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serendipitous browsing in the library

Ever search for one thing and end up finding another better thing?  Of course you have!

When you discover things you did not set out to discover you experience what librarians like to call serendipitous browsing.  This is when the organizational scheme of the library's physical space and/or online environment works to benefit you by grouping like things. 

What other ways does the library work for you?  Tell us with pictures of:

  • yourself in or in front of the library
  • your favorite study scene
  • your favorite book

Be creative!  Send pictures to: worked90spirit@photos.flickr.com

Send serendipity!  Suitable pictures will be displayed in a library slide show via Flickr.


more about serendipitous browsing...

Foster. "Serendipity and information seeking: an empirical study." The Journal of documentation 59.3 (2003): 321-undefined. 14 Apr. 2009.      

Hoeflich, Michael. "Serendipity in the Stacks, Fortuity in the Archives." Law library journal 99.4 (2007): 27-813. 14 Apr. 2009.  

LeBlanc. "Classification and shelflisting as value added: some remarks on the relative worth and price of predictability, serendipity, and depth of access." Library resources & technical services 39.3 (1995): 294-undefined. 14 Apr. 2009.      

Liestman  (1992). Chance in the Midst of Design: Approaches to Library Research Serendipity [Electronic version]. RQ, 31(4), 524-undefined.    

McBirnie, Abigail. "Seeking serendipity: the paradox of control." Aslib proceedings 60.6 (2008): 18-600. 14 Apr. 2009.  

Reichardt. Cybernetic serendipity: the computer and the arts. 1969. 14 Apr. 2009.

Stevenson, Alison. "Ambient Findability and Structured Serendipity: Enhanced Resources Discovery for Full Text Collections." IATUL proceedings (2008): 1-10. 14 Apr. 2009.