Thursday, June 25, 2009

Statehouse Rally Pics & Vids: Save Ohio Libaries


Image: Save Ohio Libraries Rally 1 by Bryan Loar

It was a decent turnout for such short notice. A couple of speakers were exceptional. Excerpts from their speeches are below.

"Let Our Libraries Live" Video [text of speech is now on CML's site - bl June 30, 2009]

"Open to All" Video

More images here.

For more information on how you can help, go to www.saveohiolibraries.com

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Swindon Library Promo Video

Swindon Library edited Highlights from Paul Lavers on Vimeo.

It was good up until this point..."And you don't even need a librarian!" [shoving her out of the frame].  Yeah, I get it, but I don't really like it.



Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Amazing International Children's Digital Library


Image: Fireside Picture Alphabet (1858)

"The mission of the International Children's Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community - who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas -- by making the best in children's literature available online free of charge."

ICDL offers the ability to view children's books from all over the world.  Even better, many of these books are rare and out of print.

http://en.childrenslibrary.org

Via: Patricia Havrin on LinkedIn

Monday, June 22, 2009

Act Now! Save Ohio Libraries


Image: Save Ohio Libraries

"At a news conference on Friday, June 19, the Governor proposed an additional cut in the PLF of $112.5 million in fiscal year 2010 and $114.8 million in 2011 as part of his "framework" to fill the $3.2 billion gap in the budget that must be balanced by Ohio General Assembly's Conference Committee by June 30. This will mean a more than 50% cut in funding for many of Ohio 's public libraries." - Ohio Library Council

Learn how to get involved here: http://saveohiolibraries.com

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Friday, June 19, 2009

NPR Story Features Folksonomy


Image: Folksonomy by psd

Andy Carvin's "In Iran, The Revolution Will Be Tagged" is an interesting article that touches on how folksonomies are used in Twitter.  It is an interesting article which definitely needs expanding upon.  Librarians have been talking about it for years. 

Is the general public really starting to use it?  The case of Twitter user population is too small.  Just writing aloud here, and I'm thinking that I might form a thesis for an ARLIS/NA paper (I've got to check out Sherman Clarke's & other librarian's work too).

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Gordon Matta-Clark's Office Baroque


Image: Gordon Matta-Clark's Office Baroque

Recently came across Matta-Clark's work.  Dead at 35, Matta-Clark was active in the early-to-late seventies.  His Office Baroque is especially notable.  Cutting into the floors of abandoned buildings & transforming these spaces is genius.

Here's NYT on a recent retrospective on Matta-Clark held at the Whitney.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

What is the future of the library?

Reminiscent of Leadbeater's We Think.

Really a finely crafted intro to Ailion's masters thesis. For more info, check out www.everywhereishere2009.blogspot.com

what is good design


Done in RISD's library. Nice.

WorldWatchNow// Cuts Hurt // Librarian Protest

AACR2: The Movie

AACR2 Trailer from David Ross on Vimeo.

"You don't even want to know what to do when you got curry."



The Mind's Library

LIBRARY from singsfish on Vimeo.

Our cerebrum is a library



At OSU's Fine Arts Library


Color: How to Use It (with metal calipers), image by Bryan Loar

For the past couple of months, I've been volunteering at Ohio State University's Fine Arts Library (FIN).  I've been reviewing portfolios for collection development purposes. 

During that time I've come across some amazing books.  From a 1959 issue of Form magazine to an 1836 edition of Specimens of ancient furniture drawn from existing authorities, it has been an eye-opening experience to the wealth of materials held by FIN.



Thursday, June 11, 2009

Columbus (OH) Arts Festival 2009


Jessica Stoddart, photo by Bryan Loar

I had the good fortune to go to the Columbus Arts Festival last Saturday. I was particularly surprised and delighted to see so many contemporary artists with strong illustrative sensibilities--this has rarely been the case in the past.

Jessica Stoddart's work pictured above, IMHO, wins best of show. Her unique art has such a wonderful design aesthetic, and the underlying architectural structures she builds into her works intrigues me.

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Mr. Hooper, photo by Bryan Loar

A close second is Mr. Hooper (aka Tim Hooper). Mr. Hooper is amazingly self-taught, and his current work is a mix of R. Crumb meets Mark Ryden.

Here are some other great artists

www.flickr.com/photos/bryanloar/tags/columbusartsfestival/show

Friday, June 05, 2009

Instructions for the Modern Man


Instructions for the Mod Man 1 by Bryan Loar

Just completed my first artbook.

I used the "instant book" technique described in E.K. Smith's How to Make Books.

The drawings are traced from various instruction manuals, and the cutouts are from S.L. Stoffel's The Art of Alice in Wonderland.

The underlying theme focuses on repression--the idea that modernity has somehow repressed our more animal instincts. The theme comes full circle with Sabato's quote about authors giving us the guilty pleasure of playing out these animal instincts in our minds via literature (i.e. books).