First posted on February 27, 2013
On Sunday, we found the library at MONA to be an altogether different proposition. This started as and largely remains the personal collection of David Walsh. [Interestingly, the article here about David Walsh says he envisages that MONA will provide jobs for about 50 people. Talking to the front of house assistant manager as he took us to the library, he said one of his roles is to supervise the approx 85 front of house staff!]
The librarian, who has a background in Classics and antiquities, has been with David for 13 years. David’s interests started with coins and stamps, the modern art is relatively recent.
The library is housed in the Roy Grounds designed Round House – and has already run out of room! David Walsh has a large office off the library but it is bare but for some storage boxes – future library space? Apparently when he uses the library he sits at one of the desks that visitors use.
During the conversion to a library space there were difficulties with the architects. Quelle surprise!! Has there ever been a library construction/expansion/revamp that has not had problems with architects. They assume how a library and librarians work and close their ears to being told that’s not right. Libraries are usually a compromise after fights and are invariably not fit for purpose to some degree. We could write a book! Anyway ….
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| Not your usual library wall art work |
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| MONA library and study area |
This is a small collection by most library standards and has a quite special focus. It’s not a lending library but researchers and students are welcome to use the space and the collection. There’s not an unlimited budget but there’s plenty of money to spend on pretty much anything deemed worthwhile – or such was the impression I got.
The collection skipped bar-coding, going straight to RFID tagging. Similarly, the library system will go from a “clunky but it works” bespoke affair that grew out of an Excel spread sheet prior to the time of the current librarian, straight to “something significantly better” (state of the art??) once RDA is bedded in to replace AACRII Once a new management system is set up you can imagine it linking to the O device that provides information to museum visitors. Currently it is loaded with information but not all exhibits are included (or not that I could discover when looking for some times). Since all items are catalogued it would be (should be!) simple to link the O to the catalogue. “Watch this space” perhaps!
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| Reference desk and work area |
This would be a fascinating place to work, very different to most libraries in terms of relationships with the owner, curators, researchers, and in a financial situation that the vast majority of librarians can only dream about. But physically, there was no natural light … I worked briefly in a tiny library without windows – a horrible experience I’d never want to repeat. I’d go back for another look though. Although small, there was a lot to take in.