User:Zpalomagar/RW&RM 3
MARGINAL CONVERSATIONS
Intro
Marginal Conversations is a workshop which explores collective reading, annotating and performing texts. We read, and write notes in the margins; usually in private, isolated from other readers. We come across texts with others' notes on them; the author unknown, their thoughts obscure. What happens when we share our notes, vocalise and perform them?
In this workshop, participants read, annotate and discuss the open letter "In Solidarity with Library Genesis and Sci-Hub", which asks for pirate library practices to come out from the shadows. This letter was selected for many reasons; it was an introduction for us to the thematic "Interfacing the Law", it's available in many languages, and presents an argument that generates interesting conversations. We compare annotations to detect common areas of interest and to also explore different methods, where readers can develop codes and techniques to extend the content of the source and express their personal understanding of it. The goal is not only to find areas of agreement, but also to discover tensions, disagreements etc. with the letter, which can also develop into fruitful conversations.
We leave traces of our reading, enriched by our doubts, sympathies, tensions and diverse understandings. We personalise the text, opening it up for collective conversations. Our voices occupy the space and leave traces on the text and in the library.
Workshop structure
First of all, we have a quick round to introduce ourselves and share some thoughts around pirate/shadow libraries.
This workshop is divided in 3 parts: Part 1: Reading && annotating Part 2: Creating “heatmaps” && discussing through annotations Part 3: Performative reading and recording
Why annotate together? We see annotations as a way to express our understandings, questions, comments, disagreements, tensions and positions about what we read. We aim to form collective understandings of this text and open up conversations about its theme; shadow libraries and piracy practices. We explore ways in which texts can become conversations through collectively reading aloud and performing our annotations.
Part 1: Reading && annotating
— Organisation: Individual — Materials: Annotation packs, containing: a) an A3 printout of the open letter “In Solidarity with Library Genesis and Sci-Hub” in English, b) an A3 sheet of carbon paper, c) an A3 sheet of tracing paper, and four-colour ballpoint pens — Supplementary Materials: A4 printouts of the open letter “In Solidarity with Library Genesis and Sci-Hub”, in languages other than English (Bulgarian, Belarusian, Dutch, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovakian, Croatian, Ukranian)
Steps: 1. Provide the annotation packs. 2. If needed, provide the text in languages other than English to support our reading. 3. Each participant reads the text individually. 4. Each participant annotates the text on their annotation pack.
How can texts be extended? The provided tools provide possibilities for participants to create diverse codes and levels of expression. We don’t see this text as a sacred document. Our aim is to extend its content and enrich it with our collective questions, doubts, agreements, disagreements, points for conversations.
Part 2: Creating “heatmaps” && discussing through annotations
— Organisation: Groups of 2-3 — Materials: Same as Part 1
Steps: 1. Divide in groups of 2-3 people. 2. In our groups, compare our annotations and discuss the text. What was interesting? Did we make sense? Are there specific parts we want to discuss? 3. Create a “heatmap” of the text by placing tracing papers with annotations on top of each other, comparing which areas are annotated, how and why. 4. Each group selects parts of the text to read aloud and perform in Part 3.
What positions can be accomodated? We collectively develop strategies to “amplify” specific parts of the text that we want to comment on, for diverse reasons, not only agreement. We invite a plurality of positions and strategies; doubts, queries, tensions, suggestions, additions, experimentations, +++
Part 3: Performative reading && recording
— Organisations: All together — Materials: Annotated “In Support of Library Genesis & Sci-Hub” letter, audio recording device, speakers
Steps: 1. Work with the paragraphs selected in the previous part. 2. Read aloud the text in turns (changing at every sentence). 3. Record! 4. Play the recordings from small speakers in the space of the library.
Why record our performed annotations? We perform the text and our annotations in ways that show our positions and understandings. When we have an annotation, we do or say something (e.g. interrupt, raise our hands, make a noise, use an accent, use intonation to convey emotion etc). The text becomes a “play”, a performance. We want to activate the text, by transforming it into a conversation through spoken annotation. The recording exists as a trace of our voices and bodies, with their expressive qualities, movements and sounds.
THE PIRATEBAY WORM
Abstract
The Pirate Bay is a digital and physical avant-garde media library in which you can find more than 6500 items including zines, books, CDs and DVDs. The users can access this library using two different paths. On the one hand the digital library is available online (http://thepiratebay.worm.org ) . Here you can find an extensive list of items that are available and you can obtain an identifier and description in order to facilitate the search process. Some of these items are directly available online so you can find a link to the content under the "relation" label (The Pirate Bay never offers you the files directly). On the other hand you can use the physical library placed in Worm-Rotterdam that you can visit in pre-defined time slots (Every Wednesday till Friday from 20.00-23.00 you can access ). The access to this library is free and it's promoted under the slogan "downloads are boring and passé" encouraging users to have a physical approach to the items that they are interested in.
This library is based on a "do it yourself" attitude. You can visit the physical storage and photocophy zines or books, digitise the VHS tapes or burn CDs or DVDs and everything for free. Worm Pirate Bay library is not just a place to copy paste it's also a space to enjoy. Promoted under the name: THE DISPLAY, this area allows you reading, watching, listening and sleeping inside this soft, pink womb. Pirate Bay library believes that "everything is for everyone", and "copyright is the biggest killer of creativity" so this library is publishing all this content defending that its latest goal is a global and common interest.
Questions
What is the motivation to make such a library? The idea of creating a community seems to be there ; to what degree is it built on an existing infrastructure.? They used to have a DVD library and a bookshop used to be there (so the conditions for a publically shared space were already established.. What are they trying to achieve by dividing the avilable time to visit it into time small time slots, does this create a space that while being more limited also enhances the community aspect of it? The physical space of worm is directly connected to the web library. It requires some effort to go there, some time too. Is that an important feature? Is fast access not a priority? By asking users of the library to pirate material on location, who bears the responsibility for breaking the law? Is this a phenomenon of the withdrawal of social welfare, allowing new agents to appear in place of what used to be the responsibility of the state? Is there a battlefield of whose responsibility is to provide a public library, and to offer knowledge? If you have to do a physical work to obtain your information ( photocophy, burn a cd) you are more careful and selective with the information that you are interested in. How do you know you are breaking the law? Are you conscious you are breaking the law? If I am not conscious when I am breaking the law. Am I doind that by accident? Does the action of copying raise my awareness that 'property is theft' (everything is for everyone)? To what degree is it a symbolic institution? Which are the regulations when you are copying something in a physical field? Is this physical and close relation safer when we talk about breaking the law terms? Is there any intention of curating material or is everything valid? They have tags There should be a connection between the people who run it and the content; requires effort from user and custodans.