Posts filed under ‘art’
Bodleian coloring book
The Bodleian Library at Oxford University has released a digital coloring book of images from their collections! Apparently, it’s a trend — the Wangensteen Historical Library at the University of Minnesota is doing something similar, as are many libraries. Thanks, Lynne Marie Thomas and Marianne Aldrich!
book fountain in Budapest
Isn’t this wonderful? More information here. I love the comment at Gizmodo saying “They should also make a magazine version that randomly fires jets of water in all directions, like those subscription cards that constantly fall out.” Thanks, Esau Katz!
“weapon of mass instruction”
In honor of World Book Day 2015 (March 5), Argentinian artist Raul Lemesoff created an “Arma de Instruccion Masiva” (weapon of mass instruction), a tank-like vehicle full of free books. He drove it around the city of Buenos Aires, giving books to anyone who promised to read them. Thanks, Geordie Lishman!
happy Halloween from Truro!
The Truro Public Library in Truro, Massachusetts may be responsible for this excellent jack-o-lantern. Thanks, Esau Katz!
“roots libraries” diagram poem
Now and then I myself perpetrate a library shenanigan. I’ve been making a lot of diagram poems lately, using images from old library books and other things. Ohio Edit recently published my “roots” series, which includes a diagram showing my library roots. (It also includes one for my book roots.) The illustration is from: William Austin Cannon. The Root Habits of Desert Plants. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institute, 1911 (full text available from Google Books). If you’d like to make a similar diagram poem showing your own library roots, email me the image (jessyrandall@yahoo.com) and I’ll collect them in a separate post.
yarn-bombing at Tutt Library
Architects tell us that Tutt Library’s concrete columns are “good bones,” but we are often irked by how they blockade our interior spaces. This week, someone (student? staff? possibly a group effort?) decided to treat one of the columns to a rather impressive yarn bombing.
Also, hello new subscribers! A recent post brought many new subscribers to the blog. Anyone is welcome to let me know about shenanigans in libraries and bookstores: jessyrandall @ yahoo . com (without the spaces).
lockers don’t just hold books, they are books
Two 8th grade teachers at a Mississippi school spearheaded an initiative to paint lockers to look like enormous book spines. I can’t believe this actually happened! I’m not sure I believe the statement in the article about the project increasing the “cool factor” of books, but I absolutely believe that the teachers “spent hours ‘arguing and fighting and crying’ over which book titles would go on the hallway’s 189 lockers.” I’m impressed that they put series books in order, next to each other — it’s like the lockers are organized library shelves. And now, apparently, students are compiling lists of how many of the locker books they’ve read. Awesome.
Thanks, Joan Petit, for letting me know about this.
bookshelf quilt
Patsy Nayback Gaylor made this quilt. The Reader’s Nook links to some helpful patterns and techniques so you can make your own. Thanks, Esau Katz!
snogging dogs sculpture
Janine Ashbless has kindly provided a photograph of this sculpture of “snoggin dogs” at the Leeds Central Library in England. Thanks, Jonathan Caws-Elwitt!
giant schooldesk sculpture
When he was a student at Colorado College in the early 1990s, artist Giles Thompson built this large schooldesk sculpture. It stood in the CC library until 1999, when the college donated it to the Business of Art Center in Manitou Springs. At some point after that, it was painted red, perhaps to protect it from outdoor conditions.
Giant chair-desk by Giles Thompson, CC class of 1993, Tutt Library, ca. 1992. PP95-62 #68.
Library staff Jessie Brown and Rita Edgington in the giant chair, August 1993. PP95-62 #102.
“Necktie” event at Tutt Library, 1994. Schooldesk in background. PP 95-62 #110.
Sculpture in Manitou Springs, date uncertain. Photo from the Manitou Springs Arts Council.
Library Shenanigans 