Fostering and supporting Fostering and supporting creativity through digital creativity through digital librarieslibraries

Shalini UrsShalini UrsProfessor and ChairpersonProfessor and ChairpersonDepartment of library and Department of library and Information scienceInformation scienceDirector: Vidyanidhi Digital Director: Vidyanidhi Digital LibraryLibraryUniversity of Mysore, IndiaUniversity of Mysore, India

Outline Outline Context : Convergence and Context : Convergence and integrationintegrationInformation cycleInformation cycleDigital libraries: role in the Digital libraries: role in the information cycleinformation cycleCreativityCreativityDigital libraries role in Digital libraries role in supporting creativity : cases supporting creativity : cases and examplesand examples

Digital revolutionDigital revolution

Key word-ConvergenceKey word-Convergence

Convergence of activities and Convergence of activities and processesprocesses

Roles are converging- what is Roles are converging- what is the role of Libraries?the role of Libraries?

Technologies are convergingTechnologies are converging

Result: confusion and creativityResult: confusion and creativity

Digital libraries for Digital libraries for creativitycreativity

Two facetsTwo facetsDigital Libraries supporting Digital Libraries supporting creativity creativity

Creativity in developing Creativity in developing Digital librariesDigital libraries

Information cycleInformation cycle

Creating informationCreating information

Fixing the information in a Fixing the information in a mediummedium

Storing the informationStoring the information

Distributing informationDistributing information

Archiving informationArchiving information

Accessing informationAccessing information

Using informationUsing information

Information cycleInformation cycle

The cyclic nature of information The cyclic nature of information has not been explicitly studied has not been explicitly studied and exploitedand exploited

Link between creating Link between creating information and using information and using information is not taken into information is not taken into consideration in our discussions consideration in our discussions of knowledge creation and useof knowledge creation and use

Digital librariesDigital librariesDigital libraries : what are they?Digital libraries : what are they?Digital libraries are a focused Digital libraries are a focused collection of digital objects, collection of digital objects, including text, video, and audio, including text, video, and audio, along with methods for access and along with methods for access and retrieval, and for selection, retrieval, and for selection, organisation, and maintenance of organisation, and maintenance of the collectionthe collectionOperative words : Operative words :

Focused collectionFocused collectionDigital objects: text, video, audio Digital objects: text, video, audio etcetcMethods for-Methods for-

Access and retrievalAccess and retrievalSelection, organisation and Selection, organisation and Maintenance of collectionMaintenance of collection

Role of digital librariesRole of digital libraries

Enhancing access : breadth and Enhancing access : breadth and depthdepth

Enlarging audience : breadth Enlarging audience : breadth and depthand depth

Improving retrieval : locating Improving retrieval : locating hidden treasurehidden treasure

Preservation and archivingPreservation and archiving

Has always been recognised Has always been recognised and efforts are made to develop and efforts are made to develop and design digital libraries for and design digital libraries for the above functionsthe above functions

Digital libraries as dynamic Digital libraries as dynamic landscapes forlandscapes for

CreatingCreating

AccessingAccessing

StoringStoring

RetrievingRetrieving

DistributingDistributing

ArchivingArchiving

Knowledge Knowledge

Role of Digital libraries Role of Digital libraries

In fostering and supporting In fostering and supporting creativity is not recognised and creativity is not recognised and understoodunderstood

Digital libraries play a Digital libraries play a significant role in the creation significant role in the creation of knowledgeof knowledge

CreativityCreativity

Creativity is ability to create Creativity is ability to create ideas and artifacts-knowledge, ideas and artifacts-knowledge, information and other artifactsinformation and other artifacts

Creativity also ‘called in’ to Creativity also ‘called in’ to solve wicked problemssolve wicked problems

Creativity : Perspectives Creativity : Perspectives and frameworksand frameworks

Three frameworks for creativityThree frameworks for creativity

Inspiration : the Eureka kindInspiration : the Eureka kind

Structural : based on Structural : based on exhaustive exploratory exhaustive exploratory approachapproach

Situational : based on social Situational : based on social and intellectual contextand intellectual context

Inspirational creativity- Inspirational creativity- revolutionary kind- intuitive revolutionary kind- intuitive varietyvariety

Breakthrough Breakthrough discoveries :Illuminatory discoveries :Illuminatory moments moments

Archimedes’ EurekaArchimedes’ Eureka

Kekule's Benzene ring discoveryKekule's Benzene ring discovery

Newton’s gravitational theoryNewton’s gravitational theory

Points to ponderPoints to ponder

Luck favors the prepared Luck favors the prepared mindmind

Key is the prepared mindKey is the prepared mind

99% perspiration and 1% 99% perspiration and 1% inspirationinspiration

Though it might happen at Though it might happen at one moment, behind that one moment, behind that breakthrough is the hard breakthrough is the hard work and the persistent and work and the persistent and focused attention to find focused attention to find solution solution

Breakthrough discoveriesBreakthrough discoveries

The critical factor is the sudden The critical factor is the sudden association between seemingly association between seemingly unrelated issues or factorsunrelated issues or factors

Creativity is also defined as Creativity is also defined as ‘seeing relations’ or ‘seeing relations’ or associations where none is associations where none is apparent apparent

Such association of seemingly Such association of seemingly unrelated factors for solving unrelated factors for solving problems has led to some great problems has led to some great discoveriesdiscoveries

The key is ‘seeing’ relations The key is ‘seeing’ relations between unrelated thingsbetween unrelated things

How do Digital libraries How do Digital libraries support the inspirational support the inspirational creativity?creativity?Free association Free association

Today digital library Today digital library technologies support free technologies support free associationassociationExample : traditional Example : traditional classification vs Free classification vs Free associationassociationSearch engines support free Search engines support free association : example many association : example many advanced features support advanced features support exploratory approachexploratory approachDiverse categorizing techniques Diverse categorizing techniques offered by some search tools offered by some search tools such as Vivisimo categorisersuch as Vivisimo categoriser

Hypertext linkingHypertext linking

The very word hypertext and The very word hypertext and hyper media refers to non hyper media refers to non linear presentation of linear presentation of informationinformation

Early hypertext systems such as Early hypertext systems such as Engelbrat’s Augment was the Engelbrat’s Augment was the first to recognise the potential first to recognise the potential of technology for augmenting of technology for augmenting human intellecthuman intellect

Human mind does not think in a Human mind does not think in a sequential manner but works in sequential manner but works in a ‘Hyper’ modea ‘Hyper’ mode

Some Examples:Some Examples:

Search for ‘communal problems Search for ‘communal problems in India’in India’

Throws up Kashmir issuesThrows up Kashmir issues

Click on Kashmir – leads to Click on Kashmir – leads to Kashmir CarpetsKashmir Carpets

Click on Carpets leads to Click on Carpets leads to Persian carpetsPersian carpets

Write up on carpets leads to an Write up on carpets leads to an anecdote about Cleopatra anecdote about Cleopatra wrapped in a carpet seducing wrapped in a carpet seducing CaesarCaesar

Some more examplesSome more examples

Search Nose jobs led to Search Nose jobs led to cosmetic surgerycosmetic surgery

Surgery leads to caesarean Surgery leads to caesarean sectionsection

That leads to Caesar- the first That leads to Caesar- the first one to be borne by C sectionone to be borne by C section

Creativity is fostered by:Creativity is fostered by:

Searching and browsing digital Searching and browsing digital librarieslibraries

Thinking by free associationsThinking by free associations

Consulting with peers and Consulting with peers and interactivityinteractivity

Visualizing data and processesVisualizing data and processes

Exploring possibilitiesExploring possibilities

Intuition supported by instant Intuition supported by instant access to knowledge and access to knowledge and informationinformation

Structuralism :Structuralism :

Emphasis on exhaustive Emphasis on exhaustive exploration of previous work exploration of previous work and possible solutionand possible solution

Studying previous workStudying previous work

Methodological techniquesMethodological techniquesUnderstanding the problemUnderstanding the problem

Devising a planDevising a plan

Carrying out the planCarrying out the plan

Looking backLooking back

Levels of creativityLevels of creativity

Classification of creativityClassification of creativityBreakthrough types- Breakthrough types- revolutionaryrevolutionary

Evolutionary : day to day tasks Evolutionary : day to day tasks –simple and routine jobs –simple and routine jobs improved upon with creative improved upon with creative ideas such as doctors doing ideas such as doctors doing their jobs and architects their jobs and architects designing buildings, and designing buildings, and librarians finding relevant librarians finding relevant information for their usersinformation for their users

The focus- Evolutionary The focus- Evolutionary creativitycreativity

Beliefs:Beliefs:Knowledge or creativity is-Knowledge or creativity is-

Cumulative-built on previous Cumulative-built on previous knowledge- both societal as well knowledge- both societal as well individualindividualIs a continuous process-Is a continuous process-Improvement is creativeImprovement is creativeCreativity is a integrative or Creativity is a integrative or integration processintegration processTechnology supports and fosters Technology supports and fosters creativitycreativityLibraries and digital libraries Libraries and digital libraries support the above support the above

Focus:Focus:

Some simple examples and how Some simple examples and how they could be used and applied they could be used and applied to improve things or makes to improve things or makes things betterthings better

The development of digital The development of digital libraries and ICTs to foster the libraries and ICTs to foster the simple taskssimple tasks

Word Processing software Word Processing software and creativityand creativity

Yesterday : the word processing Yesterday : the word processing software only supported simple software only supported simple creation, editing and text creation, editing and text formatting, with minimal support for formatting, with minimal support for creativitycreativityToday : ability to integrate text with Today : ability to integrate text with diagrams, pictures , sound etcdiagrams, pictures , sound etcSupport ofr creativity –quite highSupport ofr creativity –quite highSome examples: spell checking, Some examples: spell checking, synonymous words, thesauri etcsynonymous words, thesauri etcTomorrow: when a new word is Tomorrow: when a new word is presented, it is linked to its presented, it is linked to its meanings, definitions, translations, meanings, definitions, translations, hyperlinked to picture libraries, hyperlinked to picture libraries, usages in different contexts etcusages in different contexts etc

Another example: Another example:

Multitasking- windows and tool Multitasking- windows and tool bars today support multitasking bars today support multitasking – fostering creativity– fostering creativity

Tomorrow- integration with Tomorrow- integration with other software tools, we can other software tools, we can expect support for example expect support for example synchronized scrolling of synchronized scrolling of related documents to support related documents to support comparisonscomparisons

Simple tools such as style Simple tools such as style sheets , windows wizard foster sheets , windows wizard foster creativitycreativity

Power Point presentations: Power Point presentations: another exampleanother example

Windows wizard helps creativityWindows wizard helps creativityAnimations help express ideas Animations help express ideas betterbetterSlide layouts and slide Slide layouts and slide transitions and such other transitions and such other features foster creativityfeatures foster creativityUse of facilities for creating Use of facilities for creating drawings, tables, cuing and drawings, tables, cuing and many other featuresmany other featuresInnovative use of colors and Innovative use of colors and other featuresother featuresMost applications now being Most applications now being multimedia helps foster multimedia helps foster creativity in idea generationcreativity in idea generation

National Libraries and National Libraries and digital domain : Two main digital domain : Two main dimensionsdimensionsBuilding digital collection of Building digital collection of

traditional materials such as old traditional materials such as old books, rare book collections, books, rare book collections, newspapers, printed music, newspapers, printed music, maps, manuscripts, maps, manuscripts, photographs, paintings and photographs, paintings and othersothers

Preserving digital heritagePreserving digital heritage

Decades Of ChangeDecades Of ChangeWaves Of Internet EvolutionWaves Of Internet Evolution

Browse Browse the Webthe Web Program Program

the Internetthe Internet

Technology

Technology

XML Web Services

XML Web Services

XMLXML

ProgrammabilityProgrammability

HTMLHTML

Web PagesWeb Pages

PresentationPresentationStandardStandard

FTP,FTP, EE-mail, Gopher

-mail, Gopher

TTCCP/IPP/IP

ConnectivityConnectivityInnovation

Innovation

ICT and DL support for ICT and DL support for disadvantaged groupsdisadvantaged groups

Use of icons- support illiterates Use of icons- support illiterates and oral culture and oral culture

Touch sensitive screensTouch sensitive screens

Text to speech functionality Text to speech functionality

Insets to elaborate furtherInsets to elaborate further

Insets- to special groups- ex- Insets- to special groups- ex- dumb people- special featuresdumb people- special features

Elderly and childrenElderly and children

Ebooks: Another exampleEbooks: Another example

eBooks today maybe easily created eBooks today maybe easily created with software tools such as MS with software tools such as MS reader reader

One can easily create cover designsOne can easily create cover designs

Convert any text into a book formConvert any text into a book form

Text to speech functionality allows Text to speech functionality allows one to make the ebook suitable for one to make the ebook suitable for visually handicapped. illiteratesvisually handicapped. illiterates

Customization- of fonts, size and Customization- of fonts, size and other featuresother features

Turning pages- metaphor Turning pages- metaphor

Annotating, book marking and other Annotating, book marking and other featuresfeatures

Creativity through Creativity through collaborationcollaboration

Simple tools for collaborative Simple tools for collaborative creative processescreative processes

DLs are called as DLs are called as collaboratoriescollaboratories

Simple tools- Review feature in Simple tools- Review feature in WordWord

Net meeting – allowing people Net meeting – allowing people to meet on line to meet on line

Another example Wiki – fosters Another example Wiki – fosters collaborationcollaboration

Specialized tools to foster Specialized tools to foster collaborative writing-many collaborative writing-many examplesexamples

Invisible college conceptInvisible college concept

Virtual collegeVirtual college

Brining like minded and similar Brining like minded and similar thinking people to share and thinking people to share and collaboratecollaborate

E-mails, Videoconferencing, E-mails, Videoconferencing, teleconfercing and many other teleconfercing and many other toolstools

ListservsListservs

Closed interactive workspace-Closed interactive workspace-allowing members to share and allowing members to share and create works collaborativelycreate works collaboratively

Digital Libraries for Digital Libraries for childrenchildren

Visual Query specificationVisual Query specification

Example : children wanting Example : children wanting some pictures of fish eating some pictures of fish eating other animalsother animals

But children are not able to But children are not able to articulate their queryarticulate their query

Digital libraries created for Digital libraries created for children can incorporate children can incorporate innovative query interfacesinnovative query interfaces

Left: This where the children begin.

They can go to the zoo, find animals

in the world, or search by category.

Right: This is where children search.They can search in four ways. 

The query results for fish that eatother animals.

BrowsingBrowsingBrowsing has been one of the Browsing has been one of the well known process that well known process that supports creativitysupports creativity

Open Access was introduced Open Access was introduced with the idea of supporting with the idea of supporting browsing rather than searchingbrowsing rather than searching

Digital libraries with their rich Digital libraries with their rich linking features support linking features support browsingbrowsing

Browsing also promotes Browsing also promotes recognition rather than recallrecognition rather than recall

Traditional IR tools supported Traditional IR tools supported Recall but recall is not easy, Recall but recall is not easy, while recognition is easierwhile recognition is easier

Personalization and Personalization and customizationcustomization

People need to seek, use, re-use, People need to seek, use, re-use, create, maintain, and preserve create, maintain, and preserve information in support of their work information in support of their work and life activities. In a world of print and life activities. In a world of print and hard-copy documents, the and hard-copy documents, the process of creating new works process of creating new works involves copying, rewriting, cutting, involves copying, rewriting, cutting, pasting, and rearranging prior works pasting, and rearranging prior works of one’s own and of others, while of one’s own and of others, while adding ideas, data, analysis, effort, adding ideas, data, analysis, effort, and other forms of valueand other forms of value In the digital world, creators are In the digital world, creators are dependent upon digital tools to dependent upon digital tools to perform tasks that once could be perform tasks that once could be accomplished with scissors and accomplished with scissors and paste, pencil and paper calculations, paste, pencil and paper calculations, and later with photocopiers and and later with photocopiers and other reproduction devicesother reproduction devices

Digital libraries and education-Digital libraries and education-from asynchronous to from asynchronous to synchronous modesynchronous modeLearning moving beyond acquiring Learning moving beyond acquiring

facts and datafacts and dataLearning can be more interactive Learning can be more interactive with the support of DLswith the support of DLsDLs support rich interactionDLs support rich interactionClassrooms are becoming creative Classrooms are becoming creative work spaceswork spacesTeacher’s lectures linked to Teacher’s lectures linked to supporting materials, tools and supporting materials, tools and resourcesresourcesBlending of library support with Blending of library support with classroom teaching in a synchronous classroom teaching in a synchronous rather than asynchronous mannerrather than asynchronous mannerPractical training, visits to Practical training, visits to museums, galleries and all other museums, galleries and all other activities may be made synchronous activities may be made synchronous today with the help of DLstoday with the help of DLs

Visualization processes and Visualization processes and creativitycreativity

Visualization is a powerful tool Visualization is a powerful tool especially in some fields- such especially in some fields- such as chemistry, medicine / as chemistry, medicine / surgery, design, architecture surgery, design, architecture etcetcToday, many software tools Today, many software tools support converting data to support converting data to visual representationsvisual representationsSimple to complex tools have Simple to complex tools have made these processes very made these processes very simple and leading innovationssimple and leading innovationsVisualization software; Visualization software; Examples-Examples-http://http://www.spotfire.comwww.spotfire.com

Some more examplesSome more examples

http://www.thebrain.comhttp://www.thebrain.com

Taps the power associations by Taps the power associations by visualizing information flow and visualizing information flow and relationships between words , relationships between words , concpets etcconcpets etc

http://www.mindman.comhttp://www.mindman.com

Creates relationships among Creates relationships among information easily, identify information easily, identify relationships between items and relationships between items and branchesbranches

http://singnet.com.sg/%7Eaxon200/http://singnet.com.sg/%7Eaxon200/

A sketchpad for visualizing and A sketchpad for visualizing and organizing ideasorganizing ideas

Exploring tools-simulation Exploring tools-simulation toolstools

Supporting methodological Supporting methodological exploration of solutionsexploration of solutions

Simple tools-electronic Simple tools-electronic spreadsheets-what if tools that spreadsheets-what if tools that allow business planners to try allow business planners to try out different strategies and out different strategies and approachesapproaches

More complex tools- flight More complex tools- flight simulators, traffic flow models, simulators, traffic flow models, weather modelsweather models

Creativity and digital Creativity and digital librarieslibraries

Many simple tools can be Many simple tools can be effectively used to support effectively used to support creativitycreativity

Different tools may be Different tools may be effectively integrated to effectively integrated to support higher level of support higher level of creativitycreativity

Using these helps better digital Using these helps better digital librarieslibraries

Good digital libraries support Good digital libraries support creativity in the end-users- who creativity in the end-users- who are the creators of ideas, are the creators of ideas, knowledge in other fieldsknowledge in other fields

Be CreativeBe Creative

Thank UThank U

For contactFor contact

shalini@vidyanidhi.org.inshalini@vidyanidhi.org.in