The ETH Library has designed a new platform called Explora to tell stories about their collections and services in order to draw more attention to the library. The first two topics discussed on Explora are plant illustrations over centuries and data degradation. Future stories may discuss marble architecture and open data, and the platform will continue developing new multimedia and interactive functions.

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Storytelling in Libraries
From early plant illustrations to modern research on ETH Library’s new platform Explora
29.06.2017Michael Gasser, Deborah Kyburz 1

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Storytelling and research
Explora: Aims and ideas behind the platform
Mallow, Iris, Orchid – Scientific plant images over the centuries
Outlook: Future stories and development of Explora
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Agenda

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Storytelling and research

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Storytelling and research
Science
• analytical
• impersonal
• dry facts
• specialist terms
Stories
• Protagonist / humans
• Actions
• Feelings
• Logical continuity

5. ||
Address people’s
problems/issues
Curiosity,
sympathy
Show specific
advantage
Focus on what’s
important
Heroes
(Researchers,
Employees, …)
Make institution
more human
Change of
perspective
Uniqueness
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Storytelling and research

6. ||
Listing of facts
ETH Library has designed and published a
new platform named Explora and tells stories
on this platform and the first two topics are
‘plant illustrations’ and ‘data degradation’.
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Storytelling and research

7. ||
Listing of facts
ETH Library has designed and published a
new platform named Explora and tells stories
on this platform and the first two topics are
‘plant illustrations’ and ‘data degradation’.
Telling a story
ETH Library owns countless fantastic digitized
collections and makes them freely available to
the public. However, we noticed that many
people don’t even know our collections.
Therefore, we designed and published a
platform where we tell stories. The first topics
are ‘plant illustrations’ and ‘data degradation’.
That’s how we want to draw people’s attention
to ETH Library.
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Storytelling and research

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Explora: Aims and ideas behind the platform

9. ||
Content
marketing
platform
Reach new
target groups
Collections &
services
Offer added
value and
advantages
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Explora: Aims and ideas behind the platform

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Collections: Collections and Archives
 Interested public
 Culture / science enthusiasts
 Creative professionals
 Media representatives
 Discipline-specific communites
 Academic community
 Scientists (as private persons)
 Institutes and departments of ETH Zurich
 Decision makers at ETH Zurich
Services
 Members of ETH Zurich
 Researchers (Master & higher)
 Students (Bachelor)
 Decision makers at ETH Zurich
 Science enthusiasts
 Media representatives
 Discipline-specific communities
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Explora: Aims and ideas behind the platform

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Explora: Aims and ideas behind the platform

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Mallow, Iris, Orchid

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Mallow, Iris, Orchid – Scientific plant images over the centuries
We chose this topic because …
 … ETH Library’s collections and archives have a wide range of relevant
material,
 much of it already digitized and available on online platforms
rare books
e-rara.ch
archival material
e-manuscripta.ch
fossils
E-Pics Earth Science
Collections
images
E-Pics Animals,
plants, and biotopes

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Mallow, Iris, Orchid – Scientific plant images over the centuries
We chose this topic because …
 … it is highly visual and appealing to a wider audience
 … it is – in its many forms – still relevant for modern research, teaching and
scientific visualization
Key intention
Link the past and the present by extending the
developments documented in our rich historical holdings to
testimonials of present day experts and researchers

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Outlook: Future stories and development of Explora

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Outlook: Future stories and development of Explora
Future Stories
• marble architecture power
• Open Data
Further development
• More functions for multimedia content
• Interactive feature
• Instagram feed

17. ||
Michael Gasser
michael.gasser@library.ethz.ch
Deborah Kyburz
deborah.kyburz@library.ethz.ch
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Thank You!
Explora
A world of experience by ETH Library
www.explora.ethz.ch
@explora_ethlibrary

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Questions