artsy.librarian

My favourite thing about the Nanyang Technological University Library is that each of its seven subject libraries maintains its very own blog to engage a specialized patron community. These “Subject Library Blogs” are easily accessed from the front page of the library’s main website, and are linked from the “Libraries & Collections” section of the navigational frame. By displaying the links so prominently, the library demonstrates its commitment not only to keeping the blogs regularly updated, but more importantly to using blogging features to engage in dialogue with patrons. Here’s a friendly statement of intent taken from the Subject Library Blog page:

“To offer a richer and more interactive library experience, we have launched several library blogs. Read our blogs to discover the latest activities and services offered by NTU Libraries. Our posts also include new book/video listings, book reviews, database updates, local exhibitions and many other topics. As we engage the joy of reading a new book or experience the power of information in library databases, do give us your feedback and share your views online.”

Though I’ll be looking more closely at the Art, Design & Media Library blog in particular, the University’s other library blogs belong to the Asian Communication Resource Centre, the Business Library, the Chinese Library, the Engineering Library, the Humanities & Social Sciences Library, and the Science Library.

Ok, so here’s a glimpse of the Art, Design & Media Library blog itself (bonus points for the lovely rotating banner images and associated call numbers):

The layout of the blog is clean, uncluttered and easy to navigate; it is basically a “mini” website laid out in the structure of a blog. Within this basic structure, users can link to information specific to the subject library (About Us, Collections & Resources, Location and Services) as well as that shared with the broader library network (Contact Us, FAQ). Home, however, is where the most interesting blogging action happens.

A glance at the tags used to categorize the blog entries shows that Art Events, Art News, and New Resources are the most frequent types of postings that appear on the blog. What I really like about these entries are the excellent use of images. Other strengths of the blog are the consistency of updates (with as many as 20 posting in April 2008!), as well as the blending of information about arts-related happenings both in the broader community and in the library itself.

Sadly, there have only been 3 comments to the blog’s 154 posts to date. To encourage more feedback from visitors, it might be help to incorporate the occasional discussion-oriented posts amongst the more straightforward events, news and resource-based postings.

Overall, If I was a student at Nanyang Technological University and patron of the Arts library, I would certainly keep my eye on this blog (made all the more convenient with its handy RSS feed)! My main criticism is that while the blog is easy to locate from the main library website, the link could be made clearer on the blog itself. The statement of responsibility on the bottom of the page could include an active link to either the University or NTU Library homepage, for example. It would also be nice to have a little write-up in the About Us section describing the unique purpose or scope of the Art, Design & Media Library to complement the existing directory of staff members. This added touch of personalization could be a way of highlighting the subject library’s place within the broader network of NTU libraries.