Old Spice guy library sketch by John LeMasney via lemasney.com
Old Spice guy
Andy Woodworth, a NJ Librarian and friend, suggested a part of the response to his tweet to the recently retired Old Spice Guy (OSG), a video in which OSG talked up some of the benefits of libraries, which in turn started some larger conversations and discussions about the interactions of commercial ventures and libraries and what that means. Andy details the exchange here. The video in part stated, in typical genius, freethought OSG style:
Libraries and Transliteracy cc-by lemasney #logo #Inkscape #libraries #design #typography
Libraries and Transliteracy cc-by lemasney #logo #Inkscape #libraries #design #typography
So @annavan (Scoyoc), a friend in the NJ Library Land circle, simultaneously made me aware of a logo contest for Libraries and Transliteracy and called me out (in the best possible way). She tweeted
“It’s Contest Time! Libraries and Transliteracy Needs a Logo! https://librariesandtransliteracy.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/its-contest-time-libraries-and-transliteracy-needs-a-logo/ [hmmm… wonder what @lemasney would come up with]”
I love design challenges, Libraries, and Anna, so this one was a no brainer. So the first thing I did was make sure I had a clear understanding of transliteracy and how it related to libraries, and so I did some research, starting but not ending with the ubiquitous Wikipedia entry, which gave me a good start, defining Transliteracy as:
“Transliteracy is The ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks. (PART 2007) The modern meaning of the term combines literacy with the prefix trans-, which means “across; through”, so a transliterate person is one who is literate across multiple media.” from Transliteracy – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at Sun Jul 18 2010 14:12:31 GMT-0400 (EST) on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transliteracy
A few other sources extended, reinforced and clarified the definition. Thanks for the nudge, Anna, and I hope my answer gets to the finals!
If you like this image, please share it. If you use it, please attribute me, and thanks! (cc-by lemasney)
This is a video of my introduction to the 365 Sketches project that I gave at the opening to the show at Princeton Public Library in June of 2010. In a nutshell, this project is one on which I do one daily digital drawing using free software called Inkscape. I believe the video works to explain the processes, people, and issues that were encountered, and I highly recommend giving it a watch. Thanks!
So if you’re a librarian, you may have already seen this a few times. Back in mid June, I got a message from Janie Hermann that she was looking for a sketch for an upcoming American Libraries Association conference session using Battledecks, a presentation contest in which participants are asked to present on a topic using slides they’ve not seen yet. She asked only that I use a tiara in the design, as the tiara was the top prize. It’s hilarious fun, and lets presenters really bring their best adaptive skills, wit, and self control to the stage. I was thrilled for the opportunity to help, and thanks, Janie, as usual, for asking! Peter Bromberg created a youtube playlist with all of the festivities captured at this youtube playlist link.
So, you may think you saw this design recently, but in fact this is an altered version of that design. One of my favorite librarians Marie Radford made a suggestion that made a lot of sense to me:
I’d like to see a slightly different message. How about “ask a librarian” instead of “visit your library”? Two reasons, 1) highlights the contribution of librarians, 2) opens up possibilities for virtual reference, phone, txt, facebook, etc. to get help rather than just the physical library.
It made perfect sense to me, Marie, after you brought the logic of it to light. If I had thought about it just a little bit (or a lot) more, I might have had the insight to make that jump, but my view was limited. I am thrilled and thankful that you cared enough about the message and the design to make the suggestion. It’s people like you who have helped me the most in this project to grow not only in my design, but in my worldview.
A beach shadow-sign reminds us of the dangers of sunburn: 'The sun is a skin cell killer" cc-by lemasney
A beach shadow-sign reminds us of the dangers of sunburn: ‘The sun is a skin cell killer” cc-by lemasney
A shadow based sign reminds us of the dangers of sunburn
Today’s sketch is a sign on a beach reminding beach-goers to respect the sun. I was at the New Jersey Library Association which happened to be at Long Branch, a beautiful Central Jersey beach, and the bright sun was inviting, but even after an hour’s walk on the boardwalk, I got a little color. I also just wanted to quickly thank all of the kind people who came and saw my talks today at NJLA10.
“Sunburn — the skin reddening caused by overexposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation — may seem like just a temporary irritation, but sunburns can cause long-lasting damage to the skin. Children are especially at risk: One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life. Don’t get burned: Read the articles below to learn all about The Skin Cancer Foundation’s expert advice on sunburn prevention, treatment, and relief!” – Sunburn – SkinCancer.org, http://goo.gl/kthTTv
