Author Archives: Kelly Karst

Carousel Project Pitch

Slide Deck

PPT version

From children to adults with nostalgic eyes, surely all of us can appreciate the joy of carousels. New York City is lucky to be home to several vintage and new carousels that bring joy to families and just about anyone that happens upon them!

Why create a NYC carousel map?

  • Although maps can be found on traditional mapping apps (ie: Google Maps), there is a lot of clutter to get around- it would be nice to have a visual that clearly shows their locations to help with planning visits
  • One needs to dig for logistical information on visiting the carousels such as pricing, policies, accessibility, nearby bathrooms, and nearby attractions. This map will include a subset of criteria that directly addresses these concerns to help visitors better plan their visit.
  • The visual of a “carousel only” map will highlight where there are a lack of carousels in the five boroughs. Adding a layered map indicating socio-economic data or real estate prices in these areas may shed light on why these disparities exist, and help as an advocacy tool for creating carousels in these areas, as well as recommendations to investigate if there is also a lack of other recreational facilities in the same places.

How will it be done?

Carousel locations are easy to locate and retrieve GPS/address information. We will need to visit/call/research what the carousel’s policies and logistics are. Ideally, team members would sign up to visit specific carousels to a) provide a short review of their experience that may further help interested visitors and b) to take original photographs if no open-license/creative commons photos are available.

We will need to use source(s) like NYC Open Data to determine which data point(s) we want to use to create the layered map.

This information will need to gathered in a systematic way to include in an interactive map. As someone that is new to mapping, I am open to different platforms based on the groups current expertise and interests.

The map will need to be hosted on a website. For now, I propose using CUNY Academic Commons, but am also open to discussion here. Beyond hosting the interactive map, this site should also have a “Recommendations” page based on our analysis of areas in need of carousels. Other fun features may include our personal reviews of carousels, and a call for site visitors to add their own comments/experiences.

Outreach is twofold- one is to family centered and/or tourist centered social media and blogs. Mommy Poppins, Brooklyn Bridge Parents, and Park Slope Parents are some family accounts that come to mind. Time Out NYC, NYC Tourism, Visit NYC are a few examples of possible tourist outreach. Secondly, reaching out to government agencies such as the NYC Parks/Recreation Department, the Department of City Planning, and possibly development companies to advocate for placement of future carousels in areas “in need” of one.

Social media buzz can involve little teasers of carousels, personal experiences on them, memories of carousels, quick tips, etc. Perhaps also providing carousels themselves with QR code flyers of the map once completed.

Why this project?

This project is a fun and practical way to put into practice some DH elements that we have learned about so far. The amount of data to go through is very reasonable, there are less that 20 carousels, and we will be very selective in the NYC data we use to layer. I think the vision of the project is clear, and believe the scope of the project is well within reason to come at least close to a finished product. I also think the skillsets required are approachable and align with many of our own.

I also think that carousels have a universal appeal, both to ourselves and to the wider public. I think it could have some impact on the “real world” and is easily presentable and intuitive to outside parties. Could it have 15 minutes of fame?

As the project “pitcher” I also want to make clear that I feel no particular ownership of this project, and am open to all suggestions/ideas/feedback. I am excited to see how the project will evolve when great minds come together!

Skillsets- Kelly Karst

Hi! My name is Kelly Karst (she/her) and I am a Librarian at CUNY Brooklyn College as well as a M.A. Digital Humanities student at the CUNY Graduate Center. Within my work as a Librarian I have a great deal of experience in instruction, reference, collection development, outreach (within the college community), web design and maintenance, committee work, and more! My personal research interests include Latin American Studies (particularly in Panama) and Art History. BUT, as is often the case with Librarians, I am curious about, and know a little about a lot of things!

Project management:

I have led, and been part of many group project efforts both professionally, and as a student. I have worked laterally with colleagues on projects and have some experience with project management software like Trello. I am good at prioritizing tasks, and following up on pending tasks with other project members. I have supervised students on short term projects related to Library work. I try to be clear in communicating ideas and plans to other group members and am also very receptive to feedback and making sure all group members are included and heard.

Developer:

WEAK! (lol). I have little to no experience building things from scratch. I tend to seek out templates that can be tweaked.

Design/UX:

I have designed school and library websites and have presented at professional conferences on recommendations for Library-related design which can apply to other areas as well (simplicity, inviting, inclusive, consistent, etc.). I am pretty well versed in Canva, but not all with other, more professional graphic design software.

My current title is the User Experience & Emerging Technology Librarian, and as such, I have knowledge of the literature and norms about UX, particularly in relation to web design and in-person structural design (relevant signage, pathways, clear directions, etc.). I do NOT have experience with “behind the scenes” coding UX.

Outreach/social media:

In my previous role at a college in San Francisco, I was the Instruction and Outreach Librarian. Outreach in the academic Library world tends to refer to outreach within the college community. So this means liaising with faculty, getting to know department needs (and how to help them), “marketing” the Library, and cultivating relationships with students and faculty.

I currently manage the Brooklyn College Library’s Instagram page. I would say my social media skills are keeping things practical, informative, and light, rather than “producing content” in the hopes of going viral or being very creative or clever (that’s like a whole full time job!). I do think it’s important to create a consistent look/vibe to an account and think of categorical themes of the types of posts you regularly create.

Documentation:

I have a lot of experience documenting how to do things for staff manuals and guides. I also have knowledge of organizational and metadata standards from a Library perspective, with some knowledge of the Archives side of this due to regular collaboration. I have also taught many workshops on things like citation managers and tips for organizing one’s research.

Research & writing:

I have been regularly providing academic research consultations and workshops for undergraduate and graduate students, and occasionally faculty, for the past 6 years in my capacity as a Librarian. I’m aware of many research options, strategies, and how to problem solve to break through research slumps.

I wouldn’t consider myself a writer by any means, but do believe I am proficient at getting across my ideas in a clear and (hopefully) concise manner. I lean towards professional/academic writing and am not a creative writer.

Presenting:

I have presented at several professional conferences on a variety of topics. I feel comfortable doing so, and have received positive feedback.