notes from first visit

Notes from Meeting Wednesday 4^th November 2009

Attending:

Jacqueline Butler

Alan Jones

Liz Machin

Gavin Parry

David Penny

Lucy May Schofield

Sylvia Waltering

Below is an outline of thoughts and ideas on how each member of the research group will initially tackle this research project; documenting and responding to the Central Library Stacks and storage areas as the library prepares for the temporary closure and refurbishment of this resource.

Gavin and David

to produce a series of portraits of the librarians and house services staff who work in the stacks area of the library.

Gavin

Direct and produce a video piece, two-camera mapping of the rows in stacking areas.

David

Document the progression of clearing the stacks, concentrating on social/office spaces and personal effects. Also documenting the things that are left behind e.g. in desk drawers as people vacate their workstations. Perhaps working in the areas the objects are found and in neutral temporary studio space.

At a later date to photograph the library after it has closed for refurbishment.

Liz

Focussing on the personal engagement with the library by those that work there, the small details; handwritten notes, the dust, the smell, the sounds. An investigation of the detail of the informal social spaces; the “nest” areas, surveying , collecting and archiving. Also random searches around the stacks.

Sylvia

Interest in photographing larger, open spaces. (6x7 Medium Format) Concentrating initially on the reading room and fourth floor; reference library, binding area, photography archive areas. Generate work (possibly text-based) around the reference cards.

Lucy

intends to archive the stories of the librarians, cleaners, archivists. Developing anecdotal text based work. Also interested in Fax requests facility.

Alan

Working with the photography archive, initially concentrating on the glass negatives. Develop series photographs of the reference Library also areas within 4^th Floor. Concentrating on the stored, shifted, stacked furniture. Also intends to continue to document the used and discarded bulbs from the library.

Jacqueline

Working with the caged areas in the stacks. Developing a sound/musical time-based response to this, also videoing/recording the book lifts. Generate text based piece working with the catalogue process used in the reference index card drawers on the 4^th Floor. Developing maps of all the informal social spaces, the “nest” around the stacks areas.

Collaborative work

Photographically document the “nest” areas.

Document the large maps in the stacks areas.

David suggested an outcome for of the work produced by the group. They could develop a projection piece, projecting the documents of the interior of the library onto the exterior. It was agreed that having a simple and effective outcome like this would help the group focus and be useful when developing proposals for funding.

Jacqueline asked that everyone emailed her and Gavin if they come up with other potential ideas for the project. It was also agreed that these initial outlines should be seen as starting points for the developing practice.
Dates for access were agreed and Gavin will contact Libby to arrange future visits. Once dates are agreed the group will agree which areas they intend to work on for each set date.

Gavin and Jacqueline intend to meet on 5th November to discuss the outcomes of the meeting and structure the next stage of the project.