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Finding the Right Metaphor: Restructuring, Realigning, and Repackaging Today’s Research Libraries. March 2010 Dr. Joan Giesecke Dean of Libraries University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. Metaphors. Phrases that connect unlike items Phrases where one thing is used to designate another.
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Finding the Right Metaphor: Restructuring, Realigning, and Repackaging Today’s Research Libraries March 2010 Dr. Joan Giesecke Dean of Libraries University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
Metaphors Phrases that connect unlike items Phrases where one thing is used to designate another
Estimating Hail Size Pea = 1/4 inch diameter Marble/mothball = 1/2 inch diameter Dime/Penny = 3/4 inch diameter - hail penny size or larger is considered severe Nickel = 7/8 inch Quarter = 1 inch Ping-Pong Ball = 1 1/2 inch Golf Ball = 1 3/4 inches Tennis Ball = 2 1/2 inches Baseball = 2 3/4 inches Tea cup = 3 inches Grapefruit = 4 inches Softball = 4 1/2 inches
19th Century Metaphors • Warehouses for Books • Antiquarian Museums • Dusty places
19th Century Metaphors • People’s University • Laboratory for the Humanities • Parish Churches of Literature and Education
Early 20th Century Metaphors • Business organizations • Public Utilities • Department Store Values
Late 20th Century Metaphors • Warehouse for Books • Electronic Access metaphors • Librarians as Activists • Library as Partner • Library as Place
Metaphors to Describe Librarians • Librarian as Teacher • Librarian as Business Leader • Librarian as Information Engineer • Librarian as Information Navigators • Librarian as the New Search Engine
More Librarian Metaphors • Feral Professionals • Hybrid Librarians • Blended Librarians • Embedded Librarians • Gate Keeper, Gate Way, Gate Openers
Library as Body Part • Heart of the University • Circulation System • Foot upon which the institution rests
More Library Metaphors • Library as Conversation
More Library Metaphors • Library as Grocery Store • Library as Kitchen • Library as Book store • Library as Laboratory for the Humanities
More Library Metaphors • Digital Library • 2.0 Everything • E- everything
More Library Metaphors • Library as Ecosystem • Mutualism and co-evolution • Rainforest of the Sea
Metaphors at UNL Libraries • Librarian as Scholar-Practitioner • Digital Media Metaphors • Library as Partner
Metaphors at UNL • Discovery Tool • Central Intelligence • Google meets Amazon.com
Metaphors at UNL • A group of scholar practitioners who manage the academic living room, are a publishing partner, and who bring a Google and Amazon.com experience to the search and discovery of scholarly resources to our students and faculty.
Conclusions • No perfect metaphor • Ecosystem resonates with staff • Partner resonates with campus
Additional Metaphors • After the talk, additional metaphors were suggested by attendees: • Library as Service • Black belt Librarians • Knowledge Jedis