Finding the Right Metaphor: Restructuring, Realigning, and Repackaging Today’s Research Libraries March 2010 Dr. Joan Giesecke Dean of Libraries University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Metaphors Phrases that connect unlike items Phrases where one thing is used to designate another

Nimble Dinosaurs

Hail is always the size of something else

Estimating Hail Size Pea = 1/4 inch diameter Marble/mothball = 1/2 inch diameter Dime/Penny = 3/4 inch diameter - hail penny size or larger is considered severe Nickel = 7/8 inch Quarter = 1 inch Ping-Pong Ball = 1 1/2 inch Golf Ball = 1 3/4 inches Tennis Ball = 2 1/2 inches Baseball = 2 3/4 inches Tea cup = 3 inches Grapefruit = 4 inches Softball = 4 1/2 inches

Information Highway

19 th Century Metaphors Warehouses for Books Antiquarian Museums Dusty places

19 th Century Metaphors People’s University Laboratory for the Humanities Parish Churches of Literature and Education

Early 20 th Century Metaphors Business organizations Public Utilities Department Store Values

Late 20 th Century Metaphors Warehouse for Books Electronic Access metaphors Librarians as Activists Library as Partner Library as Place

Metaphors to Describe Librarians Librarian as Teacher Librarian as Business Leader Librarian as Information Engineer Librarian as Information Navigators Librarian as the New Search Engine

More Librarian Metaphors Feral Professionals Hybrid Librarians Blended Librarians Embedded Librarians Gate Keeper, Gate Way, Gate Openers

Library as Body Part Heart of the University Circulation System Foot upon which the institution rests

More Library Metaphors Library as Conversation

More Library Metaphors Library as Grocery Store Library as Kitchen Library as Book store Library as Laboratory for the Humanities

Academic Living Room

More Library Metaphors Digital Library 2.0 Everything E- everything

More Library Metaphors Library as Ecosystem –Mutualism and co-evolution –Rainforest of the Sea

Metaphors at UNL Libraries Librarian as Scholar-Practitioner Digital Media Metaphors Library as Partner

Metaphors at UNL Discovery Tool –Central Intelligence –Google meets Amazon.com

Metaphors at UNL A group of scholar practitioners who manage the academic living room, are a publishing partner, and who bring a Google and Amazon.com experience to the search and discovery of scholarly resources to our students and faculty.

Conclusions No perfect metaphor Ecosystem resonates with staff Partner resonates with campus

Additional Metaphors After the talk, additional metaphors were suggested by attendees: Library as Service Black belt Librarians Knowledge Jedis