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We’re talking with Kevin again about workers inquiry as an organizing tool and the example of the pamphlet The American Worker from 1947.
Twitter: https://x.com/AmericanWork47
readingstruggles.info
notesfrombelow.org
Media mentioned
The American Worker on COVER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikphd5bNza4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Ff9eaa73e-0b64-4316-a994-c97369b4e555.usrfiles.com%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY
“Searching for the American Worker” https://newpol.org/issue_post/searching-for-the-american-worker/
Culbertson, Anna W. “Our Labor, Our Terms: Workers’ Inquiry in Libraries,” in “Assemblage, Inquiry, and Common Work in Library and Information Studies,” eds. Melissa Adler and Andrew Lau. Special issue, Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies 4; https://journals.litwinbooks.com/index.php/jclis/article/view/175 (CC BY-NC)
In and against the state: discussion notes for socialists. https://libcom.org/book/export/html/31378
Reading Struggles: Working-Class Self-Activity from Detroit to Turin and Back Again. https://www.readingstruggles.info/
Guerillas of Desire: Notes on Everyday Resistance and Organizing to Make a Revolution Possible. https://www.akpress.org/guerrillas-of-desire.html
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/bgobg2t9
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
This week we have Kay back on to talk about AI and what the refusal of AI means in terms of library practice and theory.
Bsky: @kslater.bsky.social
Media mentioned
Kay’s article in Library Trends: Against AI: Critical Refusal in the Library
The AI Con (book) https://thecon.ai/
“Synthetic literacy” forthcoming from Dr. Kishonna Gray https://www.kishonnagray.com/
librarians doing infolit session part of that is telling the students how it will track you - privacy issues
https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2016/putting-critical-information-literacy-into-context-how-and-why-librarians-adopt-critical-practices-in-their-teaching/
https://infolit.org.uk/privacy-and-surveillance-in-the-classroom-responding-to-new-information-literacy-challenges/
https://acrlog.org/2020/11/13/privacy-consent-and-the-virtual-one-shot/
https://datalabelers.org/
https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/cia-triad
The People’s Platform (book) https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250062598/thepeoplesplatform/
Transcript: https://paste.ofcode.org/HNKAPrHLSPgUpNuraN3m2F
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
This week we’re talking with Young Adult author and children’s librarian Hal to talk about hir new book, vampires, monstrosity, the Old Internet, and the publishing landscape.
Pre-order Fawn’s Blood here: https://www.sevenstories.com/books/4753-fawn-s-blood
halschrieve.com
Media mentioned
https://www.tumblr.com/librarycards
https://www.tumblr.com/gatheringbones
Books/Literature
Small changes over long periods of time https://www.uncannymagazine.com/article/small-changes-long-periods-time/
Failure to Comply https://www.featherproof.com/catalog/failure-to-comply-sarah-cavar
Dead Collections https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678855/dead-collections-by-isaac-fellman/
Carmilla https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmilla
Thirst https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/712422/thirst-by-marina-yuszczuk-translated-by-heather-cleary/
Peeps, Scott Westerfeld https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peeps_(novel)
Little F (formerly Little Faggot) https://www.feministpress.org/books-overflow/litte-f
Mortal Companion, Patrick Califia https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/620928.Mortal_Companion
The Fist of the Spider Woman https://arsenalpulp.com/Books/F/Fist-of-the-Spider-Woman
Mermaid in Chelsea Creek https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/mermaid-in-chelsea-creek
Cold, Mariko Tamaki https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250831569/cold/
Read at Your Own Risk https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250323354/readatyourownrisk/
It Better Be Worth the Trip – First gay YA novel (1969) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ll_Get_There._It_Better_Be_Worth_the_Trip
The Outsiders https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsiders_(novel)
Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speak_(Anderson_novel)
Looking for Alaska, John Green https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking_for_Alaska
Books by Raina Telgemeier
Books by Svetlana Chmakova
Books by Tiffany Jackson
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales https://www.nathanhaleauthor.com/
We Are Palestinian https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/We-Are-Palestinian/Reem-Kassis/9781623717254
These Olive Trees https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/703283/these-olive-trees-by-aya-ghanameh/
Hilwa’s Gifts https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774226/hilwas-gifts-by-safa-suleiman-illustrated-by-anait-semirdzhyan/
Movies
Hackers (1995) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/
Dracula’s Daughter (1936) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0027545/
Nosferatu (2024) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5040012/
Daughters of Darkness (1971) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067690
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116367/
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103874
Blade (1998) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120611/
I Am Legend
Disney Channel’s Zombies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombies_(2018_film)
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/wruy3we6
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
This week we’re talking about workers’ inquiry with the Blue Bottle Independent Union for cafe workers! Learn about workers’ inquiry, organization, and how you can do it too!
Media mentioned
Part 1 (on what cafe workers think and do while at work): https://notesfrombelow.org/article/class-composition-in-the-cafe-sector-part-1
Part 2 (exploring how cafe workers are organizing at work): https://notesfrombelow.org/article/class-composition-in-the-cafe-sector-part-2
Marx 101 questions Enquête Ouvrière (“Workers’ Inquiry”) for Benoît Malon’s French newspaper La Revue Socialiste https://notesfrombelow.org/article/introduction-karl-marxs-workers-inquiry
Blood in the Machine: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/blood-in-the-machine/9780316487740/?lens=little-brown
https://theworkandus.squarespace.com/
https://newlaborforum.cuny.edu/
https://workingpeople.libsyn.com/
http://workersinquiry.work/
Support Blue Bottle Union
https://www.bluebottleunion.org/
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-blue-bottle-workers-taking-on-nestle
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/jmhcyzvo
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Recording of our first ever live show! Guests Alison and Jennie talk with us about organizing, contracts, AI nonsense, updates, and more! You don’t want to miss the audience participation either!
info@libraryfreedom.org Email for LFP mailing list.
Media mentioned
SPARC contracts library: https://sparcopen.org/our-work/big-deal-knowledge-base/contracts-library/
Data Cartels, Sarah Lamdan - https://www.sup.org/books/law/data-cartels
https://commonslibrary.org/organizing-people-power-and-change-the-one-on-one-meeting/
Capitalist Realism, Mark Fisher - https://files.libcom.org/files/%5BMark_Fisher%5D_Capitalist_Realism_Is_There_no_Alte(BookZZ.org).pdf
The fourth Librarian Futures report reveals critical gaps—and opportunities—in how librarians can lead on AI integration in higher education https://www.sagepub.com/explore-our-content/press-office/press-releases/2025/05/20/new-technology-from-sage-report-explores-librarian-leadership-in-the-age-of-ai
Siembra ICE training: https://www.siembranc.org/
Kay Slater, Library Trends upcoming article on AI.
https://labornotes.org/events
One on One training https://commonslibrary.org/organizing-people-power-and-change-the-one-on-one-meeting/
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/whwtxubp
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
We have David Demchuk on to talk about his new book The Butcher's Daughter. We also talk about more Canada updates, including how the backlash against queer and Black literature is evolving in the Canadian landscape with US backing.
Media mentioned
https://www.techdirt.com/2025/03/19/youtube-apparently-unsure-if-shakespeare-is-in-the-public-domain/
Get the book here:
https://sohopress.com/books/the-butchers-daughter-the-hitherto-untold-story-of-mrs-lovett/
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/ik2fbytc
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
We’re talking with Kelly about the IMLS executive order and fallout.
Kelly on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/heykellyjensen.bsky.social
Literary Activism Newsletter: https://bookriot.com/newsletter/literary-activism/
Media mentioned
https://mn.gov/mmb/budget/federal-investments/data-and-reporting/
https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/virginia/virginia-beach-moca-museum-of-contemporary-art-federal-grant-terminated/291-bbbaeb6f-6954-4f3a-ab6d-96d63b962619 May 11
IMLS stories
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.rid.59257/gov.uscourts.rid.59257.64.0.pdf (May 21)
https://bookriot.com/trump-seeks-stay-in-imls-injunction-sonderling-bashes-imls-employees-in-declaration/ (May 20)
https://www.wordsandmoney.com/ala-urges-court-to-deny-dojs-motion-for-reconsideration-in-imls-case/ (May 14)
https://bookriot.com/massive-victory-in-lawsuit-filed-against-trump-administrations-dismantling-of-imls/ (May 13)
https://bookriot.com/the-latest-from-the-institute-of-museum-and-library-services/ (May 6, 2025)
https://bookriot.com/recent-attacks-on-libraries/ (Apr 15, 2025)
https://bookriot.com/imls-gutted/ (Mar 31, 2025)
Labor Lessons from the US South event: bit.ly/laborlessons
Live show tickets: https://bit.ly/librarypunklive25
Conference sticker fundraiser: https://ko-fi.com/s/8b9407ef58
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcripts: https://pastecode.io/s/57rpgz05 (more disjointed than usual due to recording issue)
We're doing a commentary track for Party Girl! Download this and manually sync up while you listen.
You can also download a version with the Party Girl audio ducked while we talk here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/krw8v6bq8hh5d6b2svmif/149final.mp3?rlkey=925eywxqlana90acil7eeaqsd&st=hbgjxs3n&dl=0
You can also join the discord to see other ways to enjoy this track!
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcript download: https://pastecode.io/s/wxnjkfox
This week we’re talking with the editors of the new book Censorship is a Drag. We talk about putting yourself on the line, personal and professional risks, and reacting to the latest administration’s onslaught against queer people.
Order Censorship is a Drag here: https://litwinbooks.com/books/censorship-is-a-drag/
Media mentioned
The Joy of Gay Sex: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-joy-of-gay-sex-charles-silversteinfelice-picano
Sara Ahmed’s works
The Feminist Killjoy Handbook: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sara-ahmed/the-feminist-killjoy-handbook/9781541603752/?lens=seal-press
Bri Watson join Homosaurus call: https://bsky.app/profile/brimwats.com/post/3lkvvyv4szk2w
Form for Homosaurus: https://forms.gle/tADEnq9qPYk3e5eE6
Fairhope Public Library story: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/24/alabama-fairhope-public-library-book-bans
Indigenous metadata projects to look into:
Maori: https://natlib.govt.nz/librarians/nga-upoko-tukutuku
Others: https://guides.library.ubc.ca/Indiglibrarianship/knowledgeorganizations
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/r8istne2
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
We’re talking with Josh from TWOAPW about Patmos Public Library, his personal connections to it, and the issues around public library funding and censorship of LGTBQ materials.
https://www.worstpossible.world/
https://www.twitch.tv/traditional_scrench
TWOAPW Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:kp7xkxfutoinhqeg3sfswghd
Media Mentioned
Segment: https://www.kcrg.com/2025/02/25/bill-ban-obscene-material-iowa-libraries-advances/
Why it’s called the Patmos library: https://hudsedfound.org/what-we-do/engage-alumni/marvinandjunepatmos.html
Whose Children Are They: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18559276/
Reporting from the time of the initial removal vote:
https://www.metrotimes.com/news/conservative-michigan-town-defunds-library-over-lgbtq-book-30736450
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/upset-over-lgbtq-books-michigan-town-defunds-its-library-tax-vote
https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/politics/jamestown-township-library-close-failed-millage-lgbtq/69-021f241b-611c-4856-bd7f-0994f967e714
Go Fund Me set up: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-patmos-library-for-2023
Reporting on the failure of the second vote:
https://www.mlive.com/politics/2022/11/patmos-library-millage-fails-again-following-controversy-over-lgbtq-books.html
MLA statement after second vote: https://www.milibraries.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1375:statement-on-patmos-library-millage---news---michigan-library-association&catid=44:news-advocacy&Itemid=311
Funding approved:
https://lanthorn.com/101674/news/allendale/jamestown-library-funding-approved-after-multi-year-content-disagreements/
https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/politics/michigan-politics/millage-vote-fund-jamestown-township-patmos-library-fails-ottawa-county/69-8102ff6f-1944-4246-a967-c2b3dc3a119e
MLive documentary on banning books in Michigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x043zuGWgMA
Another Michigan library: https://bookriot.com/alpena-public-library/
Porn hunters in Canada: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6656855
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcripts: https://pastecode.io/s/ybvo6u1t
We’re talking with Nicole of Brave Co-op about their overdose sensors, and Samantha of Guelph Public Library. Trigger warning: death by overdose is mentioned several times
Media mentioned
https://www.brave.coop/about
Welcoming Streets Guelph: https://guelphchc.ca/welcoming-streets/
Hope House Guelph: https://www.hopehouseguelph.ca/
Facts on Narcan and fent test strips in Texas: https://www.trs.texas.gov/Pages/healthcare-news-202301_Fentanyl_Facts.aspx
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/j4gauhdc
We're talking with QLL about who they are and what they do!
Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/queerliblib
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/queerliblib/?hl=en
Bsky https://bsky.app/profile/queerliblib.bsky.social
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@queerliblib
Media mentioned
https://www.queerliberationlibrary.org
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/queer-liberation-library-offers-free-lgbtq-books-response-wave-school-rcna156463
https://xtramagazine.com/culture/books/queer-libraries-book-bans-activism-255227
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/library_sp/68/
https://www.gaycity.org/library-information/
Donate: https://givebutter.com/J9nhcW
Preorder The Emperor of Gladness (% of pre-order proceeds go to QLL): https://sites.prh.com/emperor-of-gladness/preorder/
It’s in the title.
Media mentioned
BIBFRAME Must Die,Jeff Edmunds https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/resources/fc19faee-70b9-44b3-9346-18e40a2cd990
BIBFRAME Must Die, Part II: the Official RDA Toolkit, JEFF EDMUNDS https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/resources/40be29ce-4342-475f-b380-d8ed065b3643
BIBFRAME Must Die, Part III: A Brief History of the Future of Cataloging https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/resources/6100de9a-5f6f-400f-90ea-fe517d16152d
“Missing the MARC: Utilization of MARC fields in the search process.” https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1314&context=lib_pubs
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/ssabs0oo
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
We’re talking with Rachel about peer mentoring, networking, friend groups, and how we’re navigating the online social space. What experiences do we have with peers, how is engagement changing after COVID?
Media mentioned
“They didn’t teach this in Library School” Against The Grain 30, no. 6 (2019) https://issuu.com/against-the-grain/docs/atg_v30-6
https://pemento.org/
Descriptive presentation at Charleston 2022 https://youtu.be/_mkHudh_LAg?si=gSril-1fQa9Ue344)
Amplifying Historically Marginalized Voices Through Open Pedagogy in Rethinking Institutional Repositories p.219
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/g1wgo1nk
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
This week we have Mike Nason on to talk about open scholarship, publishing, Crossref, NISO, and decentralized publishing futures. Also Jay airs his grievances against Dublin Core.
https://bsky.app/profile/ahemnason.bsky.social
Media referenced
Better Practices in Journal Metadata https://docs.pkp.sfu.ca/metadata-practices/en/
(NISO) JAV Revision + Draft https://www.niso.org/standards-committees/jav-revision
PIDs and Open Infrastructure Deck https://slides.com/ahemnason/pids-osi-2024
Identifying Metadata Quality Issues Across Cultures (preprint) https://osf.io/6fykh
Mike’s https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5527-8489
Getting Found, Staying Found: https://docs.pkp.sfu.ca/getting-found-staying-found/en/
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/k67htspf
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
We’re talking about Library Futures! All of them! All at once! CDL, ebook contracts, opera, genAI, and some surprisingly deep Jennie-lore.
https://www.libraryfutures.net/who-we-are
https://bsky.app/profile/littlewow.bsky.social
https://bsky.app/profile/libraryfutures.bsky.social
Media mentioned
The End of Ownership https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262535243/the-end-of-ownership/
UC AI-generated course: https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/comparative-literature-zrinka-stahuljak-artificial-intelligence?taid=6755debeb8836e000133c355
New Research Report: OER in Public Libraries: https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/new-research-report-oer-in-public-libraries
Hoopla content issues: https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/hooplas-content-problem
Storm Center (1956) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049800/
Library Futures ebook legislation: https://www.libraryfutures.net/library-futures-ebooks-policy-paper
How to Read a Contract: https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/how-to-read-a-contract
Library Freedom Project vendor scorecard: https://libraryfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Library-Freedom-Vendor-Scorecard-110719.pdf
Authors Alliance - Developing a public interest training commons of books: https://www.authorsalliance.org/2024/12/05/developing-a-public-interest-training-commons-of-books/
I think AI should leave: https://violetbfox.info/against-ai/
Justin’s word list: https://pastecode.io/s/s3kq4kzo
More from Library Futures
https://cats.libraryfutures.net/
https://www.cilip.org.uk/news/685877/US-Election---the-risk-for-libraries.htm
https://syllabus.pirate.care/topic/piratecareintroduction/
https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/were-still-fighting-for-fair-use
https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2020/the-library-commons/
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262542333/the-promise-of-access/
https://www.libraryfutures.net/oer
https://www.libraryfutures.net/post/how-much-does-obamas-summer-reading-list-cost-your-library
https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/an-app-called-libby-and-the-surprisingly-big-business-of-library-e-books
CATS! from Library Futures https://cats.libraryfutures.net
Vintage banger: https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2014/who-are-you-empowering/
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4184946
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcripts: https://pastecode.io/s/ri7ufg9o
This week we’re interviewing Brandon and Katherine on metadata related to indigenous issues, but we of course stray into many other topics.
Katherine: https://linktr.ee/katwitzig
Brandon: bcastle [at] umass [dot] edu
Media mentioned
https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZtaU2XZlPEhmIW1OV7k8O
PCC Task Group Charge: https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/taskgroup/Metadata-Related-to-Indigenous-Peoples-Americas-TG-charge.pdf
Preliminary Report (PCC Task Group for Metadata Related to Indigenous Peoples of the Americas): https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/taskgroup/Metadata-Related-to-Indigenous-Peoples-Americas-TG-preliminary-report.pdf
Short article on our work in Descriptive Notes (blog of Society of American Archivists): https://saadescription.wordpress.com/2024/05/20/taking-on-the-challenge-pccs-metadata-justice-work-for-indigenous-communities/
https://www.landgrabu.org/
https://localcontexts.org/
https://localcontexts.org/labels/traditional-knowledge-labels/
https://ailanet.org/
Transcripts:https://pastecode.io/s/ck3tz6ym
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
What can library workers actually do within their institutional limitations?
Media mentioned
https://www.404media.co/leaked-documents-show-what-phones-secretive-tech-graykey-can-unlock-2/
https://www.blackrosefed.org/anarchists-in-the-labor-movement-4/
https://github.com/rechelon/zine_library
https://www.digitalrightsbytes.org/
https://ssd.eff.org/
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/3h472fne
This week we’re talking with Emily Weak from Hiring Librarians and answering listener questions about getting the MLS, job hunting, and more!
https://x.com/HiringLib
https://emilyweak.com/
https://bsky.app/profile/hiringlibrarians.com
https://livingwage.mit.edu/
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcripts: https://pastecode.io/s/rakyczca
We’re getting into our favorite copyright myths and some copyright related news.
Media mentioned
Tattoo copyright news: https://apnews.com/article/kat-von-d-tattoo-trial-miles-davis-388d1831c0a065b096fe4f69fe8a224e
Wiley news, sells rights to AI https://www.thebookseller.com/news/wiley-set-to-earn-44m-from-ai-rights-deals-confirms-no-opt-out-for-authors
https://fanlore.org/wiki/Disclaimer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_issues_with_fan_fiction
https://fanlore.org/wiki/Disclaimer
https://www.eff.org/pages/eff-screen-lock-images-new-logo
Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/zzEpV9QEAG
Transcript: https://pastecode.io/s/q0qhmqpg





