, a secret room in the Children’s Room at the Main Library becomes The Reading Room. Visitors can stop by any time between 12 and 2 p.m. to get up close and personal with selections from the Library’s collection of artists’ books, publications and multiples.

The theme of this month’s Reading Room is zines and obsolete technologies. There are many definitions for zines, but they tend to be do-it-yourself or independently produced and distributed publications. Often they are fueled by the personal expressions or obsessions of their creators. Some trace zines to fanzines, publications created by 1930s science fiction fans. Zine librarian Alycia Sellie writes, “Others believe that the medium was more influenced by the punk rock movement of the 1970’s. Many refer to the legacy of zines in the pamphlets and broadsides published as far back as Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin, or to the works of the Dada art movement.” In the 90s, zine culture thrived among women and girls as part of “the riot grrrl movement's reaction to sexism in punk culture..and the rise of third wave feminism.”

Because zines are often created on Xerox machines, we’ll also be talking about the use of obsolete technologies in art and elsewhere. On special display this week is a selection of rare, early-mid 1990s punk/feminist photocopy zines from the collection of Oneco, FL-based zinestress Scapula Ray including Libel, Pawholes, Hey 19, Action Girl, and many others.

As always, there will be coffee and cookies. We may also talk about the World Cup.

For more information about exhibitions and programs at the Miami-Dade Public Library System, visit http://mdpls.org/news/exhibitions/exhibitions.asp

 

 

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__________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask]