Finding the Right Metaphor: Restructuring, Realigning, and Repackaging Today’s Research

Libraries

March 2010

Dr. Joan GieseckeDean of Libraries

University of Nebraska-LincolnLibraries

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 SizePea  = 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

19th Century Metaphors

• Warehouses for Books• Antiquarian Museums• Dusty places

19th Century Metaphors

• People’s University• Laboratory for the Humanities• Parish Churches of Literature and

Education

Early 20th Century Metaphors

• Business organizations• Public Utilities• Department Store Values

Late 20th 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