I don’t know about you but before I travel I like to get a sense of the place I’m visiting by reading about it. For me ‘reading about’ isn’t sitting down with the relevant Lonely Planet guide ( though I will refer to it), rather it’s a matter of immersing myself in a story set in my destination. I find it brings a city/country to life and allows for the serendipity of discovering a place/event and being able to put it into perspective.
Based on this reckoning we have introduced an initiative called ‘READ Brisbane’ into the IFLA Information Futures Summit where we are encouraging delegates to read/listen to a story set in the river city before they come. The list keeps expanding as more and more people get on board and additional suggestions are received. All we ask is that participants post a photo of themselves reading on social media and add the hashtag #IFLAREADBrisbane.
We were delighted to receive this message from library elder Winston Tabb last week:
I’ve just finished two of the books on the list sent to Info Summit participants. What a great idea this was. It seems so obvious a complement to our conferences I’m surprised no one has done it before – or maybe they did and I was too busy to pay attention.
We were pretty chuffed.
As I write I’m heading to Kiama NSW to work with the Kiama Library on developing their strategic plan. In keeping with my philosophy I have a copy of Nadia Wheatley’s The life and myth of Charmian Clift on my iPad. Born and raised in Kiama, Charmian was probably the first author I ever heard speak when she visited Wollongong High School of which she was a former, and I was a then. current student. It was in the late 60s. I found her fascinating, and always remember her description of catching the train from Kiama to Wollongong to attend school whenever I make that journey (as I will in a couple of hours).
They’re calling my flight. Two hours of uninterrupted reading ahead.
Jan Richards Consulting 