Engaging with books you cannot touch: interactive multimedia to expose library treasures

REILLY, S. and PETRELLI, D. (2007). Engaging with books you cannot touch: interactive multimedia to expose library treasures. CoDesign, 3 (1), 199-210.

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Abstract

Interactivity has proved a successful way to engage visitors of science museums. However, it is not a common practice when the objects to exhibit are artefacts or, as in the case of this paper, books. A study was set up to investigate the driving criteria for the 'The Life and Work of William Butler Yeats' exhibition at the National Library of Ireland and compare those with the visitors' opinions. Books, notebooks and personal belongings of the poet have been digitized and used to create a rich and varied exhibition that used both interactivity and multimedia. The result of a visitors' survey showed that the variety was a key factor for the success of the exhibition: different people engaged with different contents and different medium to different degrees. The design of the ambience is critical: dim lights and the use of audio as a medium have to be carefully planned to avoid annoying instead of engaging.

Item Type:	Article
Research Institute, Centre or Group - Does NOT include content added after October 2018:	Cultural Communication and Computing Research Institute > Art and Design Research Centre
Identification Number:	1080/15710880701324521
Page Range:	199-210
Depositing User:	Daniela Petrelli
Date Deposited:	06 Jan 2011 09:41
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2021 02:20
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/2928

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