Monday, July 28, 2008

Library as Place - Pictures!

Jan wanted to present some pictures to help get staff at the Jones Street Library Services Section of the State Library of North Carolina to think about what kind of "look" we want our library to have. Again, we are looking for something that says "classic" and "timeless," that also merges "old" with "new."

Please post comments on photos that have elements you like or dislike or that relay ideas or touches that those ideas of "classic" and "timeless" for which we are striving. The pictures are uploaded to an album at:

http://public.fotki.com/statelibrarync/library-as-place--p/

You do not have to log in to comment on the pictures. Simply click on the thumbnail of the picture. When you are taken to another page, with a slightly larger view of the image, click "Add your comment." On the next screen, you may comment as a "Guest." Just enter your name and post your comment!

You are encouraged to add more pictures of library reading rooms/reference areas to the album! Simply attach the picture to an email and send it to the following email address: statelibrarync+zrkdy@fotki.com

If you have any questions on how to do this, simply ask Michelle Cz. at 7-7459!

Friday, July 25, 2008

New Name

Thanks, Michelle. I hope everyone will take some time to think about a new name. We put suggestions here but certainly welcome others and your comments on the name you think will work best for us.

What's in a [new] name?

Here is some food for thought in preparation for our two day staff meeting on August 21 and 22. By the end of the meeting, the State Library of North Carolina's Library Services Section on Jones Street will have a new name! (We will accomplish many other things during that time, too.)

The goal is to have a name that:

  • is a professional "brand" (long lasting, classic, useful to users)
  • tells people who we are and what we provide clearly
  • is easy to say and remember (not too long, not too short)
  • is distinquishable from NCSU Libraries, UNC's Carolina Collection, and Wake County Public Libraries, since people sometimes confuse us with these entities
  • is meaningful and succinct, but not pretentious (We are a library. This is not a bad thing.)
Facts about who we are and intend to be:
  • a Research Library for information about NC - people, government, culture, history, economy, geography, etc.
  • Resource & Research library for DCR
  • Research library for genealogical research
  • Reference library for state government agencies
  • Print, microfilm, & digital collections
  • Reference, periodicals, microfilm, maps, state & federal documents, monographs, online resources
  • Expert reference/research librarians - specialties in NC, government, demographic & genealogy resources/information
  • a physical and virtual resource
Here are some possible new names for the State Library of North Carolina's Library Services Section on Jones Street:

North Carolina Research (Library or Center)
North Carolina Research & Genealogy (Library or Center)
North Carolina History Research (Library or Center)
North Carolina History & Genealogy Research (Library or Center)
North Carolina Government & History Research (Library or Center)
North Carolina Government & History (Library or Center)
State History & Genealogy (Library or Center) of North Carolina

Please try out a few of the names listed above and post a comment mentioning what appeals most to you and why. If you have an idea for another name you'd prefer, please post it in a comment and with a few sentences "sell" it to your coworkers.

To post a comment, click on "comments" below. Select either "Name/URL" and enter your name (you can leave the slot for "Web site" blank) or "Anonymous." If you select Anonymous, remember to enter your name, however, so we know who to credit brownie points to! Please call Michelle Cz. at 7-7459 if you need any help posting a comment.