Another Job

You've heard of library cats, and maybe even of library dogs, but what about library bats?

Joanina Library's unique animal companions are so unusual for a library that they are one of only two libraries in the world to house bats within its walls (the other library is at the National Palace of Marfa, also in Portugal).

In the case of both libraries, they each house two bat colonies. The Joanina Library has European free-tailed bats and soprano pipistrelles, while the National Palace bats are mostly grey long-eared bats and some serotine bats.

^ A soprano pipistrelles bat

But why bats? For the same reason that library cats were first employed millennia ago: pest control!

During the night, the bats hunt for insects that might damage the collection, such as moths, keeping the space free of bugs (they also have some open windows so they can forage elsewhere if needed and to go get water nearby).

Some astute readers may be wondering how the library stays clean with bats flying everywhere. Librarians still use the method used since at least the 1800s: large leather sheets cover the furniture during the night and come morning, the cleanup is fairly straightforward.

thought I’d post some older crime and punishment fanart here while I’m at it…

Here is a tasting menu of questions to ask about your local museum!

The Institution:

What is the museum's mission?

Does the museum collect a broad range of items or does it have a single specific focus?

Is the museum hosted by a research institution?

Does the mission language cater to the local community, the academic community, or the museum's shareholders?

How are exhibitions funded?

Is the building purpose-built or repurposed?

Where did the objects come from?

Does the museum have a history of repatriating objects when asked to?

Outreach:

How complete is the online collection?

How searchable is the online collection?

What educational programs are offered?

What ages are the educational programs for?

Does the museum have an active social media presence?

Has the museum hosted any community events recently?

Does the museum have internship/fellowship/career programs?

Exhibition Pedagogy:

What was the first thing you saw when walking into the exhibition?

Do the wall texts adequately prepare you for what you see in each gallery?

Are objects presented together or one-by-one?

Where are the object labels in relation to the objects? What seems to be more important, the visual effect of the object or its context?

Are the object labels easy to understand?

Do the object labels focus on description, interpretation, or historical context?

What adjectives are used in the object labels? How do they make you feel?

Is there any interactive material?

Accessibility:

How tired do you feel after walking through an exhibition?

How many benches are in a typical gallery?

Are elevators centrally located or on the periphery?

Is the building fully wheelchair accessible?

Are the plinths and object cases easy to walk or wheel around?

Are the wall texts visually contrastive and easy to read from a distance?

Do the audio guides describe the objects at hand? Or do they exist to provide supplementary information/commentary?