Friday, April 9, 2010

Library Pocket Survival Guide


While searching for images on Creative Commons, I chanced upon a set of pictures titled "Shopdropping Pocket Survival Guides by Packard Jennings - Southern Exposure Passive/Aggressive Public Art Day"
Participants are invited to meet at SoEx for a 20-minute workshop to fold instructional pamphlets on how to devise an emergency raft out of recycled product packaging in case of a catastrophic flood- a consequence of consumer waste and mass production that contributes to pollution, and global warming.
Once the Pocket Survival Guides are folded, participants will enter various stores and install them on consumer products to replicate “instant savings coupons.” Future customers will be happy to find their household purchases subverted by public art!


Because of our nation's current fiscal situation, library funding is being slashed in many cities and states. Shonda Brisco has created a map which dramatically illustrates the crisis in school libraries; I'm sure that public and academic librarians could share similar information about their struggles to maintain services.

I loved the idea of colorful little booklets, and decided to modify it, creating a Library Pocket Survival Guide to highlight four ideas I considered key concepts for library professionals.



I'm not advocating attaching this guide to anything, but it might be useful as a conversation starter. You are welcome to use my version, in strip or slideshow format, or "steal" the idea and create your own Library Pocket Guide.



If you do use this idea, please share a link to your efforts.




"The library is not a shrine for the worship of books. It is not a temple where literary incense must be burned or where one's devotion to the bound book is expressed in ritual. A library, to modify the famous metaphor of Socrates, should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas - a place where history comes to life." -Norman Cousins


"A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life." -Henry Ward Beecher




"Library Pocket Survival Guide (cover)" by dianecordell
"Making Pocket Survival Guides" by Steve Rhodes
"Library Pocket Survival Guide" by dianecordell

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