Even though I’m a Museum Librarian, I often get Public Librarian directional type reference questions. Usually these questions have an Arab/ Muslim American twist to them like, “What is the phone number to the
Islamic Superstore?” (real place) or “Where can we buy an oud in Dearborn?” However, the most common question I get is from our Museum patrons asking where to go to next. Sometimes it’s for food, sometimes it’s to see a different place but I usually send them to the same few places. Today I decided to create a Ready Reference map so we don’t have to keep doing through the Google Map rigmarole.

So if you’re looking for a Quick N’ Dirty map of Dearborn, MI with some common tourism sites listed, here you go.

In a continuation of Using Twitter for Collection Development, it should be noted that the benefit does not only come from connecting directly with creators it also comes from connecting with other librarians! I saw this question pop up in my feed from @GameCouch a few hours ago:

So we got into conversation where I mentioned that I am building an Arab American Hip Hop special collection. He was interested in seeing a list and I created one for him, helping to spread the word about Arab American Culture (the mission of the library/ museum) and helping with Collection Development! Without Twitter, how could this collaboration have occurred? Not only was Collection Development going on but I answered a detailed reference question via Twitter as well, which is a nice bump for a Special Librarian like myself. Twitter is a super helpful professional resource, dudes!

Anyway, if you’re interested in that Arab American Hip Hop list check it out below!

Like many Special Libraries, we’re on the small side of the spectrum so space is at a premium. However, I am crazy for creating special collections! Here are the special collections I’m currently collecting for:

• Arab American Graphic Novels
• LGBT Arab American Collection
• Arab American Hip Hop
• Sheikh Themed Romance Novels
• Arab American Community Created Cookbooks

The problem is that some of these items, like the Graphic Novels and the LGBT items, already exist in our larger Arab American collection. We don’t have the space to have separate places for all of these AND we certainly don’t have the budget to buy duplicate items, so what do I do!?!