ELISA Edinburgh visit to Edinburgh College of Art Library

On Tuesday 2nd June I went on a visit to Edinburgh College of Art Library which was one of the programme of visits organised by ELISA training and development group.
The College of Art is on Lady Lawson Street in Edinburgh Old Town and has an old building at the front and a new building at the back leading onto West Port. The library is in the new part of the building.  I have visited before in 2012 but it was better going as part of a group especially as we had an interesting talk from the librarian Jane Furness.
The library is based on 3 floors although as we were vising at the same time as the degree show was on, the top floor was being used for the exhibition.  Each floor is sort of separate as it was originally going to be an office building so you come out of each floor and use the lift or stairs to get to the next.

On the main entrance floor is the Help Desk / Service Desk, some PCs and printer, lots of journals and magazines, the short loan collection and a collection of DVDs.

There is a variety of seating - comfortable seating and seating at tables and chairs.

On the lower floor there is the main book collection and some desks with PCs.
The whole area is light and bright and has a good feel to it.  It feels like a good place to work and the book collection is very interesting.
Jane explained about the collection and about the links with other Edinburgh University libraries and how the students use the resources.  Although there are some electronic resources, due to the nature of the subject it is important to have paper based books and artifacts that are accessible and appealing.

There are display cases containing exhibits and artists stories.

More information can be found about the library on the university website 

After we had looked round the library we looked round the rest of the building and the degree show. There is a great view from the top floor.

Sustainable Libraries

Sustainable Libraries

• Saving Energy - more sustainable buildings 
• Reduce energy consumption - replace boilers
• Ventilation systems and controls 
• Lighting systems -- light bulbs and fittings
• Library Catalogue machines
• Save space and transport - ejournals
• Printing and photocopying - doublesided printing and pull printing
• Donate and recycle books and journals
• Green roof, solar panels

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/aboutus/sustainability/ourinitiatives/sustainablelibraries.html

http://www.designinglibraries.org.uk/

http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/

http://greenlibraries.org/

My library visits for National Library Day NLD13

Usually my library visits for NLD are in the Durham area but this year I'm in Edinburgh. I started yesterday as I was at work and needed to check out a few library buildings anyhow. At the Kings Buildings site of Edinburgh University there is a brand new library - the Murray Library. There is still some of the library areas in other buildings but mainly study areas and teaching and learning clusters. This is in the Darwin Building.




There is also a library store with older books and journals




The Murray library is in an impressive new building with a cafe on the ground floor. It is a mixture of books and computer spaces.








It is great but not that spacious I don't think and they have a sort of 'atrium' (inevitably) and so the noise comes up from the cafe. It's well used and there is an outside balcony space with seating for in the warmer weather.
Later in the day I went back to George Square and to the main library. It is a brilliant library, large with a variety of different areas and different resources. It is well used by students and an ideal university library for many people. But it's not for me - I prefer the library at Edinburgh College of Art or the Divinity Library at New College - luckily there is a choice. (When I was in the Main Library I asked if they were doing anything for National Libraries Day - they replied no, nothing - I wonder why not...)




Today I was with my friend Kate who has come to visit. It's a bit mean of me to expect my guests to do what I want when they have made the effort to come and stay so a bit of compromising was needed :) We walked to Fountainbridge Library. It is in an impressive building.








There was a lot going on in the library - lots of people of all ages, plenty of activities, it was fairly noisy but in an upbeat happy way. The staff were friendly and efficient. There was a mixture of books and other resources including newspapers. There were computers in the main area and in a separate area.




It had a good community feel, as if it was part of other support services and mutually beneficial.
We then walked to the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art. Beautiful buildings and interesting art although some of it was too outlandish for me - I'm not interested in angry, explicit stuff. I like the buildings and the 'everything is going to be alright' and the 'no miracles'.








A surprise was that there was a library there The Gabrielle Keiller Library - Surrealist artists, authors, poets etc.




Next we headed back into the city centre then George IV Bridge to the Central Library. I visit here quite frequently so it was just an extra visit for NLD. I like this library, I'm not that keen on self service as I think you lose that relationship between the reader/borrower and the librarian and I don't think it is any more economical but it's not a deal breaker for me.




I love the shelving in this library.
We went upstairs with the intention of going to the reference library but instead went to the Fine Art library - it was lovely. Lots of great books and interesting artifacts.








Hinder a librarian at your peril!




Book sculptures
Finally onto the National Library of Scotland for a quick look round








Then it was time for tea and cake. I enjoy visiting libraries - they are a vital resource for many people and should be supported by us all.

My 'A Moment in Time' Library Visits

In December 2010, I decided that I wanted to visit as many libraries as I could - as part of every day life. I started this blog to record details of my visits. I wanted to visit libraries for a number of reasons
1. Political reasons - libraries closing due to public sector cuts and the need for all those who value libraries to publicise their importance.
2. The increase in use of digital resources does not mean libraries are not needed, they are needed more than ever.
3. Libraries are fantastic and interesting - escapism, peace and quiet, historical, useful and fun.
4. I like visiting libraries - I think all libraries should be open to all and people should make the effort to visit them and if you work in a library you should promote and advocate libraries.

Since Dec 2010 I've visited 39 libraries (plus 5 almosts i.e.ones that I've got to the door but no further due to access restrictions).
They have been mainly a mixture of public libraries and academic libraries.
I'm not sure what I've achieved.
Hopefully it has had a positive effect on the libraries that I've visited - one more user who has appreciated the space, resources and library assistant/librarian.
I've blogged about them which may help raise awareness (every little helps). I've done my bit to promote and advocate the use of libraries and explain that they are essential.
I feel very fortunate that I have always been able to visit libraries since I was about 5 and in which ever area of the country I've lived in. I realize that I'm probably not very important as a reason to keep public libraries open as I have access to other libraries, to online resources and have the means to buy and borrow books from friends or shops. But I do feel it is, and should be, a right for everyone to have access to libraries especially young people and children.
One important point it has made me realize is that I have a different view of libraries from a professional point of view than I do from a personal point of view and it is the professional part that is important. Libraries need to be relevant, they need to provide access to books but also access to a wide variety of electronic resources. They need to provide space, space to learn. They need to provide expertise and the people to facilitate the search for information and knowledge. Most of the libraries that I've visited do provide these crucial elements.
From a personal point of view I'm glad I can visit libraries because I want to look at the books and be in the space to stand and stare and feel the history and the mixture between purposefulness and escapism.


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Gateshead Library

Yesterday on the way back from South Shields I made a detour to Gateshead in order to visit the Shipley Art Gallery and to visit Gateshead Central Library. The Shipley art Gallery is probably my favourite art gallery as it always has interesting exhibitions, is beautifully unpretentious, has helpful staff, a good gift shop (useful for Christmas presents) and grand toilets. The current exhibition is 'Journeys in Beadwork'. http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/shipley/thingstoseeanddo/exhibition/2012/04/21/journeys-in-beadwork-dialogues-in-contemporary-style
There were even some dresses with QR codes made from beads.
On to the library - it was raining so I didn't spend time looking at the outside of the building but it is an old building with a new modern interior.

It is very welcoming and as soon as you walk through the main door you want to explore further.
At the left hand side is a multimedia area - I'm not sure what they call it but it has glass automatically opening doors and when you go in there is music playing!! On the doors it said 'Playing Vividly'. Lots of CDs, DVDs - popular ones, the latest ones, boxed sets - Wednesdays all DVDs £1!! There were music scores too. It was great and busy with people of all ages and knowledgeable staff. it had the wow factor.

The main section was non fiction - set out in a simple yet effective way with cool stripy seating.

There was an extensive selection of books both non fiction and fiction and very up to date and appealing. The books had a feeling of relevancy and that they were suitable for a wide range of people. I liked the layout with seating areas and the shelving used to break up areas without closing them off. Through the fiction area with audio books and quick choice stands was the childrens area and garden. Then onto the teen area which made me wish i was a teenager again - books - computers - games consoles - high bench seats. This area was easy to look into but not part of the thoroughfare. There was a relaxed but purposeful air to the teen section by the people using it.

The main library area leads through to the tourist information area and to the Information services which is the reference library, IT support, local history and quiet study facilities. There is also an art gallery and cafe.
There are a few enquiry desks which are easy to find but not imposing and there are self service issuing / returning machines.

The library had a great feel to it and was busy with users. It has obviously had a lot of resource invested in it and is important as a central library rather than a branch library. I enjoyed visiting it.

Newnham College Cambridge Library

A quick look round the library at Newnham College.
It is a really beautiful library, a brilliant mixture of new and old buildings that works perfectly. It would be an ideal place to study and while a way the hours. It didn't feel fusty like some academic libraries but was quiet and peaceful and very nice indeed.