Cultural Value of the State Library of South Australia |
Background information
What does the State Library of South Australia mean to the community of Adelaide? How do South Australians value the library and what is the best way we can talk about it?
Laboratory Adelaide: The Value of Culture is in the final year of a three-year project run by Flinders University and funded by the Australian Research Council. The team driving Laboratory Adelaide is Prof. Julian Meyrick, Prof. Robert Phiddian, Dr Tully Barnett, Professor Richard Maltby and PhD Candidate Heather Robinson. The State Library of South Australia is one of Laboratory Adelaide’s three industry partners taking part in this project.
In many instances, the value of our cultural organisations is discussed in economic terms, condensing artistic, personal or intellectual experiences of an institution into numbers and dollars. These forms of measurement are undeniably important, but are they the best indicators of quality, relevance or success?
The aim of this research is to look at how the value of Adelaide’s cultural sector can be articulated in terms beyond financial statistics and the numbers of people through the door. We also hope to understand the visitors’ role in creating and sustaining this value and meaning, which is why we’d like to hear from you! In many ways you have the best seats in the house from which to judge the real value of culture in Adelaide.
As a research project, we need data to explore these questions and inform our thinking about new or alternative methods of evaluating our events and the impact made by our cultural institutions. This is how you may be able to help.
You may have already filled out one of our surveys at the Library or online. If not, we are really keen to hear from you. All responses are kept completely anonymous.
We are truly grateful to the State Library for supporting this research and allowing us to work with you directly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
This research project has been approved by the Flinders University Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (Project Number 6432). For more information regarding ethical approval of the project the Executive Officer of the Committee can be contacted by telephone on 8201 3116, by fax on 8201 2035 or by email human.researchethics@flinders.edu.au.
Laboratory Adelaide: The Value of Culture is in the final year of a three-year project run by Flinders University and funded by the Australian Research Council. The team driving Laboratory Adelaide is Prof. Julian Meyrick, Prof. Robert Phiddian, Dr Tully Barnett, Professor Richard Maltby and PhD Candidate Heather Robinson. The State Library of South Australia is one of Laboratory Adelaide’s three industry partners taking part in this project.
In many instances, the value of our cultural organisations is discussed in economic terms, condensing artistic, personal or intellectual experiences of an institution into numbers and dollars. These forms of measurement are undeniably important, but are they the best indicators of quality, relevance or success?
The aim of this research is to look at how the value of Adelaide’s cultural sector can be articulated in terms beyond financial statistics and the numbers of people through the door. We also hope to understand the visitors’ role in creating and sustaining this value and meaning, which is why we’d like to hear from you! In many ways you have the best seats in the house from which to judge the real value of culture in Adelaide.
As a research project, we need data to explore these questions and inform our thinking about new or alternative methods of evaluating our events and the impact made by our cultural institutions. This is how you may be able to help.
You may have already filled out one of our surveys at the Library or online. If not, we are really keen to hear from you. All responses are kept completely anonymous.
We are truly grateful to the State Library for supporting this research and allowing us to work with you directly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
This research project has been approved by the Flinders University Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (Project Number 6432). For more information regarding ethical approval of the project the Executive Officer of the Committee can be contacted by telephone on 8201 3116, by fax on 8201 2035 or by email human.researchethics@flinders.edu.au.