How to design a library that makes kids want to read | Michael Bierut

譯者: Yanyan Hong 審譯者: Linda Sheu

So there's this thing called the law of unintended consequences.

有這麼一個東西， 叫做「非預期結果法則」，

I thought it was just like a saying,

我曾以為它就只是説説而已，

but it actually exists, I guess.

但我猜這事實上是存在的。

There's, like, academic papers about it.

是有一些學術論文在討論這件事。

And I'm a designer.

我是一名設計師，

I don't like unintended consequences.

所以我很討厭「非預期結果」。

People hire me because they have consequences that they really intend,

人們聘請我做設計 是因爲他們有所需求，

and what they intend is for me to help them achieve those consequences.

而且他們多半是因為 希望從我這裡得到想要的成果，

So I live in fear of unintended consequences.

所以我一直很害怕「非預期結果」 給我帶來不好的結果，

And so this is a story about consequences intended and unintended.

而我將要講述的故事是關於 一個預期又不預期的結果。

I got called by an organization called Robin Hood

早前我接到了一個叫羅賓漢 (Robin Hood) 機構的來電，

to do a favor for them.

他們想要我幫忙。

Robin Hood is based in New York, a wonderful philanthropic organization

羅賓漢是一個位於紐約， 挺不錯的慈善機構，

that does what it says in the name.

他們在做的事當然和慈善有關。

They take from rich people, give it to poor people.

他們接受富人的捐助 去幫助貧困的人們。

In this case, what they wanted to benefit was the New York City school system,

但這次他們想要去 幫助紐約市學校的教育系統，

a huge enterprise that educates more than a million students at a time,

一個巨大的教育企業， 讓超過一百萬名學生接受著教育，

and in buildings that are like this one,

他們在無數的樓房裡就學， 就像這棟房子一樣，

old buildings, big buildings,

老房子，大房子，

drafty buildings, sometimes buildings that are in disrepair,

冷颼颼的樓裡， 甚至在一些老古董房子裡，

certainly buildings that could use a renovation.

看起來早就需要翻修了。

Robin Hood had this ambition to improve these buildings in some way,

羅賓漢機構一直希望能夠 重新整修這些教學樓，

but what they realized was

但是他們意識到的是，

to fix the buildings would be too expensive and impractical.

去整修這麼多的教學樓 實在是花費太高又不太現實。

So instead they tried to figure out what one room they could go into

所以取而代之，他們試著 在每一棟教學大樓裡找出一個房間，

in each of these buildings, in as many buildings that they could,

而且能找到愈多愈大樓愈好，

and fix that one room

並修理那間房間，

so that they could improve the lives of the children inside

這樣他們就可以從而改善孩子們

as they were studying.

在裡面的學習和生活。

And what they came up with was the school library,

他們最後找到的就是學校的圖書館，

and they came up with this idea called the Library Initiative.

他們想出的這個主意叫做 「圖書館計畫。」

All the students have to pass through the library.

所有的學生都會經過這個圖書館，

That's where the books are.

那也是所有書籍在的地方。

That's where the heart and soul of the school is.

更是學校的靈魂所在。

所以我們要修整這些圖書館。

So let's fix these libraries.

他們做了件非常棒的事，

So they did this wonderful thing where they brought in

就是他們找了一些建築師來，

first 10, then 20, then more architects,

先是十個，而後二十個，然後更多，

each one of whom was assigned a library to rethink what a library was.

每一位建築師都開始重新設計 打造他們心中的圖書館。

They trained special librarians.

他們也訓練了很多特別的圖書管理員，

So they started this mighty enterprise

於是他們開始了這個巨大的改造工程，

to reform public schools by improving these libraries.

藉著改造他們的圖書館 從而提高公立學校的教學環境，

Then they called me up and they said, "Could you make a little contribution?"

他們給我打電話說： 「你願意也來給我們幫點忙嗎？」

I said, "Sure, what do you want me to do?"

我説：「當然， 但是你想要我做什麽呢？」

And they said, "Well, we want you to be the graphic designer

他們説：「這樣， 我們想要你做個圖形設計師，

去創造出他們的整個理念。」

in charge of the whole thing."

所以我就想，我知道這是什麼意思， 意思是我要去為他們設計一個標誌。

And so I thought, I know what that means. That means I get to design a logo.

我知道怎麽設計標誌， 因爲我就是做這個的。

I know how to design that. I design logos.

That's what people come to me for.

這也是通常人們找我的原因，

所以，好吧，讓我們設計一個標誌。

So OK, let's design a logo for this thing.

Easy to do, actually, compared with architecture

很簡單的事情，比起去當個建築師，

and being a librarian.

或是圖書管理員。

Just do a logo, make a contribution, and then you're out,

只要設計一個標誌， 做一點點貢獻，然後你就完事了。

and you feel really good about yourself.

然後你覺得自己太了不起了。

And I'm a great guy and I like to feel good about myself when I do these favors.

我是個很了不起的傢夥， 我幫忙別人時都自我感覺良好。

So I thought, let's overdeliver.

所以我想，那我就溢交吧。

我會給你設計三個標誌， 全部按照同一個理念，

I'm going to give you three logos, all based on this one idea.

So you have three options, pick any of the three.

所以你就有三個選擇， 你可以任選其一。

They're all great, I said.

我説，這三個都很棒。

So the basic idea was these would be new school libraries

所以我們最基礎的理念就是 新的圖書館，

for New York schools,

為紐約的學校所創立的。

and so the idea is that it's a new thing, a new idea that needs a new name.

所以這個理念意味著新的東西， 新的想法需要一個新的名字。

What I wanted to do was dispel the idea that these were musty old libraries,

所以我首先想要做的就是打消人們 對這些老舊圖書館的印象，

the kind of places that everyone is bored with,

每個人都已經厭倦它們了，

you know, not your grandparents' library.

你知道，這不是你祖父母的圖書館。

Don't worry about that at all.

別擔心那些。

This is going to this new, exciting thing,

這是一個全新的地方， 一個充滿激動的地方，

not a boring library.

不是一個無聊的圖書館。

So option number one:

所以第一個選項：

so instead of thinking of it as a library,

別把它想成一個圖書館，

think of it as a place where it is like: do talk, do make loud noises.

把它想成一個地方： 你可以講話，你可以製造噪音。

Right? So no shushing, it's like a shush-free zone.

對吧？不用「噓」， 沒有「噓」聲的討論區。

We're going to call it the Reading Room.

我們把它叫做讀書室。

That was option number one. OK, option number two.

這就是第一個選項， 好吧，來看第二個選擇。

Option number two was, wait for it,

第二個選擇是，等下，

OWL.

「OWL。」

I'll meet you at OWL.

我會在「OWL」見你的。

I'm getting my book from the OWL. Meet you after school down at OWL.

我會從「OWL」拿我的書， 放學後「OWL」見。

就像這樣不是嗎? 但「OWL」到底是什麽？

I like that, right? Now, what does OWL stand for?

好吧，它可以意味著一個世界圖書館 (One World Library)。

Well, it could be One World Library,

or it could be Open. Wonder. Learn.

或者是意味著

開放 (Open)，奇蹟 (Wonder)， 學習 (Learn)。

Or it could be -- and I figure librarians could figure out other things it could be

或者是──好吧，也許其他 圖書管理員可以想出其他的意思，

because they know about words.

還是他們比較瞭解用詞什麼的。

So other things, right?

所以還有其他，不是嗎？

現在來看這個， 這就像是貓頭鷹的眼睛。

And then look at this. It's like the eye of the owl.

This is irresistible in my opinion.

這在我看來真難不喜歡。

但還有另一個點子，

But there's even another idea.

Option number three.

選項三，

選項三是和英語語言有關。

Option number three was based actually on language.

It's the idea that "read" is the past tense of "read,"

這是關於單詞「閲讀」的過去式， 依然是「Read」。

and they're both spelled the same way.

他們的拼寫看起來都一樣，

So why don't we call this place The Red Zone?

所以為什麽我們不叫這個地方 The Red Zone（紅色音同閲讀）？

I'll meet you at the Red Zone.

我們紅色區 (The Red Zone) 見。

Are you Red? Get Red.

你紅（閱讀）了嗎？

要紅（閱讀）了吧！

I'm well Red.

(Laughter)

我紅（閱讀）了。

（笑聲）

I really loved this idea,

我很喜歡這個主意，

and I somehow was not focused on the idea

但不知怎麽我沒有選擇這個主意，

that librarians as a class are sort of interested in spelling and I don't know.

因為圖書管理員 才應該對拼寫感興趣，

(Laughter)

我可不懂這些。

（笑聲）

But sometimes cleverness is more important than spelling,

但是有些時候小聰明 可比拼寫重要多了。

and I thought this would be one of those instances.

我覺得這應該也是一個例子，

So usually when I make these presentations

通常我就要做個簡報，

I say there's just one question and the question should be,

一般來説，我做完成果簡報 他們只會問我一個問題，那就是

「麥克，我該怎麽感謝你呢？」

"How can I thank you, Mike?"

But in this case, the question was more like,

但是這次，我得到的問題居然是：

"Um, are you kidding?"

「啊，你在逗我吧？」

Because, they said,

因為他們説，

the premise of all this work

這些作品的前提是，

was that kids were bored with old libraries, musty old libraries.

孩子對所有老舊的圖書館都厭倦了，

They were tired of them.

他們不想再去了。

And instead, they said, these kids have never really seen a library.

但是這次，這些孩子其實從來 就沒有機會看過圖書館是什麼樣。

The school libraries in these schools

這些要建在學校的圖書館

are really so dilapidated, if they're there at all,

是真正的荒廢了。 如果它們真的在使用的話，

that they haven't bored anyone.

它們根本不會讓任何人厭倦，

They haven't even been there to bore anyone at all.

因為它們從來就沒有存在過， 去讓任何人感到厭倦。

So the idea was, just forget about giving it a new name.

所以這個初衷沒用， 不用給它取一個新名字。

Just call it, one last try, a library.

叫它圖書館就夠了，不用再試了。

Right? OK.

好嗎？好吧。

So I thought, OK, give it a little oomph?

所以我想，好吧，給它一點活力？

Exclamation point?

用個感嘆號吧？

Then -- this is because I'm clever --

然後──這是因為我很聰明──

move that into the "i,"

把它放到字母「i」那裡，

make it red,

把它換成紅色，

and there you have it, the Library Initiative.

好了，圖書館計劃完成。

So I thought, mission accomplished, there's your logo.

所以我想好了，完成任務， 要的標誌完工。

So what's interesting about this logo, an unintended consequence,

所以關於這個標誌 完全是一個非預期的結果，

was that it turned out that they didn't really even need my design

他們根本不需要我的設計，

because you could type it any font, you could write it by hand,

因爲你可以用任何字體輸入， 甚至直接手寫，

and when they started sending emails around,

當他們給我些郵件時，

只需要按住 Shift 和 1 就有了個感嘆號，

they just would use Shift and 1,

they'd get their own logo just right out of the thing.

他們就能看到他們自己的標誌。

所以我想好吧，那挺不錯的，

And I thought, well, that's fine.

Feel free to use that logo.

每個人都可以隨意使用這個標誌。

And then I embarked on the real rollout of this thing --

然後我的工作才真正開始──

working with every one of the architects

幫助每一個建築師，

to put this logo on the front door of their own library. Right?

把我設計的標誌放在 他們圖書館的前門，對嗎？

So here's the big rollout.

這才是最顯眼的展示。

Basically I'd work with different architects.

可以説我和不同的建築師一起工作，

First Robin Hood was my client. Now these architects were my client.

一開始，羅賓漢機構是我的客戶 現在這些建築師也成了我的客戶，

I'd say, "Here's your logo. Put it on the door."

我說：「這是你的標誌，放門上吧。」

「這是你的，這兩扇門都給我掛上。」

"Here's your logo. Put it on both doors."

"Here's your logo. Put it off to the side."

「這是你的標誌，放在兩邊。」

"Here's your logo repeated all over to the top."

「這是你們的，全都貼滿。」

So everything was going swimmingly.

所有的就像流水操作一樣。

I just was saying, "Here's your logo. Here's your logo."

我只負責說， 「這是你的標誌，這是你的標誌。」

然後一位建築師來問我，

Then I got a call from one of the architects,

a guy named Richard Lewis, and he says, "I've got a problem.

他叫理查德·路易斯， 他說：「我有個問題，

You're the graphics guy. Can you solve it?"

你是那個圖形設計師， 你可以幫我解決下嗎？」

我説：「當然，沒問題。」

And I said, OK, sure."

And he said, "The problem is that there's a space

他説：「問題是有一個空間

between the shelf and the ceiling."

在書架和天花板之間……」

So that sounds like an architectural issue to me,

這聽起來像是個建築方面的問題，

可不是圖形設計問題， 但我還是說：「繼續說。」

not a graphic design issue, so I'm, "Go on."

And Richard says, "Well, the top shelf has to be low enough

理查德說：「是這樣， 因爲書架必須要足夠低

for the kid to reach it,

孩子們才可以夠到，

but I'm in a big old building, and the ceilings are really high,

但是因爲我們在一個 老式的建築裡，天花板都非常高，

so actually I've got all this space up there

所以上面有很多多餘的空間，

and I need something like a mural."

我需要用些東西來填補， 就像壁畫那種。」

And I'm like, "Whoa, you know, I'm a logo designer.

然後我就說：「啊？你曉得吧， 我其實只是個標誌設計師而已。

I'm not Diego Rivera or something.

我可不是迪亞哥·里維拉這些大師。

I'm not a muralist."

我不是壁畫家啊。」

And so he said, "But can't you think of anything?"

然後他説：「但是你就 不可以出出主意嗎？」

所以我説：「好吧，要不我們 就拍些學校裡孩子們的照片，

So I said, "OK, what if we just took pictures of the kids in the school

and just put them around the top of the thing,

然後把它們放在上面，

and maybe that could work."

也許那樣可以。」

And my wife is a photographer,

而我妻子就是一位攝影師，

and I said, "Dorothy, there's no budget,

我説：「多蘿西，我沒工資給你，

can you come to this school in east New York, take these pictures?"

但是你可以來趟紐約 東城的學校，拍些照片嗎？」

And she did,

然後她來了，

and if you go in Richard's library,

如果你去理查德的圖書館，

which is one of the first that opened,

這是最先開放的圖書館之一，

it has this glorious frieze of, like, the heroes of the school,

它有一圈輝煌的裝飾， 就像學校裡的英雄，

oversized, looking down

超大的照片，從上面看下來，

into the little dollhouse of the real library, right?

俯視著者小小的玩具屋 一般的閲讀室，不是嗎？

And the kids were great, hand-selected by the principals

這些孩子真的是非常棒， 每一張笑臉都是校長親自挑選，

and the librarian.

當然還有圖書管理員一起。

It just kind of created this heroic atmosphere in this library,

這就像在圖書館裡製造了 英雄豪邁的氛圍，

this very dignified setting below and the joy of the children above.

這是一個安靜莊嚴的場所， 上面卻洋溢著孩子們歡樂的感情，

So naturally all the other librarians in the other schools see this

所以自然而然地， 其他學校的圖書管理員看到這個，

and they said, well, we want murals too.

都説我們也想要壁畫了。

And I'm like, OK.

然後，我當然就說可以啦。

So then I think, well, it can't be the same mural every time,

但是我想，如果每一次都是相同的 就沒什麽新意了，

so Dorothy did another one, and then she did another one,

所以多蘿西拍攝了另外的一組， 又開始拍攝更多的照片，

but then we needed more help,

但是我們也需要更多的幫助，

so I called an illustrator I knew named Lynn Pauley,

所以我打電話給了我認識的 一位插畫師叫琳恩·保利，

and Lynn did these beautiful paintings of the kids.

琳恩為孩子們 創造了這些漂亮的插畫。

Then I called a guy named Charles Wilkin at a place called Automatic Design.

還有從一個叫做自動設計的公司 請了另外一位朋友叫查爾斯·威爾金，

He did these amazing collages.

他創作了這些令人驚嘆的拼貼畫。

We had Rafael Esquer

我們請了拉斐爾·伊斯凱

do these great silhouettes.

做了這些了不起的剪影。

他和孩子們一起工作， 聽他們的話，

He would work with the kids, asking for words,

and then based on those prompts,

然後根據那些線索

come up with this little, delirious kind of constellation

想出了這瘋狂的一系列圖案，

of silhouettes of things that are in books.

一些剪影，和一些書裡的東西。

Peter Arkle interviewed the kids

彼得·阿科爾採訪了很多孩子，

and had them talk about their favorite books

把他們最喜歡的書和想法

and he put their testimony as a frieze up there.

像對話自白般的形式放在了上面。

Stefan Sagmeister worked with Yuko Shimizu

斯特凡·塞個梅斯特 和優酷·詩米祖一起，

and they did this amazing manga-style statement,

他們做了這了不起的漫畫設計，

"Everyone who is honest is interesting,"

「每一個真誠的人都是有趣的。」

that goes all the way around.

出現在了所有地方。

Christoph Niemann, brilliant illustrator,

克里斯托弗·瓦爾兹， 一位天才插畫師，

did a whole series of things

做了一系列的工作，

where he embedded books into the faces and characters

他把書中的人物、

and images and places that you find in the books.

畫和地方都做成了壁畫。

And then even Maira Kalman

甚至麥拉·考曼

did this amazing cryptic installation of objects and words

把各種物體字母混合在一起，

that kind of go all around and will fascinate students

使他們圍繞著和吸引了

for as long as it's up there.

所有到那裡學習的學生。

So this was really satisfying,

這實在是太令人滿意和驚艷了，

and basically my role here was reading a series of dimensions to these artists,

而我在這做的就是 列舉這些藝術家創造的東西，

and I would say,

我想說：

"Three feet by 15 feet, whatever you want.

「在三乘以十五英呎的空間裡， 無論你想要什麽都可以。

Let me know if you have any problem with that."

如果你有任何問題， 請一定讓我知道。」

他們都會爲你創造出新的設計， 這是一件非常了不起的事情。

And they would go and install these. It just was the greatest thing.

But the greatest thing, actually, was --

但是更棒的，其實是──

Every once in a while,

偶爾，

I'd get, like, an invitation in the mail made of construction paper,

我會收到一些邀請函， 厚厚的勞作紙做的，

上面說：「我們邀請你來 參加我們新圖書館的開幕儀式。」

and it would say, "You are invited to the opening of our new library."

所以如果你去圖書館， 比如説你去 PS10 圖書館，

So you'd go to the library, say, you'd go to PS10,

and you'd go inside.

你走進裡面。

There'd be balloons, there'd be a student ambassador,

那裡有著很多氣球，還有學生大使，

there'd be speeches that were read,

還有特別為開幕儀式準備的演説，

poetry that was written specifically for the opening,

或是特意寫的詩歌，

政要也會在場 為人們頒發各種認證和揭幕，

dignitaries would present people with certificates,

and the whole thing was just a delirious, fun party.

這一切的派對都是 那麼的激動人心和有趣，

So I loved going to these things.

所以我很喜歡參加這些活動。

I would stand there dressed like this, obviously not belonging,

我會站在那裡，穿成這樣， 顯然我有點格格不入，

and someone would say, "What are you doing here, mister?"

有些人或許會問我： 「先生，你在這做什麽？」

And I'd say, "Well, I'm part of the team that designed this place."

我會說：「好吧，其實我是 設計這個地方的人之一。」

And they'd said, "You do these shelves?"

然後他們會説： 「你是造了這些書架嗎？」

And I said, "No." "You took the pictures up above."

我答道：「不。」 「那你是拍了書架上面的照片嗎？」

"No."

「不是。」

"Well, what did you do?"

「好吧，那你做了什麽呢？」

"You know when you came in? The sign over the door?"

「你知道你進門的時候 看到門上的那個標誌嗎？」

「你是説那個寫著圖書館的標誌？」

"The sign that says library?"

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"Yeah, I did that!"

「對了！那是我做的！」

And then they'd sort of go, "OK. Nice work if you can get it."

然後他們說：「好吧，挺不錯的， 如果你仔細注意的話。」

So it was so satisfying going to these little openings

所以參加這些小小的 開幕儀式還是讓我有滿足感。

despite the fact that I was kind of largely ignored or humiliated,

先不管我常常被忽視 或是取笑的事實，

but it was actually fun going to the openings,

去參加這些活動還是非常有趣的，

so I decided that I wanted to get the people in my office

所以我決定要找辦公室裡的員工，

who had worked on these projects, get the illustrators and photographers,

特別是那些參與這些項目的人， 像插畫家、攝影師，

and I said, why don't we rent a van

我説，為什麽我們不租輛休旅車

走遍整個紐約，

and drive around the five boroughs of New York

and see how many we could hit at one time.

看看我們一次能拿下多少個圖書館。

And eventually there were going to be 60 of these libraries,

最終其實我們去了 60 家圖書館，

所以一天我們大概可以 去六家圖書館左右，

so we probably got to see maybe half a dozen in one long day.

And the best thing of all was meeting these librarians

最棒的當然就是見那些圖書管理員，

who kind of were running these, took possession of these places

他們運營並管理著圖書館， 對這些地方充滿著熱情，

like their private stage upon which they were invited

就像他們自己的小舞臺一樣，

to mesmerize their students and bring the books to life,

他們能迷住學生， 然後把書帶到他們的世界裡，

and it was just this really exciting experience

這是一段激動人心的經歷，

for all of us to actually see these things in action.

我們都可以真真切切地 看到這些行動。

So we spent a long day doing this

所以我們花了一整天去做這些事，

and we were in the very last library.

記得我們到了最後一家圖書館。

那個時候還是冬天， 所以天黑得特別早，

It was still winter, because it got dark early,

and the librarian says,

圖書管理員說：

"I'm about to close down. So really nice having you here.

「我們就要關門的， 很高興你們能來這裡，

Hey, wait a second, do you want to see how I turn off the lights?"

嘿，等一下，你想要看 我怎麼關燈嗎？」

I'm like, "OK."

我只好說：「好吧。」

And she said, "I have this special way that I do it."

她又說：「我關燈的方式 可不一樣了。」

And then she showed me.

然後她帶我看，

她做的就是一盞接著一盞的關，

What she did was she turned out every light one by one by one by one,

and the last light she left on

她剩下了最後一盞，

was the light that illuminated the kids' faces,

燈光打亮了牆上孩子們的臉龐，

and she said, "That's the last light I turn off every night,

她說：「這永遠是我每天晚上 下班前關掉的最後一盞燈，

because I like to remind myself why I come to work."

因為它提醒著 我在這裡工作的原因。」

So when I started this whole thing,

所以，記得嗎， 當我開始做這一切的時候，

remember, it was just about designing that logo

完完全全就是為了設計一個標誌，

and being clever, come up with a new name?

用用我的小聰明， 想一個新的名字嗎？

The unintended consequence here,

非預期結果就在這，

which I would like to take credit for

我很想居功，

and like to think I can think through the experience to that extent,

也很想認為自己能透徹理解其經驗，

but I can't.

但是不行。

我只是專心地用我自己的力量， 一步一個脚印的行走，

I was just focused on a foot ahead of me, as far as I could reach with my own hands.

Instead, way off in the distance

然而，讓我看到遠方的

was a librarian

是一個普普通通的圖書管理員，

她讓我看到了這一切所帶來的成果，

who was going to find the chain of consequences

that we had set in motion,

我們所做的一切，

a source of inspiration

都是激勵靈感的源泉，

so that she in this case could do her work really well.

這也是讓她能夠做好工作的原因。

40,000 kids a year are affected by these libraries.

每年有四萬個孩子受益於 這些圖書館，

They've been happening for more than 10 years now,

到現在為止已經有了十年之久，

so those librarians have kind of turned on a generation of children to books

所以可以說這些圖書管理員 已經開啓了一代孩子們的閲讀之旅，

and so it's been a thrill to find out

這是一個振奮人心的發現，

that sometimes unintended consequences are the best consequences.

有時候非預期的結果， 也會成為最好的結果。

Thank you very much.

謝謝大家。

(Applause)

（掌聲）