Digital Experiences For The Library

Virtual Spotlight & The E-book Shelf

The Client
The Danish public libraries are modern public institution with a high degree of decentralisation and self-management, governed by politically accepted aims and goals. This – combined with a long tradition of project and development management, competence development and networking – explains why it is possible to engage so many libraries in various development projects.

Approach
The Copenhagen Libraries in collaboration with Aalborg & Herning Libraries, and BCI (the world’s leading library furniture producer) commissioned CIID to conduct research into the emerging need for combining real physical books and electronic resources. The challenge was to make the invisible digital resources visible on the library premises.

Outcome
CIID conducted in-depth field research into the usage patterns and browsing behaviours within libraries. Qualitative data was used to drive several concepts. To date, two of these concepts have been prototyped:

The E-book Shelf is a system of combining real printed books with e-books available through the library. It provides filtered content that is relevant to a particular section or rack. It has a simple browsing interface and provides the link to the digital material by printing a reference slip, just like the librarian does today.

The Virtual Spotlight is a hybrid display rack to showcase themes. It combines real books with relevant digital resources to mix and match physical and virtual content to give a better overview of a subject. The system allows the librarian to curate and display digital material just like the physical material.

Both prototypes have been tested in the libraries. CIID has gathered feedback through digital records, interviews, and observation. The Virtual Spotlight is currently located in the Copenhagen Municipality Main Library.

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Industry: Danish Public Sector
Context: Libraries
Key Words: E-Resources, Book Browsing, Public Installations, Metadata