Bilkent University Library has two special events this week. On Tuesday, December 17, we will host the first of our “Bilkent’te Kütüphanecilik Seminerleri” for this year. The seminar will address the important subject of Open Access publishing, from both the academic and library perspectives. Our guest speakers will include Prof. Bülent Karasözen (METU), Prof. Yaşar Tonta (Hacettepe University) and Dr. Burcu Bulut (İpek University Library). The seminar will be in Turkish and will take place at 1 p.m. in the Art Gallery. For more information, please see our website:
http://library.bilkent.edu.tr/tr/oglensoylesileri/kut_sem.html.
Also, on Wednesday this week, Dr. Nilgün Olguntürk (chair of IAED) will deliver the third and final Lunchtime Lecture for this semester, entitled “Color Design in the Built Environment.” In her talk, Dr. Olguntürk will discuss how color is an inherent property of building materials and an inseparable component in design. It is used in all surfaces and elements, including everything from light and paint to art and ambience, from aesthetics to functionality. The use of highly reflective surfaces and monochromatic schemes is known to be problematic for visually impaired people. Due to multiple renovations and change in use, older environments become similarly complex, with high levels of “visual noise.” Both public and private spaces can benefit from knowledgeable color design and lighting, affecting the feelings of building occupants and influencing attitudes and behavior. The negative effects of a poor-quality visual environment are apparent as increased sensory deprivation, visual monotony and boredom. Improving the ambience with color design elevates morale and contributes to well-being. Functional use of color coding and landmarking in buildings contributes to wayfinding. Moreover, color increases legibility of the environment, helping elderly and visually impaired people navigate the space. Research to establish some mechanisms from the complexity of those environments and to understand how color design affects people who occupy different types of environments will be discussed in contexts from homes, schools and hospitals to prisons and transport environments. The lecture will take place at 12:40 p.m. in the Main Campus Library Art Gallery, and refreshments will be provided.