Digital Exhibits
Jody Combs
Associate Dean of Libraries
Case for Renovation

 Repeated surveys, focus groups, and interviews
confirm what we already new:
 Central Library was perceived as uninviting at best,
“scary” and “dungeon-like” at worst.
 Renovation desperately needed!
 Reconceive use of the space to meet current needs.
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A personal challenge

 In the past decades, technology has made it
unnecessary to visit the library—in many cases.
 Could the same creativity, skills, and energy be
harnessed to attract users back to the physical
library, even if they don’t need to come for access to
resources?
 How could this be integrated into a renovation?
An inspiring visit

 Several university administrators, the university architect, the
head of campus planning, the dean of libraries and I visited the
Newseum in Washington D.C. [August 2009]
 Among other sources of inspiration for the project, this visit
stirred our imaginations as to how technology might be
incorporated into a renovation.
 The Newseum was designed with technology in mind. We
realized it would be especially challenging to blend in with the
1941 original building, with its beautiful paneled spaces, and
the 1968 “Brutalist” addition.
 Technology was wanted but it needed to be incorporated into
the renovation in such a way as to enhance the beauty of the
building as it is restored to its former grandeur.
Needs to blend with this
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Technology Team

 The entire project was a team effort from start to
finish (and beyond)—including the creative work of
developing these exhibits.
 Dean, university and library administration, director
of special projects, architects, contractors, external
consultants, library and technology professionals, TV
News Archive staff, digital media specialists. And
more! All were critical to the project.
Goals for Digital Exhibits

 Bring out selections from our special collections to
make them visible in innovative ways.
 Pair digital exhibits with physical exhibits.
 Encourage interaction with digital content whenever
possible.
 Create opportunities for discovery.
 Attract and engage.
 Inspire!
Timeline developed

 Shortly after the August visit, a very ambitious
timeline emerged.
 We would start preparations for a significant (a.k.a.
“non-trivial”) renovation in October 2009.
 We would finish the entire project by the end of the
calendar year of 2010 (even though the full scope of
the project was still being developed!).
 We were going to need help to meet this deadlinelots of it!
Consultants

 In addition to our architects and contractors, we determined we
would need to engage external consultants:
 Anode—for digital exhibits and graphics
 Technical Innovations—for A/V and components
 (we were adding classrooms and conference rooms with A/V
needs and several of the digital exhibit concepts would require
A/V components)
 As the project evolved Anode sub-contracted parts of the
project as needed.
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Vislogix
M1Interactive
Graphics consultant
Jarvis Signs
Overview of the technology plan
as it evolved

 9 interactive touch screens
 7 for digital exhibits
 2 are permanent exhibits: TV News Archive and
Journalist Papers.
 2 for way finding aids
 Two projected exhibits
 One for author quotes
 One for an interactive “tag cloud” display
 One 5 foot by 40 foot external exhibit
Touch screen interactive
exhibits

 Exhibit some of our special collections in a way that
attracts and engages the user, while protecting the
physical materials.
 Make some of our existing digital collections more
visible.
 Encourage interaction with the materials.
 Accommodate still images, audio, and video.
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Technologies for Touch Screens

 Anode’s FireSign system: client-server architecture.
 Multiple “applications” developed for FireSign, we
use the “Gallery Player” for still images; the “Jukebox
Player” for video/audio; and “Concierge” for digital
way-finding.
 Exhibits created on the server
 Individual exhibits downloaded and played on clients.
 40 inch (vertical) and 52 inch (horizontal) NEC LCD
panels, retrofitted with infrared photo detectors and
sensors (Horizon).
Touch Screens cont.

 Ultra small form-factor CPUs attached to back,
running Windows 7, drivers, and the FireSign player
software.
 Content and player use web technologies—Flash,
html, etc.
 Note: in this first iteration multi-touch is not enabled.
On roadmap for future.
 Each player is networked to download and cache its
content—can refresh content on scheduled or
manual basis.
Projection Exhibits

 Present some of the activities of the “modern” library
in an artistic way.
 A blend of traditional and contemporary activities
and services.
 Inspire.
 Projection of hundreds of quotes from authors,
visitors are invited to pause and reflect. Suggestions
for additional quotes are solicited.

A “Light Sculpture,” a “Word Fountain”?

 The concept--from this (printed on back of Acorn
Chronicle):
 To this:
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Description of Light Sculpture

 Three projected shapes, each created from search terms
entered into our search and discovery systems.
 New terms enter the shape in one of three colors, fades
through 256 shades of white to grey, then fades out.
 Color and shading are randomized to give a sense of
depth and movement (shimmering).
 The system is equipped with an infrared camera and
emitters that senses people moving through the shape.
The words/phrases scatter accordingly.
 Sense of interacting with an object.
Much better as a video

 2011 Digital Screen Media Award
Supporting technologies

 XML files of search terms from our systems. Polled
every 22 seconds.
 Respondr video-reactive system.
 Custom coding from Vislogix.
 Server (workstation class with special video card)
 High-end dual-lamp projector (Panasonic).
 Infrared camera and emitters.
 Custom-made mounts in ceiling above vault to angle
projector toward floor.
Exterior Exhibit

 Make our special collections material visible from
outside of building.
 Attract and invite visitors to come into our new
galleries to see more.
 Start with exhibit materials and add new materials
over time.
 Make an impact. Think BIG! (5 feet tall, 40 feet wide)
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Supporting Technologies

 Two sections of external, weather-resistant LED
signage.
 FireSign player, as used above, feeding a secondary
server.
 Server for driving the lower resolution LED displays
(WatchFire software).
 “Layout editor” from the FireSign application suite.
 Specific sizes and resolutions for images displayed.
Lessons Learned

 Buy-in from all levels (administration, faculty,
students and staff) is critical.
 Build a strong team before taking on something of
this magnitude. Without our team mates (each and
every one of them) we could never have pulled this
off. (Bill Hook will speak to this next week)
 Engage subject specialists as much as possible. The
exhibits are important but so is learning new ways to
use materials already in our collection. (Celia
Walker will speak to this in more detail in a few
weeks)
Lessons learned 2

 Engage consultants but also be ready to provide vision
and direction (and sometimes changes in direction) and
your own expertise—and be ready to roll up your sleeves.
I can’t overstate how much work this required on our
part to get it “right.”
 Set high standards and high expectations. Perhaps you
can’t achieve perfection, but that’s no reason not to try
your hardest.
 At the same time, expect things to go wrong—because,
well, they will.
 Installation and implementation is only the first step.
 Plan on maintenance over the long run!
Future plans

 New sets of exhibits coming soon. We have the
infrastructure in place—now we need to build out a full
scale exhibits program to keep it fresh.
 Web versions of our digital exhibits—in process.
 E.g., see Overview Exhibit
 Travelling versions of our exhibits—smaller portable
versions to take to conferences and, possibly, place on
loan. (prototype developed)
 Perhaps partnerships to develop infrastructure for
sending exhibits “by wire” to/from other institutions.
Response (so far)

 We are planning more formal assessments.
 Currently track publicity about the library and
exhibits.
 Collect responses from visitors.
 The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Much of this is due to the stunning transformation of
the physical space itself.
 What about the technology? Has it supported the
goals of attracting and inspiring?
Response cont.

 We regular hear responses like “wow,” “OMG,” “this is
so cool,” and a new one for me “This is EPIC!”
 We see students leading their own tours with family and
friends. Faculty invite prospective colleagues to the
space. We are on the campus tour for prospective
students—for the first time.
 We receive inquiries about the exhibits from potential
donors.
 One of the images that seems to capture some of this
response is:
Libraries are places where
inspiration happens
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Additional information

 http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/15262
 http://www.wsmv.com/video/25762588/index.ht
ml
Q&A
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 Jody.Combs@vanderbilt.edu