Page 121 - DLIS408_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY-APPLICATIONSL SCIENCES

Information Technology and Application

Notes FINFO is developed with financial support from the Development Pool for Public and School
libraries and the web site can be located at: www.finfo.dk.

The Generator—An Experimental Library in the Starting Block

In Sweden the town of Vasteras is planning to initiate a activity library. Besides offering the user the
possibility of seeking information, it also intends to create experiences, arouse curiosity and inspire
the users to instigate their own personal creative efforts. It is meant to be an experimental library
where new work methods, for both visitors and staff, will be on offer.

Experimental Library
An established forum is needed within CuLTUREN, (Culturen is an exciting and, in many respects,
a pioneering building for cultural activities and has in a short time made notable inroads into the
cultural life of Vasteras) whose terms should be dictated by the visitor and developing an individual
profile. The intention is to create an experimental library, known as The Generator. The experiment
will be administered as a library branch of Vasteras Public Town Library. Its content will be
contemporary, appealing to a younger audience and the library should be easily accessible from
CuLTUREN’s main entrance.

The aim is not to build a library in the traditional sense adhering to the accepted use of media,
equipment and staff, but rather to encourage a fresh approach and complement to other library
activities. It will not be a lending library where books are borrowed and returned. Instead, it
should be seen as a multimedia library allowing the visitor to try his hand at new approaches
involving work processes as well as other forms of media. The contemplated content of The
Generator might be to offer the visitors access to computers, periodicals, newspapers, poetry,
comics and certain books. The library should also be an open forum for all kinds of debates,
instigating discussion evenings, activities and workshops in cooperation with Kopparlund senior
high school and youth organisations active within CuLTUREN.

Method of Development and Recruitment

The intention of The Generator is to create a stimulating and thought-provoking environment to
develop library activity methods targeting young people and young adults. The Generator is not
only the concern of the town of Vasteras, but also a collaborative effort for further education in
conjunction with the County Library of Vastmanland as co-ordinator. The experimental library,
The Generator, intends to strategically develop recruitment issues. By means of contacts with the
Department for Library and Information Science in Uppsala, a number of trainee postings will be
made available to deal with the alternation of generations. The matter of recruitment, and the
readiness to incorporate new incentives from the educational/research community, is important
to the development of regional library activity.

The Seamless Library
As part of the ABM-development, the Norwegian Directorate for Public Libraries and the National
Office for Research Documentation, Academic and Special Libraries co-operate on a pre-project in
Oppl and that started this summer. In accordance with the idea of the seamless library, the aim of the
project is to improve the availability of information resources for the inhabitants in the region, as
well as examine its necessity. It will be done through the establishment of a regional library network,
working independently of existing sectors and institutions.

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