May 12, 2009

The Children's Interactive Library: User Experience Design and the Library!

The Children's Interactive Library was a collaboration between Interactive Spaces, the Department of Computer Science, University of Aarhus, the Department for Design, Aarhus School of Architecture, and others.

(Please excuse the audio - there are two narrators, each speaking a different language.)

"The Children's Interactive Library project was an untraditional interdisciplinary research and innovation project exploring the children's library of the future.


The objective was to create spaces for children in the library that offer new experiences, learning, events, sense impressions and physical activity. And at the same time acknowledging the library's unique capacity of being the place where children come in order to acquire information and knowledge."

The video shows how pervasive computing and natural interaction, and a child-centered focus were combined to create rich "user experience" at the library.

The Story Surfer:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/3005626860_bfd24c4811.jpg?v=0


http://biblioragazzi.files.wordpress.com/2006/11/cover.jpg

Inspiration: Strategies and Prototypes for the Future (pdf)
Abstract from Children's Interactive Library Project, 2004-06, with lots of pictures and diagrams depicting the design process and products.

The following video provides a good overview of how user-focused HCI strategies were used a means to develop innovative plans for cool new libraries, otherwise known as "Media Spaces
".
From what I can see, these strategies were used by the
Aarhus Public Libraries,in Denmark, during the development of the Children's Interactive Library project, highlighted in the previous video.


Thanks, Matt Gullet, for the link to the video.



FYI: The Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, in North Carolina, is pretty cool.

Pictures from ImagineOn, the main library in Charlotte, N.C. for children and teens (Spangler Library & PLCMC):

http://www.luxurycollectiondestinations.com/images/uploaded/arts/img_1230089510299_3688_4073_2281_9133_5793.jpghttp://www.flagsacrossthenation.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/imaginon.jpg
ImagineOn, the LibraryLoft for Teens, and the Spangler Children's Library

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/206604860_feccdd874a.jpg?v=0http://farm1.static.flickr.com/84/206604920_5d610b4824.jpg?v=0
Video production and editing at ImagineOn


Making games with Game Maker at the library


Lan Party at the Library

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