Survival strategies for librarians working in museums with small / difficult spaces and limited budgets. Exploring how we can adapt and thrive in the digital age.

1. Making the best of small spaces and
small budgets
Caroline Warhurst, LMLAG Conference
British Museum, 26 April 2007

2. Frank Pick
“The test of the
goodness of a thing
is its fitness for use.
If it fails on this first
test no amount of
ornamentation or
finish will make it
any better.”
Frank Pick, speaking in 1916

3. He transformed this…

4. and this…

5. into this…

6. and this…

7. What are the issues?
• keeping up to date
• web benefits – what’s best for me?
• money?
• difficult spaces – large or small
• limited staffing resources

8. What to keep in mind
“80% of most library visitors use Google to
find what they want…Web visitors do not
care whether information found is
ultimately housed in a museum or library.
We need to work together… to make
certain that visitors can easily find what
they want.”
Ken Hamma, J. Paul Getty Trust

9. Another guiding thought
“Two thirds of our visitors don’t come for
something we have shaped, they are
coming to our core assets…They aren’t
coming to hear what we want to tell them,
they are coming to find what they want to
know...Libraries are the ultimate 2.0
content providers. Everything is available.”
Nina Simon www.museumtwo.com

10. Issue
• keeping up to date

11. Solutions
• sources that work for you
• professional organisations
• Library 2.0 solutions, free services
• stay focussed, avoid ‘wilfing’!

12. Some sites I find useful
• http://www.museumtwo.com Museum 2.0
• http://www.ipl.org Internet Public Library
• http://www.bloglines.com Blog service
• http:// www.librarycrunch.com Blog
• http:// www.freepint.com Research site

13. Issue
• web and IT benefits – what’s best
for me?

14. Solutions
• be clear about your service
• what do you really need?
• go for tried and tested
• make full use of simple / free
solutions

15. Issue
• money?

16. Solutions
• keep up a costed ‘desiderata’ list
• power and influence
• get what you can afford and build on it
• maximise grants and partnerships

17. Issue
• difficult spaces – large or small

18. Solutions
• clear vision
• consultation
• audit activities
• flexible spaces

19. Issue
• limited staffing resources

20. Solutions
• prioritise
• projects that give double benefits
• exploit your unique assets
• develop integrated services

21. LTM as a case study

22. We have all the issues
• small difficult space
• money – didn’t have any…
• limited staffing resources
• web benefits – what’s best for us?

23. Update definitely needed..

24. Issues
• 12,000 items packed
into 74 sq metres
• High inaccessible
shelving
• Unique material
• Dingy, poorly lit
space

25. Bit too cosy..

26. You couldn’t browse

27. What did we want
• Storage for 12,000
items
• 239 metres of shelving
reduced
• 5 workstations for
staff and volunteers
• Dedicated public
access point

28. Stage 1: installed
rolling stacks at Acton
store, 2005

29. Successful bid for
‘end of year’
money.
Refurbish Library
as part of Covent
Garden
redevelopment

30. Packed 350 crates to go to
Acton

31. Crates fork-lifted
into store

32. Rolling stacks go
in the library.
Room gets a lick
of paint, new
lights

33. the crates
return

34. New shelves are
installed

35. The new Library
• Accessible shelving
• Compact storage
• More study seats
• Visitors can browse
• Flexible space

36. What’s next
• Online library catalogue
• Wi-fi for visitors and
Museum staff
• Re-purpose digital
resources
• Review customer services

37. Final thoughts
“The biggest challenges with ICT have
almost nothing to do with technology.
They are really about what it means for
your museum, how it is likely to change
the way you work and how you will
ensure that you get the best out of your
investment of time money and effort.”
Nick Poole, Director of MDA

38. Adapt and thrive in the
digital age
• have a clear vision unique to you
• customer-centred approach
• Library 2.0 options, right for you
• use all your assets (IT, human, space)

39. Thank you