How to make a Reading How to make a Reading Room/museum more Room/museum more Community Community Friendly/InteractiveFriendly/InteractiveAn Open-Ended DiscussionAn Open-Ended Discussion

Wellcome TrustNovember 19, 2012Elaine Heumann Gurian

OUTCOME ASPIRATIONSOUTCOME ASPIRATIONS• A mission that is focused, appealing and broad

enough to welcome unexpected use. “about something”.

• A collection that is inherently interesting and physically, visually and intellectually available.

• A public space designed: to welcome a diverse audience and encourage public community.

• A “both/and” space where multiple activities can comfortably coexist even if some conflict with others.

• A nonjudgmental service-providing superstructure so that individuals can pursue their personal interests.

• An introduction in some form that allows visitors to explicitly or intuitively understand ways to use the collections and the space.

• Unexpected program initiatives that are tailored to diverse segments of the pubic offered during practical hours

OPTIONS NOT CONCLUSIONSOPTIONS NOT CONCLUSIONS

To create a space that morphs from “nice to have”, even “important to have” to “essential” takes many small steps. There are no magic bullets.

In an egalitarian society it is unfashionable to suggest that It also takes the unified vision and perserverience of the leadership – but it does.

It must have a staff that delights in audience satisfaction and sustaining serendipity whenever activities happen consistent with the mission.

An therefore, it is essential to create a company culture that focuses on service to others and public value by supporting consideration of ideas and value of staff.

“The curator will not select the objects for view, nor determine appropriate topics.

Instead almost all information and objects will be made available and the user will mentally combine them as he or she sees fit.

The museum will become a visual non-judgmental repository in which many intellectual directions are possible.

No topic will be off limits and no idea will be rejected by the staff as unworthy.

The museum will grow with the input of its users.”

From “The Essential Museum”.

CREATING A CREATING A “THIRD “THIRD SPACE”*SPACE”*

*Oldenburg, Ray (1989). The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Community Centers, Beauty Parlors, General Stores, Bars, Hangouts, and How They Get You Through the Day. New York: Paragon House. ISBN 978-1-55778-110-9.

GATHERING SPACES: GATHERING SPACES: Bibliography*Bibliography*Some of the seminal literature. http://www.pps.org/reference/roldenburg/#publication

sA selection of writings and resources from Ray

Oldenburg, author of “The Great Good Place”. Oldenburg, Ray (1989). The Great Good Place: Cafes,

Coffee Shops, Community Centers, Beauty Parlors, General Stores, Bars, Hangouts, and How They Get You Through the Day. New York: Paragon House. ISBN 978-1-55778-110-9.

William Whyte, “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” 1980

Jacobs, Jane, The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) New York: Random House. ISBN 0-679-60047-7

In evaluating thousands of public spaces around the world, PPS has found that successful ones have four key qualities: they are accessible; people are engaged in activities there; the space is comfortable and has a good image; and finally, it is a sociable place: one where people meet each other and take people when they come to visit. PPS developed The Place Diagram as a tool to help people in judging any place, good or bad: http://www.pps.org/reference/grplacefeat/

THE ENTERING SEQUENCE: THE ENTERING SEQUENCE: considerations – considerations – What is presented outdoors that signals

that it is safe to enter?What does the casual passerby

understand? What is the message of marketing? What do I need to navigate through the

front door? Can I see in before I enter?How am I greeted? What are the hours?Is it free?

Examples of entering and Examples of entering and welcomewelcomeVF&A subway entrance:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52890443@N02/4888465766/

Buskers at the Centre Pompidou: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1a3644/

BUILDING BUILDING COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

BUILDING COMMUNITYBUILDING COMMUNITYMultiple reasons for coming to the same

spaceRepeatable social activities (food,

seating, etc.)Open predictable but convenient hoursWelcoming entrance sequenceAmenities – seating, toilets, group

gathering, Ability to decode without askingPlacement of help personal so that the

client has to seek them out. Available for outside groups to use while

retaining identity.Cultivation of “social pioneers”.

MULTIPLE PROGRAMS: MULTIPLE PROGRAMS: EXAMPLES.EXAMPLES.The collections – the intended use.Program and performances: targeted

useAncillary amenities – food, shop, wifi,

newspapers, lounges, group gathering, Additional related and unrelated

services: day care, practice rooms, study spaces, etc.

Traditions and special events:The landmark – Disney’s “Weenie”.

FOOD AND DRINK: THE FOOD AND DRINK: THE SOCIAL SETTINGSOCIAL SETTINGhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/

katiehumphry/5873093308/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Starbookshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/

20427107@N02/2086265647/in/photostream/

University libraryhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/

55967275@N05/5185447549/

SERENDIPITOUS USE SERENDIPITOUS USE What activities are created by

participants as an overlay to the intended purposes.

Does the staff acknowledge, condone, facilitate, allow these activities?

Who are the regulars and how do they regulate the spirit of the place?

The “meet-up”. http://www.meetup.com/

THE AUDIENCETHE AUDIENCE

FROM THE ESSENTIAL FROM THE ESSENTIAL MUSEUM*MUSEUM*

“The essential museum would begin with four assumptions:

1) all people have questions, curiosity, and insights about a variety of matters large and small;

2) Satisfaction of internalized questions is linked to more than fact acquisition and can include aesthetic pleasure, social interaction, and personal validation (recognition and memory);

3) a museum [public space with content] could be a useful place to explore these; and

4) Visitors can turn their interest into satisfied discovery if the appropriate tools are present and easy to use.

* Gurian, Elaine Heumann, “The Essential Museum”, The Informal Learning Review, #89, March-April 2008, pp. 1-7

MULTIPLE MOTIVATIONS FOR MULTIPLE MOTIVATIONS FOR COMINGCOMING• Intentional -- to use the space for the

personal quest• The group study• Getting out of the cold• Wandering about – the browsing tourist• Getting something else – the bookstore,

wifi, ETC. , with only ancillary use of the material in the reading room

• Copying and taking away for later use somewhere else

• Social functions (using the space for outside purposes)

• Meeting friends • The family adventure

THE QUESTTHE QUESTThe person with a purpose (scholar,

enthusiast, student – any age)The intrigued browser -- digging

deeperThe regularThe short stayer – needs

somewhere to startThe social group adventure –

learning together

EXAMPLESEXAMPLESThe Native American Tribal

desire to see their own stuff.The college classroom instructors

desire to restructure the collections for their own lecture.

The person researching a specific subject needing to access to multi-platform multi-sensory material.

EXAMPLE -- THE FAMILY EXAMPLE -- THE FAMILY A social group with disparate interestsA social group interested in teaching

each other and learning together some of the time.

Talking and making noiceMultiple learning styles and

developmental needsMultiple activities and equipment.Kelvingrove: Interactivity in the

middle, adult interest on the walls.

EXAMPLE – THE SCHOLAREXAMPLE – THE SCHOLAR

Needs:QuietWork surfaceLack of distractionsAccess to deep level of

informationNote taking and copyingAccess to self- selected material

THE MODALITIES THE MODALITIES

LAYERING: Many options LAYERING: Many options with the same material with the same material (organizing)(organizing)Light FramingMore AboutOrientationAncillary materialInteractivityMultisensory platforms and delivery

systemsPackaging for having the actual material

available for inspectionRestructuring on demand.

STUDY STORAGE: STUDY STORAGE: EXAMPLESEXAMPLEShttp://www.nasher.duke.edu/

duke_students-study-storage.php

https://www.davismuseum.wellesley.edu/whats-on/permanent-collection-galleries/study-gallery

ACCESS TO COLLECTIONS: ACCESS TO COLLECTIONS: EXAMPLESEXAMPLEShttp://aestheticsofjoy.com/

2009/10/visible-storage/http://

www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/luce/

http://www.moa.ubc.ca/Exhibitions/Online/Student/302/SA_Visible_Storage.html

TOOLS FOR INTERROGATIONTOOLS FOR INTERROGATION

Page turnerSimple CadFacsimilesAccess to the real thingCopying material and free accessCloud and other personalizing

technology for leaving behind.

SHARING SHARING AUTHORITYAUTHORITY

MODES FOR PARTICIPATION

SHARING AUTHORITYSHARING AUTHORITYThe role of the user as

contributorAccess to oppositional thoughtThe leave behind (clouds, blogs,

twitters, etc.)The participatory format: i.e. talk

back, story core, video studio, recombination (the swatch book)

PARTICIPATION FOR A PARTICIPATION FOR A PURPOSEPURPOSEMy personal criteria: Do not create participation or

interaction for its own sake. To get me (as a user) to participate:

◦ the outcome has to seem either useful, the modality fun or both.

◦The request must respect my experience and authority.

◦I want to know that my product will be useful for others. And the aggregate more useful than any individual addition.

THE ROLE OF THE STAFFTHE ROLE OF THE STAFFThe staff must:Like and respect the userBe interested in shared authorityPassionate about the learner as much as the

subject matterRetrained to be comfortable about possible

modalities, learning, technologyBe basically a curious learner themselves.

There should not be a hierarchy or even seperation between the knowledge creators, knowledge providers and technology creative deliverers of service.