Serendipity in the Stacks: Libraries, Information Architecture, and the Problems of Accidental Discovery

Carr, Patrick L.

doi:10.5860/crl.76.6.831

Cited by 21 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Information encountering in libraries has been widely discussed [36,37], and occasionally observed [7,33]. However, no studies have focused on observing encountering in bookshops.…”

Section: Bookshops As Information Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discovering the Unfindable: The Tension Between Findability and Discoverability in a Bookshop Designed for Serendipity

Makri

Chen

McKay

et al. 2019

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

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Serendipity is a key aspect of user experience, particularly in the context of information acquisition-where it is known as information encountering. Unexpectedly encountering interesting or useful information can spark new insights while surprising and delighting. However, digital environments have been designed primarily for goal-directed seeking over loosely-directed exploration, searching over discovering. In this paper we examine a novel physical environment-a bookshop designed primarily for serendipity-for cues as to how information encountering might be helped or hindered by digital design. Naturalistic observations and interviews revealed it was almost impossible for participants to find specific books or topics other than by accident. But all unexpectedly encountered interesting books, highlighting a tension between findability and discoverability. While some of the bookshop's design features enabled information encountering, others inhibited it. However, encountering was resilient, as it occurred despite participants finding it hard to understand the purpose of even those features that did enable it. Findings suggest the need to consider how transparent or opaque the purpose of design features should be and to balance structure and lack of it when designing digital environments for findability and discoverability.

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“…Information encountering in libraries has been widely discussed [36,37], and occasionally observed [7,33]. However, no studies have focused on observing encountering in bookshops.…”

Section: Bookshops As Information Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discovering the Unfindable: The Tension Between Findability and Discoverability in a Bookshop Designed for Serendipity

Makri

Chen

McKay

et al. 2019

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The approach for carrying out design-driven field research in the maritime domain is based on design ethnography research (Crabtree et al, 2012) and research conducted by the Ocean Industries Concept Lab at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. This lab developed methods and models such as design-driven field research (Lurås & Nordby, 2014, 2015, which features the focus areas design reflection, data mapping and experiencing life at sea, specifically for the purposes of design and design research (Gernez & Norby, in press;Lurås & Nordby, 2014).…”

Section: Case: Ar Design For Ship Bridgesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Serendipity refers to approaches and activities that allow one to discover findings that are unexpected, fortunate and valuable (Carr, 2015;Halvorsen, 2016;Lunenfelt, 2003). But how can designers facilitate serendipity in the field?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serendipity in the Field. Facilitating serendipity in design-driven field studies on ship bridges

2019

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Field research requires openness to unforeseen insights and opportunities, especially when designing for complex and dynamic workplaces, such as a ship bridge. In this paper, we investigate how serendipitous outcomes may be facilitated in design-driven field research. We present a case study of two field research trips onboard Arctic-going vessels, during which we investigated the premises of designing augmented reality (AR) systems for navigators. We describe how an explorative and opportunistic mixed-methods approach facilitated serendipity and analyse which specific aspects led to serendipitous outcomes in three examples. Last, we discuss how practical support for designers and design researchers conducting design-driven field research can be developed and suggest how strategies to employ approaches that facilitate serendipity can increase the likelihood and awareness of serendipitous outcomes.

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“…Serendipity in the stacks and its importance have also been critiqued by a number of information professionals, and these criticisms are considerations we have for our exhibitions. One such critique is that the intention of patrons is not aligned with their outcome, even if such an event is viewed in a positive light (Carr, 2015). In the case of exhibits, most patrons have found what they were seeking in the library already, which would typically include computers, places to sit, or specific spaces.…”

Section: Serendipitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Course-based exhibitions: Serendipity in the physical and digital spaces of academic libraries

Fralin

Rogers

2019

Alexandria: The Journal of National and International Library a

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Library exhibition practices vary significantly between institutions, depending on expertise, resources and goals of the individual library. The University Libraries at Virginia Tech have supported and developed two exhibition programmes within the past 6 years, both with a focus on showcasing products and processes from classes around campus rather than library materials and artefacts. While such work is unique, it can provide valuable experiences both for the contributors and for the creators of these exhibitions, as well as those who see and interact with them. In this article, we discuss the history and origins of these programmes, the Course Exhibit Initiative and the Active Learning Curation Program, how they work and the outcomes they strive to achieve. We discuss the workflows that we take to showcase the work of our contributors and demonstrate how these programmes share some outcomes with exhibit programmes based in special collections but have their own unique challenges and opportunities. Finally, we make the case that the output of these two exhibit programmes provides a new experience of serendipity in libraries.

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Serendipity in the Stacks: Libraries, Information Architecture, and the Problems of Accidental Discovery

Cited by 21 publications

References 24 publications

Discovering the Unfindable: The Tension Between Findability and Discoverability in a Bookshop Designed for Serendipity

Discovering the Unfindable: The Tension Between Findability and Discoverability in a Bookshop Designed for Serendipity

Serendipity in the Field. Facilitating serendipity in design-driven field studies on ship bridges

Course-based exhibitions: Serendipity in the physical and digital spaces of academic libraries

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