~Yale Arts Library Blog~

Digital Urban is reporting on White House Redux, a collaborative architecture project that seeks to collectively redesign the White House in Washington, D.C.

From the project website:  Analogously, the concept of Source Code is readily found in the everyday practice of architecture in forms of drawings, agendas, documentations, ideas, specifications, and material libraries. However, none of the above, with the seldom exception of ‘ideas’, are freely redistributable, publicized, or allow for criticism and input akin to what an open-source model offers. The architectural practice, today, is skewed towards personal benefit and gratification of individual architects. Thus, the laws protect creative property, on one hand, but are constricting and oppose collaborative creativity that could contribute more rapidly to architectural theory and practice.

Read about another collaborative architecture project taking place in Second Life here and here.

And for more, see the Open Architecture Network as well as the Library Design Wiki.

Posted by Chris

The Library Café is a weekly program of table talk with scholars, artists, publishers and librarians about books, ideas, and the formation and circulation of knowledge. It is hosted by Thomas Hill, and can be heard on WVKR FM 91.3 Tuesday afternoons between 12:00 Noon and 1:00 p.m. ET (16.00-17.00 GMT) during the academic year.

Posted by Chris

Via SCSU: Join us Wednesday, May 14, 2008 , 1:00 p.m, to discuss and share ideas about green libraries and campuses.

Conveners:

Mary Carr, Dean Instructional Services, Spokane Community College

Dr. Debra Rowe, President of the US Partnership for a Sustainable Future

From a library/librarians’ perspective, how are our library resources when it comes to sustainability? Are we supporting the college’s curricular efforts? What about the “greening” of the library and the campus? Can we practice sustainability? Can we promote it by speakers, presentations, etc.? What can we do within our library associations, and other professional groups?

Suggested background readings:

-Inside Higher Ed blog “getting to green” http://insidehighered.com/views/blogs/getting_to_green

-Do Colleges Need Green Czars?” Inside HigherEd. April 15, 2008. http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/15/sustainability

-Greening your library blog http://greeningyourlibrary.wordpress.com/

NOTE: All ACRL OnPoint chats are free and open to the public. Sessions are unmoderated, 30 to 45 minutes long, and take place in a Meebo chat room. While no registration is necessary to participate, ACRL recommends creating a quick and easy Meebo account for the best experience while participating in ACRL OnPoint discussions. Full details are available on the ACRL Web site at www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlproftools/OnPoint/onpoint.cfm.

Posted by Chris

Ryan Cassella

Listen to Dr. Christina Baum, Director at Southern Connecticut State University’s Buley Library, discuss the future of libraries on NPR.

The Future of Libraries WNPR 12/5/07

“The old-fashioned library is quickly becoming a thing of the past. The dusty stacks of little-read books, the earnest volunteers urging “quiet” are being replaced by coffee shops,concert series, and increased connectivity.”

And read about a forward-thinking library known as the ‘idea store’ here.

Posted by Chris

Arcadia University Landman Library, Glenside, PA

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and the
Library Administration and Management Association (LAMA) have released a
new resource for architects and others planning higher education library
spaces. In response to frequent inquiries for information about planning
academic library buildings, ACRL and LAMA have partnered to develop a
basic framework for architects, planners and librarians embarking on
planning and design of academic libraries.

The wiki-based guide is featured as a resource in the American Institute
of Architects Community of Practice for Architecture Education at
http://www.aia.org/cae_default, as well as on the ACRL Web site at
http://wikis.ala.org/acrl/index.php/ACRL/LAMA_Guide_for_Architects.

Posted by Chris

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art

“It’s one of the finest collections of modern art anywhere in the world, but you won’t find it in New York or Paris. Dozens of works by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock — together valued at roughly $3 billion — are locked in a basement in Tehran.”

Inside Iran’s Billion-Dollar Art Basement Lara Setrakian ABCNews 3/1/08

View much of the collection here via the official page of Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art and read about it on wikipedia.

Also, check out Yale University Library’s Near East Collection as well as this article about increasing the visibility of the Art Gallery’s collection.

Plus, The World’s 50 Best Works of Art (and how to see them).

Posted by Chris

Via today’s New York Times:

To the Editor:

It’s odd and sad that Nicholson Baker, author of “Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization,” who takes second place to no one in his fetishism about all things ink-on-paper, should use Post-it notes as bookmarks in library books.

It is no secret that the glue residue they leave behind is harmful to paper.

John Sippel

Amherst, Mass., March 4, 2008

Posted by Chris

Architect Mark Moeller discusses Louis I. Kahn’s Phillips Exeter Academy Library, in this first of a series of architectural exposes.

Cityscapes, the story behind the library Jeanne McCartin Seacoastonline.com 2/26/08

“He crafted something that was very particular to what the client wanted and then sold them on it. He created fans, converts to the way he saw architecture. And the academy library was one of his most successful projects. A lot of the ideal he brought to it survived.”

A wealth of info on the building here and download a 3D model from Google here.

Posted by Chris