Public Libraries & Digital Lives

The BALLOONASCOPE device allowed members of the public to describe and graph their relationship to different elements of digital culture, in three dimensional 'real-space,' by positioning helium balloons in relation to the centre of a target, marked on the ground.

In simple terms - the closer an element of digital culture is placed to the centre, the more important it is to an individual's life. And, the closer an element of digital culture is placed to the ground, the more accessible it is (easier to use.) Click here for detailed information regarding how the balloonascope works.

We conducted five drop-in consultation sessions using the balloonascope device within libraries and public spaces throughout Lancashire. (Each of the individual balloonascope consultation outcomes is recorded here.)

We combined the recorded results into one cumulative graph and our animated interpretations of the combined outcomes are outlined below along with our suggestions.

Balloonascope Animation A - consumer level engagement

This central cluster (above), represented three quarters of the responses we received which consisted predominantly of applications and technologies to which individuals had a functional relationship (e.g. Shopping, Paying bills, Google) or those technologies that enabled individuals to communicate with friends and family (mobile phones, Facebook, Myspace, Bebo.)


This supports library staff feedback that "70% of users come in to use Facebook."


Most people's digital activity was clustered very close to the centre of the Balloonascope, reflecting those things that were very important to their own lives. Generally it was true that the things that people found most important were perceived also to be the easiest to use.


Balloonascope Animation C - specialism

There was a huge gap between a very digitally literate minority (represented above) and the majority of participants.


We could see potential for engaging existing specialist interest groups in future library digital provision e.g.

* Amateur radio enthusiasts - sharing skills - hosting meetings
* Buddist groups - Hosting meetings - making websites
* Green Groups - making and distributing Podcasts
* Boxing Clubs - promotional websites - training research


Balloonascope Animation B - engaged user

The area in the space between a 'consumer level of engagement' and 'specialism' presents immense potential for exploration in the library context. Generally the younger people were, the more likely they were to have tried some of the digital activities that were higher up and further out from the centre, with around half of people under 25 referencing these kinds of activites:
* video editing
* computer game making
* building websites
* second life
* 3d Model making
* music making


From our perspective, whilst it seemed that the majority of people currently went to the library for their own specific purpose (research, emails, job applications) there was a willingness to engage in other activities and there is the potential for skills to be shared on an informal basis between library users if this was facilitated in some way and encouraged - simply leaving space for this will not be enough.


Point of caution:
- It is important to realise the long-term nature of growing and facilitating projects and groups. Artists can play a very important role in bringing an empowered public onboard, by demonstrating the creative potential of technologies through activities which are relevant and accessible to the public.


If a climate can be established within libraries where informal peer-to-peer knowledge transfer and skill sharing is the norm, then libraries will reclaim their historical position as free and accessible public gateways to (digital) culture.


John O'Shea and Neil Winterburn

Balloonascope by John O'Shea & Neil Winterburn is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
Based on a work at balloonascope.folly.co.uk.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://balloonascope.folly.co.uk.