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01 Kick-off: Tasks of the Contingent Librarian

Pad: Introduction to the Special Issue with Simon
In this Special Issue, How Do We Library That?, we will start by considering the word "library" as a verb; actions that sustains the production, collection and distribution of texts. We will question indexical attitudes that lean towards universalisms and search for proposals for how we "library" our particular collection.


This first session was about listening to Simon, to each other, and to ourselves. Simon shared with us the cards from Tasks of the Contingent Librarian. We took notes collectively on the pad on what has been said by each one of us or in pars. I think we all enjoyed the process and the chance to work together because we decided to do the assignment (make cards for the bootleg library) as a team. We made 6 cards in total. Have a look at the Pad below.

Scan and listen

02 Print Screen

Pad: Print & Publication Station & XML

It was interesting to have a look at the bootleg library and XML (experimental media lab). Simon gave us a task to select a text from the books in them and then to reflect on what's been read. I decided to work with one super cool book, Resonant bodies, voices, memories. I recorded 6 minutes of audio of me talking about the book. Then we used the files to make a transcription in vosk. It was fun to see if and how the software will (or will not) capture words, sounds, and pronunciations. My text file was super messy and nothing made sense.

03 Text, TBC

Pad: Dimensions of text - editorial, technical, social
We went to the Research station and we met W., the librarian/gardener.

04 Scribes Getting Personal ☞

Pad: Different ways to indicate/index/point to things

Web-to-Print We had a full-day workshop on web-to-print at the Varia library (Gouwstraat 3, Rotterdam). Output: make more cards and work with the space at vvvvvaria.

  • Pandoc - web to print
  • Assignment - Devise a proof of concept for your "HTML gardening". Next week we meet again at Varia to materialise the outcomes.


05 Gardening the Library

Pad: Week Five: Gardening the Library

My Notes

Before going to varia, I went to a nearby coffee and found a nice book. Sequential Drawings: THE NEW YORKER SERIES By Richard McGuire

06 Paper Machines

Pad: Paper Machines


We started the day with a review of the reading materials Simon suggested before the break and we also watched those two videos. Here are his notes on Vannevar Bush 'As We May Think'. Suzan found this website about the 'Classified Index of Card Games' and saw these Flower Cards.


Discussed also these:


As a result of today's class we developed the first version of the rules. We made them as we were playing.

07 Six: A Textile, A Framework

Pad: A Textile, A Framework

How do we library that?

When we ask "HOW" we want to know more about methods, systems, and ways to do something. This question is about the process (or steps) that can lead us to achieve a certain output. So the answer to this SI's question might be hidden in the process of gardening. Seeing "library" and "garden" as intertwined actions, and gardening as the way we can library something, to answer the HOW question.

 In "How do we library that?" we already have our WHAT and WHY. 
What = a library
Why = having a library

We visited the Social Practice Library and met Jeanne and her team

Questions:
Imagine this, you want to begin developing something (a library) or you are a beginner in doing something (librarying), so you might probably feel overwhelmed, your mind is flooded with so many questions and don't know where to start. There is so much to be done, and you are not sure where to start no order, no steps, no

  1. What this library is about?
  2. What do you want to create?
  3. Why does gardening matter to you?
  4. What elements are part of your dream garden?
  5. What elements are not part of your dream garden?
  6. What are the first books, magazines, or publications that immediately come to mind when you think of library produce?
  7. Are you going to have help from library members and other people?
  8. Think about your specific growing and garden zone. Do you have a long growing season or a short one?
  9. Do you want "crops" you can store for some months?
  10. Do you like caring for people (readers, volunteers, team members)?
  11. Do you have a container garden with seeds?
  12. Beginner set up recommendations for seeds?
  13. How do you know what to put together? Do you organize by author, genre, and cover color?
  14. Conditions - sunlight, soil, moisture?
  15. What do we like to read?
  16. Is it accessible?


08 Seven: Permutation

Developing the How to play our game / Rules of the Game


Generateing a specific set of rules of the game we intend to present on the release. Today we focused on making the game understandable for the players/visitors/guests. We put ourselves in the players's shoes and tried to make the instructions much clear and also playful for the ones who are about to play it.

  • Audience

We started with defining who is our audience; who we would like to invite; thinking of the limitations and possibilities of the space.

  • Workflow

We started answering all questions we had about what will happen from the moment people start showing up at the door, during playing and the outcome at the end of the night.