librarypunk

librarypunk

librarypunk is a leftist library worker podcast.

Episodes

November 1, 2025 89 mins

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

“S...

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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 stude...

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September 2, 2025 71 mins

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://...

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-com...

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July 3, 2025 87 mins

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-carte...

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June 19, 2025 89 mins

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-...

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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

Transcri...

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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-silversteinfeli...

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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...

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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...

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February 14, 2025 69 mins

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-fe517d1615...

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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/_...

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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 Infrastru...

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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/s...

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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...

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October 14, 2024 64 mins

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 

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September 27, 2024 63 mins
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