GLAM Blog Club March 2018


February’s theme ‘watch’ is a wrap! It’s really interesting how many different ways the theme has been approached. If you haven’t already, make sure to check out everyone’s blogs.

Stacey, in DIY with videos, explains how much she has learnt by watching video tutorials via YouTube and Lynda.com, including knitting and using software programs.

Philip’s blog, Something to watch out for; or, Info-feudalism? Not on my watch; or, Tricknology 2.0, argues for a need to watch that “We may be heading for an age of info-feudalism, where we are back to the Dark Ages in terms of having reliable empirical evidence of the wider world, and trust for such mediated information lies with hierarchical structures of authority (in the academic sense, i.e., the ability to make authoritative statements) that replicate the feudal system in form.

Sarah is Watching GLAM activism on Twitter, witnessing the break of neutrality in the GLAM sector. Sarah aims to progress from watching activism, to being involved in activism herself.

Happier Librarian lists three YA lit books with Indigenous themes to watch out for: Sounds That Sound Like Blood; Clancy of the Undertow; and Becoming Kirrali Lewis in Indigenous YA fiction to watch out for….

Clare shares examples of LGBTIQ+ digital storytelling and other digital history-related projects to watch in Queer eye for the librarian ally: Go from LGBTIQ+ collection developed to community development and back again.

In my blog, Private moments, I state that a key aspect of the job of the archivist is to watch private moments in the correspondence, diary entries, works in process, contained within archives.

Andrew is feeling frustrated about the state of things in the GLAM sector, “If you like most only watch, then my dear Angelheaded Hipsters, watch what others do (or don’t).”

Alissa’s second cardi party was at ACCA at the Unfinished Business: Perspectives on art and feminism, in her blog Art // attack, Alissa describes the urge to go from watching to creating. “Despite having the artistic capability of a garden snail I was filled with a strange compulsion to do art. Watching art created by other people suddenly wasn’t enough. I didn’t know what I might do—I had no experience of doing it. I had this incredible need to express myself, artistically. To create, somehow. To be more than words.” I’m really sorry that you had a sub-acute panic episode at the cardi party lunch. Thankful for you sharing that experience, and I’m also thankful that you felt better the next day and visited NGV Triennial. Art is good for your wellbeing, and sharing your feelings is also important. Thanks Alissa.

Michaela’s We are volcanoes, like Sarah’s blog, is about going from watching to acting, to be the change. “One way we can enact change immediately is in who we choose to cite, or give voice to. In our papers, our talks, our blogs. We  also nudge the revolution along every time we buy a book or watch a movie or a play written by someone who isn’t a cisgendered pale male.” 

In On the look out… Clare shares some library trends we should watch out for, so make sure to read her blog to find out more.

Thank you to everyone for your blogs, it’s wonderful to read your ideas, projects, and learn more about what’s going on in GLAM.

Introducing our theme for March, it’s happiness! What makes you happy? Your job? Visiting your favourite library? Getting lost in an exhibition? We look forward to reading your blogs about happiness.

Don’t forget to give your blog post the correct metadata: tag your post ‘GLAM Blog Club‘ within your blogging software and share it on social media using the tag #glamblogclub – don’t get the two mixed up! Using the right terms helps us enormously with these roundup posts. If you have not yet done so, you can also register your blog at glamblogs.newcardigan.org – if you have a Pocket account you can also connect it to the app so you never miss a post.