Quirky, moi?

Today's choice is from Diane Milligan, she has chosen items of a more quirky nature. Look out in particular for the 1947 vintage style 3-D glasses!

I guess I've made a pretty eclectic selection of material, but there is one overarching theme - the sheer breadth of the official publications collections.

One of the reasons why I chose "Food from the garden" is that it makes me think of my Granddad. When I was little my Mum told me about how he planted vegetables around their Anderson shelter during the Second World War. I also think it’s amazing that we have publications like this which come from that actual era, not to mention other items from the 19th century and earlier; it’s like holding a piece of history in your hands.

I really liked the way that "Air survey for development" takes a quite narrow subject area and makes it accessible, with the various applications of aerial mapping and photography clearly listed and with plenty of illustrations, some of them in 3-D (which explains the accompanying stereoscopic glasses!)

When I came across "Art collector", the Tate Gallery’s twist on the game of Happy Families, I was immediately struck by how it was such a good way to get kids interested in art and artists. We receive many beautiful books from the Tate and other galleries, and I did think that maybe I should have chosen one of those, but in the end this item’s quirkiness and innovation won out.

And last but not least, I was keen to include an electronic item. "Looking for Vikings" is an interactive resource, informing through words, pictures, and occasionally song! It was the result of a collaboration between the National Museums of Scotland, the National Museum of Ireland, and the National Museum of Denmark.