Attended a few events this week where audience participation was the key to success. Only to be expected at Edinburgh Fringe preview shows (more on that later) but the newest repository 'unconference' on 31 July and 1 Aug was designed to encourage this too.
The Repository Fringe was a timely and inspiring event. We kicked off with a declaration from Dorothea Salo that the IR is dead, provoking two days of lively debate on how it can be revived! It was refreshing to hear tales of mistakes, missed opportunities - misjudging the needs of researchers, as Salo noted - and this openness enabled us to question how we might 'clothe and bring up' the reborn child repository. The metaphors were plentiful but there were real nuggets of knowledge that suggest there is genuine value in developing repository services - provided we listen to our 'audience'. So as I reflect on the event and look forward to the joys of fostering our yet-to-be-born Abertay repository I hope to keep in mind some useful lessons - maybe our new child won't even have 'repository' in its name??
... and as for audience participation in comedy/magic shows, that'll teach me to sit in the front row! (If anyone sees Pete Firman: Flim Flam, I had to shuffle the maggots!!)
Sunday, 3 August 2008
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