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#critlib 4/28/2015: critlib tech manifesto
Storify of the 4/28/2015 #critlib chat on the proposed critlib tech manifesto, moderated by @cynth & @eliganrood. Preliminary draft for the "technifesto": http://tinyurl.com/critlibtechifesto. For more info about #critlib, including past & future chats: http://tinyurl.com/critlibx
Preliminaries
The Qs and some recommended readings are up for tonight's #critlib chat: http://tinyurl.com/critlibx 6PST, hosted by @eliganrood and @cynth
Relevant to #critlib tech chat tonight. http://thenewinquiry.com/essays/from-mega-machines-to-mega-algorithms/ …
Excited to host tonight’s #critlib chat w/ @eliganrood @ 8pm CST! MT @kellymce: Qs & recommended readings are up: http://tinyurl.com/critlibx
Possibly relevant to tonight's #critlib tech chat—article on algorithms, "real name" policies & Native Am harassment: http://goodmenproject.com/uncategorized/why-are-natives-changing-their-names-to-zuckerberg-on-facebook/ …
That's 9pmEST! #critlib I'm SO excited about this! See <3 http://tinyurl.com/critlibtechifesto … <3 for more info re:tonight's chat. https://twitter.com/kellymce/status/593126929256943616 …
Tonight 8pm cst! #critlib chat on critlib tech manifesto hosted by @cynth + @eliganrood http://tinyurl.com/critlibxIntroductions
LIS student in NYC, here, also watching the Mets #critlib #critbaseball
Intro me: Metadata & special collections gal @UMiamiLibraries #critlib
Hey #critlib - wish I could fully participate tonight as I was in the #crittechifesto session at #critlib15 but wildly prepping for life.- .@RoxanneShirazi didn't think I wanted to think about tech as much as it turns out I do! #critlib
@BNTdynomite #critlib in the field!
Hi #critlib - Instructional Design Librarian at Luther College here! #nightlibrarian
Jenna here, following the #critlib chat while watching biased reporting (even on Al Jazeera) on #FreddieGray / #BaltimoreUprisingQuestion 1: What ideas listed on the critlibtechifesto resonate with you + why?
- Q1. What ideas listed on the critlibtechifesto resonate with you + why? Draft is available @ http://tinyurl.com/critlibtechifesto … #critlib
- A1: I appreciate the reminder that "TECH IS ALWAYS MATERIAL." #critlib https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ch7w-q0NdIf9M9tbyTZpsrOozUlilZAzOarlpAm8hzo/edit …
- @activitystory yes, so much so. how do we get our expertise honored so we can pull others in and advocate for all. #critlib
- @catladylib menstruation trackers come immediately to mind. largely pink & flowery, geared towards trying to get pregnant #critlib
@catladylib A1 my bud @tinytempest has written abt gendered tech design. One was touch screens that only work with short nails #critlib
.@edrabinski one step further tho: self-directed learning, rather than tech checklist for job/institution. #critlib
And dig divide/ cell phone Web as acceessibility? #critlib https://twitter.com/activitystory/status/593220008664309761 …- A1 confused by the #critlib #critlibtech manifesto's failure to reference cats on teh internetz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zi8VTeDHjcM …
@edrabinski that sucks. can you run stuff of a flash drive? #critlib
@edrabinski me neither...it's a lovely struggle to get things I need to do my job sometimes...#critlib- . @edrabinski wait what. How do you work? How does that work? #critlib
- @edrabinski and outside forces trying to make our "play" into production #critlib
Also, #critlib, I'm just gonna drop this here https://twitter.com/RoxanneShirazi/status/571049183601426434 …- @typewritersball how so? Do you mean it's not useful, not challenging? #critlib
- .@BearintheBrary YES! also that not everyone benefits from tech equally. for many it means increased surveillance, etc. #critlib
- .@donnarosemary @BearintheBrary IMO, it's so important to foreground values other than/in addition to ease of use, convenience #critlib
- @donnarosemary @BearintheBrary ...not that things should be hard to use... but so much gets lost when that's all we think about #critlib
- @foureyedsoul this is incredibly important point, foundational! #critlib
A1: Divorce between technolust and working conditions http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/11/12/the-haunting-poetry-of-a-chinese-factory-worker-who-committed-suicide/ … #critlib- An important (and not easy to answer!) #critlib Q1.5 ...what are we talking about when we talk about technology? https://twitter.com/AllisonJaiODell/status/593222004712591360 …
- @AllisonJaiODell gah, we knew this would come up. it's hard to define tech when it has permeated so much. how could we narrow?#critlib
- .@AllisonJaiODell IMO important not to only think about digital technologies, which is often implied but misses a lot #critlib
- @edrabinski LOL, but mechanical, or good old-fashioned wood? #critlib
- A1.5 Article on #makerspaces listed a soldering iron as tech & a sewing machine as craft. So tech is for penis-related activities? #critlib
Question 2: Why/Do we need a #critlibtech manifesto?
- Q2. Why/Do we need a #critlibtech manifesto? #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian I think having a place to refer others/ourselves back to is useful, tho I agree re: a formalize document #critlib
- @BNTdynomite idea behind "agile" design. Something to be said for "looking" advanced & on the edge tho, in terms of user engagement #critlib
- Perhaps another way to think about Q2 then might be 'what needs will it address?' @Gaymerbrarian #critlib
@LibraryUFV I'd love to hear you expand on this idea! #critlib
“@catladylib: I'd love to hear you expand on this idea! #critlib” hmmm so hard in 140 char stints...- “@RoxanneShirazi: A2: ...to how we adopt and teach tech in libraries #critlib” not just tech but our notions of literacy & production
- A2: #critlibmanifesto could stand along many other statements of ethics and values for libraries. #critlib
- “@lisahubbell: A2: #critlib ... could stand along many other statements of ethics and values for libraries."which are also problematic
- @LibraryUFV Good point. One asset is that they get taught in library school. Could bring more emphasis to #critlib in MLIS.
- “@lisahubbell: Good point. One asset is that they get taught in library school. Could bring more emphasis to #critlib in MLIS.” ABSOLUTELY!!
- @eliganrood Or avoiding it for the sake of tradition. #critlib
- @eliganrood yeah, there's a kind of implied reliability when admins can refer to a specific doc/text instead of just general ideas. #critlib
- .@plutoHimself yep, then it's not just Eli being ornery again. "See! I'm part of a NATIONAL MOVEMENT!" #critlib
- Not to be all "here, read a million thingss" but this book is also reallly great http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/digital-dead-end … #critlib
- @activitystory something forward-facing to explain our choices to patrons, vendors and higher-ups. #critlib
- @donnarosemary thanks. I have "Ted Kaczynski" vibes when I read "manifesto" #critlib
- . @donnarosemary I was in the session and “manifesto” definitely had a playful connotation there. #critlib
- @librarygrrrl relieved to hear it! was what I sensed in all rhetoric/convo leading up to tonight, which eased potential anxiety :) #critlib
Co-edited a (sadly paywalled) issue of Radical Teacher on radical teaching w tech, w @ubiquity75 http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/radicalteacher.90.issue-90 … #critlib- @donnarosemary A2: Political connotations are strong. Does that make a manifesto more or less usable in advocacy? #critlib
- Good Q! I think for me, this kinda doc less for advocacy more for education, but others may approach diff! #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/593225509443514368 …
- “@donnarosemary: A2 I approach/use the word "manifesto" very playfully in this context. " maybe different term needed them? #critlib
- #critlib-bers Holler if you want copies of any of the paywalled articles. https://twitter.com/edrabinski/status/593225403449282560 …
- @typewritersball great Q + that's part of the reason we're here tonight sourcing from y'all what's important for libs to focus on. #critlib
- .@typewritersball Libs adopt tech, lend our authority to tech through the workshops we teach, etc. Can help us make good choices? #critlib
- Good question from @typewritersball....first answer is "well, because we're librarians." #critlib
- Less glibly, libraries are often community leaders exploring & providing access to technology for our folks @typewritersball #critlib Q2.1
@eliganrood @typewritersball because librarians are often bridges between tech and people who don't have access to tech #critlib
@eliganrood @typewritersball When teaching Word classes @ publibs, or rsrch instrct @ academic... it's users that change equation. #critlib- @eliganrood @typewritersball it's very important to consistently be mindful of OUR perspective when engaging with these ideas #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian Definitely. And ours users have/create knowledge and experience that I hope we can learn from as well. #critlib
- @typewritersball @eliganrood our users are not shaped by marketing departments. of course there's crossover btwn all ?s of tech. #critlib
- @typewritersball @eliganrood we can intersect ppl & tech in ways outside direct transaction, & that's a powerful position to be in. #critlib
- @typewritersball @eliganrood so for libs, these questions are essential to providing reliable/quality/meaningful info to our users. #critlib
- @biblioclast_ADP Sorry, what is metadata for good? Transparency? #critlib
- @laurenbgood @biblioclast_ADP Hmm, my original thought was providing context for tech. Making visible invisiblized infrastructures #critlib
- @laurenbgood @biblioclast_ADP if i remember correctly, its the idea of ensuring info is inclusive and this means even at the granular level
@laurenbgood From the google doc. Just made me laugh, the whole paragraph after it.- @biblioclast_ADP Well harrumphh. As preservation archivist, that paragraph is almost obv. But in tech context, with that title I got lost.
- @foureyedsoul and how we *should* do it differently. not always the case. #critlib
- #critlib Good paper on why manifesto/politics is important: http://tiny.cc/q7zjxx
Question 3: What are the core values?
- Stepped away from #critlib to help with senior paper citations, and now I'm trying to grab that wave! #nightlibrarian
- @LibraryUFV for me, playful is a strength. but recognize others may value different approaches too #critlib
- @donnarosemary @LibraryUFV Manifesto sounds defiant & organized, I think where the weirdness btwn them lies. But I like playful! #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian @LibraryUFV But what about "Manifesto!" <~~I swear that exclamation point makes it less provocative for me :) #critlib
@donnarosemary @Gaymerbrarian @LibraryUFV shouldn't it be provocative? manifestos are meant to wake people up #critlib- @ibeilin @Gaymerbrarian @LibraryUFV I think I mean: the exclam. point makes affective impact less severe/potentionally exclusionary #critlib
- @ibeilin @Gaymerbrarian @LibraryUFV I hovered over and paused at choosing my word there. "provocative" may not be best fit :) #critlib
- @donnarosemary @ibeilin @LibraryUFV I just meant - between "playful" & "manifesto" there's other shades of meaning to each word. #critlib
- @donnarosemary @ibeilin @LibraryUFV so that's where the implied gap comes from. BUT deconstructing that wothwhile too! #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian @ibeilin @LibraryUFV true! proof that even a collaboratively created text makes meaning differently for diff people #critlib
- A3: ALA Core Values have some overlap: access, intellectual freedom, social responsibility, prob more. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues … #critlib
- @laurenbgood @donnarosemary Connotations of the word, and past documents that have it in their titles. #critlib
- @violetbfox yeah!! And not doing tech purely for tech's sake #critlib
- @violetbfox information literacy #critlib
- And that openness is not a given but to be intererrogated case by case. #critlib https://twitter.com/kellymce/status/593227354467475456 …
- @lisalibrarian @laurenbgood #critlib I am a big fan of helping folks make informed decisions, wherever possible.
- @lisalibrarian @laurenbgood And certainly there are structural decisions, like default browser and search engine on pub computers. #critlib
- @lisalibrarian @laurenbgood oh, definitely -- making that choice visible is important. Default is often invisible. #critlib
- @lisalibrarian @laurenbgood I'm thinking of how much we take for granted w/tech -- users may not realize they have options. #critlib
- @lisalibrarian @laurenbgood lib limits, sure. But patrons often are surprised that they can change default settings on websites. #critlib
- So true since humans are still the root of tech creation and iteration. #critlib https://twitter.com/biblioclast_ADP/status/593227055011074048 …
- @BearintheBrary How we ride the waves with, behind, or ahead of our students/users. Not just teaching them to evaluate critically. #critlib
@lisahubbell I love this; we definitely stand at multiple intersections when it comes to student/patron advocacy and support. #critlib- @eliganrood ooooh yes, always making labor visible! #critlib
- @eliganrood Yes!! Thoughtful & intentional is such a simple formulation, but so on the nose! #critlib
- @eliganrood & that as orgs with often precarious funding, we need to be extra careful & transparent about why we spend $$ on tech #critlib
Question 4: Who benefits from the manifesto? Does anyone ‘own’ it? Will it be updated? How ought it to be promoted/distributed?
- YES YES YES! Let's do this! #critlib https://twitter.com/AllisonJaiODell/status/593230846817075200 …
- @AllisonJaiODell that would be amazing; it would be fascinating to see what our colleagues say. would you? #critlib
- A2 so, for ex, @AllisonJaiODell's sugg to distribute at next wrk mtg: my approach wld be to do this and hack it w/ my colleagues #critlib
- @eliganrood what is the *it*, exactly? #critlib
- @eliganrood YES. don't have to be part of "movement" to consider these questions (nothing is unreasonable here). #critlib
- Good news: It's a busy night at the library! Bad news: Just can't stay caught up with #critlib. #nightlibrarian
- @donnarosemary agreed, but that may be difficult to make clear in some cases, since it already exists in some form #critlib
- This would be my approach anyway I think :) #critlib https://twitter.com/cynth/status/593231154574069760 …
- Q4. Love @AllisonJaiODell's idea to distro at next meeting. As @donnarosemary mentioned, this is a convo starter #critlib
- @BNTdynomite I had a draft of a tweet saying JUST this :P inviting is a HUGE difference, connotes that authentic voice is valid too #critlib
- A4: plenty of listserv folks struggling with how to implement #ACRLFramework How does #critlib become what field feels need to implement?
Creating space for non-librarian voices=very important. Would love to hear others ideas on opening up convo #critlib https://twitter.com/BearintheBrary/status/593231045366927360 …- @BNTdynomite have an easily accessible place for people to go to get info, share ideas, contribute? Is it time for a #critlib wiki?
- @violetbfox @BNTdynomite good question! We have a tumblr, but maybe a wiki would be a helpful format? #critlib
- @kellymce @violetbfox I love the tumblr and would love to see it expand to our stakeholders, not just librarians.
- @kellymce @violetbfox @BNTdynomite v. interested in a #critlib wiki (also critlib contributions to wikipedia)
- @BNTdynomite @fiiidget @violetbfox there was a chat about creating a #Critlib Wikipedia page, shd be linked fr the cheatsheet.
- Spot on, @BearintheBrary. Ownership is less of who owns and more of "collective responsibility" Q. #critlib https://twitter.com/BearintheBrary/status/593231293858455552 …
- @BNTdynomite @BearintheBrary This comes back around to seats at the table. Does #critlib have them with institutional colleagues?
- Moments like this I imagine a future where we tag our thoughts & send via synapse to a shared motherboard #critlib https://twitter.com/kellymce/status/593231880566145025 …
- @donnarosemary ahhhhhh! Sounds dystopic to me!! #critlib
- @RoxanneShirazi I like this a lot!! #critlib
Question 5: How/Does/Would the tech manifesto inform other critical conversations happening in libraries (eg. oa, infolit, frameworks, diversity) & Wrap Up
- @BearintheBrary one of my first #critlib chats involved discussing the "professional" aspect of the degree & that was transformative...
- @BearintheBrary having not worked in libs b4, I didn't realize how valuable that was to lib functions. reason I keep coming back. #critlib
- @BearintheBrary #critlibtech is hiding under every book, discarded flopped disk, and lost USB drive. #critlib
- @eliganrood and i are so stoked to begin this convo with you all; seems like it might need to happen again #critlib
- Yes! Love idea of bringing these ideas to colleagues outside #critlib & coming back to keep building this manifesto! https://twitter.com/cynth/status/593233140019167232 …
- My #critlib pitch is, once again, for all LIS students to submit papers to the Braverman prize: http://progressivelibrariansguild.org/content/award.shtml … Deadline is Friday!
@oksveta @ibeilin and @jenpoggiali had an excellent paper on this at ACRL: http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/confsandpreconfs/2015/Poggiali.pdf … #critlib- And as a last moment of #critlib pitching, a brief blog post I wrote abt importance of librarians on wikipedia: http://bit.ly/wikipost2
- @eiratansey Dude! #critlib chat tonight gave me strength. Thanks for turning me on to it!
- a huge thanks to fellow #critlib host @eliganrood for a great convo tonight. so many great critical ideas within our profession!
- And huge thanks 2 @oksveta @RoxanneShirazi @librarygrrrl and @barnlib for planting, sewing + watering #critlib tech manifesto seeds!
- In which I get credit for being at the IRL discussion & bringing up cats during the #critlib chat. #contributions https://twitter.com/cynth/status/593239282120151040 …
@BNTdynomite I'm going to LOEX! #critlib meetup would be fun :)
