This is an introduction and discussion with the three METRO fellows: Katie Martinez, Karen Hwang, and Molly Schwartz. They talk about why Google searches don't take you inside library catalogs, how email preservation is becoming more of a priority, and what the opportunities are for libraries and archives to adopt new media for storytelling.

Intro and closing music is "Magic" by Otis McDonald.

#1 Meet the METRO Fellows

In this episode of Library Bytegeist, we sat down with Ben Fino-Radin, a Media Conservator at MoMA, to talk about his approach to media conservation, what to do when art installations involve super computers, and his favorite old medium. Many thanks to Kate Lewis, Ben Fino-Radin, Peter Oleksik, and the Time-Based Media Art team at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum for their online writings that gave me the background information for this podcast. All who are interested in further reading about media conservation should check out the following links:

Posts in "Media Conservation" on the Inside/Out blog: https://www.moma.org/explore/inside_out/category/media-conservation/
Time-Based Media Conservation at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum: https://www.guggenheim.org/conservation/time-based-media
Matters in Media Art: https://www.moma.org/explore/collection/conservation/media_art

Intro and closing music is "Magic" by Otis McDonald.

Magic

#2 Talking Media Conservation with MoMA's Ben Fino-Radin

In this episode, Molly talks with Dr. Rachel Mattson about her work as a member of the XFR Collective,  an all-volunteer group of over 14 members, does the work that it does, partnering with artists, activists, individuals, and groups to preserving at-risk audiovisual media – especially unseen, unheard, or marginalized works, like this gay wedding celebration – by providing low-cost digitization services. Please read below for more information about the XFR Collective and the tools we used to produce this podcast.

Here is a link to a rough transcript of the episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Yf3iDqDTA9sw_YfEpS-c-m4kTiLzR03wIy7IKszuY1M/edit?usp=sharing 

Related Articles and Links

XFR Collective’s website: https://xfrcollective.wordpress.com/ 

“At a Queer Film Festival, a Collective Offers to Digitize Your Videos for Free” by Sarah Cowan, published November, 2015 in Hyperallergic http://hyperallergic.com/253658/at-a-queer-film-festival-a-collective-offers-to-digitize-your-videos-for-free/

“Preserving that Great Performace: XFR STN Offers a Digital Update at the New Museum” BY Melena Ryzik, published on August 11, 2013 in The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/arts/design/xfr-stn-offers-a-digital-update-at-the-new-museum.html

https://archive.org/details/2015_MIX_Ingall_001

“Remembering My Father, Who Sang at My Brother’s Big Gay Jewish Wedding: How far we’ve come, and how far we’ve yet to go, when it comes to LGBT rights” by Marjorie Ingall, published on June 16, 2016 in Tablet
http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/205426/remembering-my-father-who-sang-at-my-brothers-big-gay-jewish-wedding 

“Art is Long, Life is Short: the XFR Collective Helps Artists Preserve Magnetic and Digital Works” by Mike Ashenfelder, published on July 29, 2014 on the Library of Congress’ blog The Signal
https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2014/07/art-is-long-life-is-short-the-xfr-collective-helps-artists-preserve-magnetic-and-digital-works/ 

Music and Soundtracks 

Cardboard Air Band / part 2: https://archive.org/details/XFR_2013-07-26_1B_02
Andy and Neal's Pre-Wedding Dessert Reception: https://archive.org/details/2015_MIX_Ingall_001
Opening and closing track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald
Cassette Tape Rewind from YouTube Audio Library

Tools used to record this podcast
Blue Yeti microphone: www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/ 
Transcribe: transcribe.wreally.com/app  
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/

#4 Talking Pop-up Media Migration with the XFR Collective’s Rachel Mattson

Saving love letters in the digital age can be tricky. Iris Lee, a metadata analyst at the American Museum of Natural History, came up with a clever solution for saving the text messages between her and her partner off her old cell phone. Dr. Michelle Janning, professor of sociology, and Davy Rothbart, founder and editor of FOUND Magazine, weigh in with their thoughts about how and why people save love messages.

Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/154QxtwOIHHkDCmLb8qzS1ijS2N6ZpJyKlZFWyCxRKXU/edit?usp=sharing

Related Books, Articles, and Links:

Dr. Michelle Janning’s upcoming book, The Stuff of Family Life: How Our Homes Reflect Our Lives published by Rowman & Littlefield: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442254794/The-Stuff-of-Family-Life-How-Our-Homes-Reflect-Our-Lives 

FOUND Magazine: http://foundmagazine.com/ 

FOUNDpodcast: https://www.facebook.com/FOUNDpodcast/ 

Cassettes from My Ex: Stories and Soundtracks of Lost Loves, by Jason Bitner, co-founder of FOUND Magazine: https://www.amazon.com/Cassette-My-Ex-Stories-Soundtracks/dp/0312565526 

“Archiving Cell Phone Text Messages” by Mike Ashenfelder on the Library of Congress’ blog The Signal: https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2012/04/archiving-cell-phone-text-messages/ 

“Total Recall: How to Back up all the text message on your iPhone” in Wired: https://www.wired.com/2013/11/backup-sms-iphone/

Music and Soundtracks:
Opening and closing track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald
“Scissor Vision” by Letter Box

Tools used to record this podcast:
Blue Yeti microphone: www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
Transcribe: transcribe.wreally.com/app
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/

#5 Talking Love Letters in the Digital Age with AMNH's Iris Lee

Libraries have always been places for free and unfettered intellectual exploration. But how is this threatened by the inherent leakiness and insecurity of the networks we use to access information these days? In this episode we talk to Alison Macrina, Bill Marden, Melissa Morrone, Chuck McAndrew, and Phoebe Stein about privacy policies, CryptoParties, Tor relays, and other adventures.

CORRECTION: The episode says that Chuck's surveillance self-defense courses can be found at leblibrary.org -- the website is actually leblibrary.com. Here is a link: https://leblibrary.com/online-self-defense

Related Articles and Resources:

BPL's Digital Privacy Curriculum: http://www.dataprivacyproject.org/

Protecting Patron Privacy, Library Journal, July 14, 2016 by Alison Macrina
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/07/digital-resources/protecting-patron-privacy/

ALA Questions and Answers on Privacy and Confidentiality 
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=15347

Library Patron Privacy in 2014 - Honoring the Legacy of Zoia Horn, CUNY School of Law, 2014, by Sarah Landon
http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1060&context=cl_pubs 

A Flaw in the Design, by Craig Timberg, May 30, 2015, The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/business/2015/05/30/net-of-insecurity-part-1/?utm_term=.036cf687d2ce

Library Freedom Project: https://libraryfreedomproject.org/

State Privacy Laws Regarding Library Records http://www.ala.org/advocacy/privacyconfidentiality/privacy/stateprivacy 
EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense: https://ssd.eff.org/en
Tactical Tech's Security-in-a-box: https://tacticaltech.org/projects/security-box

Down the Security Rabbit Hole: http://podcast.wh1t3rabbit.net/
Privacy Paradox podcast: https://project.wnyc.org/privacy-paradox/
TechSNAP podcast: http://www.jupiterbroadcasting.com/show/techsnap/


Music and Soundtracks:
Opening and closing track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald
This podcast uses these sounds from freesound:
probe1gain by pheonelai (http://www.freesound.org/people/phoenelai/)
Intro 1L72 by Setuniman  (http://www.freesound.org/people/Setuniman/)
etc..

Tools used to record this podcast:
Blue Yeti microphone: www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
Transcribe: transcribe.wreally.com/app
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/
Izotope: https://www.izotope.com/en/products/repair-and-edit/rx-plug-in-pack.html

#6 Talking Privacy with Librarians

Data artist Jer Thorp has a dream of putting an artist in every library. In this episode we explore the benefits and challenges of hosting artist residencies in libraries through open conversations with Jer Thorp, Ben Vershbow, Jenny Odell, Steve Keene, Trent Miller, and Laura Damon-Moore about the artist residencies that have been hosted at NYPL, Brooklyn Public Library, and Madison Public Library.

Audio Mastering by Dalton Harts

Links
 
“An Artist in Every Library” by Jer Thorp: https://medium.com/@blprnt/an-artist-in-every-library-c0df05bf3c9  
 
“Art at the Edge of Tomorrow” by Jer Thorp:
https://medium.com/@blprnt/art-at-the-edge-of-tomorrow-b78ad9302abe
 
“Peripheral Landscapes: The Art of Maps: A conversation with artist Jenny Odell and geospatial librarian Matt Knutzen” https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2015/05/01/peripheral-landscapes-art-maps?hspace=299647
 
“Brooklyn Public Library Names Steve Keene as Artist-in-Residence for NYC Debut:” https://www.bklynlibrary.org/media/press/brooklyn-public-library-names-steve-keene-artist-residence-nyc-debut 
 
The Bubbler at Madison Public: http://madisonbubbler.org/
 
Library As Incubator Project: http://www.libraryasincubatorproject.org/ 
 
Music and Soundtracks:
Opening and closing track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald
“Simple Complex” by Uncle Bibby
“Act One Tenebrous Brothers” by Kevin Macleod

Tools used to record this podcast:
Blue Yeti microphone: www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
Transcribe: transcribe.wreally.com/app
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/
Izotope: www.izotope.com/en/products/repai…plug-in-pack.html

#8 In the Library with the Paintbrush: artist residencies

Public libraries are important access points to the internet. But sometimes people use library computers to engage in activities that are controversial activities for public spaces, like watching pornography. We sat down with Rob Caluori, the Director of Information Technology for the  Westchester Library System, to talk about the techniques libraries use to provide open, secure, and safe access to the internet.

Audio Mastering by Dalton Harts

Further Reading:

American Council of the Blind v. Boorstin: http://www.leagle.com/decision/19861455644FSupp811_11311.xml

"Braille Playboy Under Fire" by Lloyd Grove, July 19, 1985
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1985/07/19/braille-playboy-under-fire/3683a16a-8a3d-471b-8d6c-c0a7e2e72cc5/?utm_term=.6b9a53bc5562

FAQs on E-Rate Program for Schools and Libraries: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/universal-service-program-schools-and-libraries-e-rate

Music and Soundtracks:
Opening track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald from the YouTube Audio Library
"Rodeo Show" by The Green Orbs from the YouTube Audio Library
"TasmanianPower" by Isaac Ionescu from freesound.org
“A Gentleman” by Podington Bear from the Free Music Archive

Tools used to record this podcast:
Blue Yeti microphone: www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
Transcribe: transcribe.wreally.com/app
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/
Izotope: www.izotope.com/en/products/repai…plug-in-pack.html

#11 Talking Internet Filters in Public Libraries with Westchester Library System's Rob Caluori

One year ago today, we post the first episode of Library Bytegeist. Molly Schwartz, METRO’s Studio Manager who also hosts and produces LB, decided to take the 14th episode to put together a kind of “year in review.” It’s a look back at the year gone by, including audio snippets from past episodes, a short history of how the podcast came into being, and a reflection on all of the changes that METRO has been through in the past year. And there are also a couple of announcements about what’s in store for the future of LB … so listen away and stay tuned!

Audio Mastering by Dalton Harts
 
Music and Soundtracks:
“Wendy Critical Reader // Walter Scott // ASMR Page Turning” by ~tingleheads~ from YouTube
Opening track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald from the YouTube Audio Library
"Rodeo Show" by The Green Orbs from the YouTube Audio Library
“Electric car start-up and drive away” by evsecrets from freesound.org
“Car_Start_Drive_1.wav” by Duesenbert from freesound.org
“Typing” by yugi16dm from freesound.org
"Transmography” by X________X" from the Free Music Archive
“A Gentleman” by Podington Bear from the Free Music Archive
 
Including clips from the following Library Bytegeist episodes:
#1 Meet the METRO Fellows (Katie Martinez, Karen Hwang, Molly Schwartz)
#3 Talking Smart Cities with the New School's Shannon Mattern (Shannon Mattern)
#4 Talking Pop-up Media Migration with the XFR Collective’s Rachel Mattson (Rachel Mattson)
#5 Talking Love Letters in the Digital Age with AMNH's Iris Lee (Iris Lee)
#6 Talking Privacy with Librarians (Chuck McAndrew)
#8 In the Library with the Paintbrush: artist residencies (Ben Vershbow)
#11 Talking Internet Filters in Public Libraries with Westchester Library System's Rob Caluori (Rob Caluori)
 
Tools used to record this podcast:
Blue Yeti microphone: www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
Transcribe: transcribe.wreally.com/app
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/
Izotope: www.izotope.com/en/products/repai…plug-in-pack.html

#14 Bye bye Bytegeist ... a year in review!

The Dewey Decimal System is the most popular library classification system in the world. It was created by a man, named Melvil Dewey, in the late 1870's. And Dewey's system of classifying knowledge reflects his worldview as a white man living in the late 19th century. In this episode of Library Bytegeist, we break down the Dewey Decimal System and talk frankly about the power and pitfalls of classifying. We'll visit the Bard High School Early College in Queens to find out about how students there are planning to rebel from the Dewey Decimal System, and talk to Greg Cotton (Cornell College), Barbara Fister (Gustavus Adolphus College), and Dorothy Berry (Umbra Search Project).

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cnCgQFM3HYqN_EnZ8SV5TwP_-czrYtZAoqwKUDUC3dk/edit?usp=sharing

Hosted and Produced by Molly Schwartz
Editing help from the Metropolitan New York Library Council staff and Peter Balonon-Rosen
Audio Mastering by Dalton Harts

Music and Soundtracks:
Opening track: “Magic” by Otis MacDonald from the YouTube Audio Library
“Library Ambiance” by morosopher from freesound.org
“Bookshelf, findbooks.wav” by Ryding from freesound.org
"The Music Room" by WMRhapsodies from the Free Music Archive
Closing track: "Red Hair, Blue Sky" by Monplaisir from the Free Music Archive

Tools used to record this podcast:
The audio booth at METRO: bit.ly/MetroAudio
RE20 microphone: https://www.electrovoice.com/product.php?id=91
AT8035 shotgun microphone: https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/0576da91f00c03db/
Zoom H5 recorder: https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/field-recording/zoom-h5-handy-recorder
oTranscribe: http://otranscribe.com/
Reaper: www.reaper.fm/
Izotope: www.izotope.com/en/products/repai…plug-in-pack.html

#15 Classifying Books, Classifying People

This podcast is a collection of audio stories from the libraries, archives, and museums of New York City. It is brought to you by the Metropolitan New York Library Council, where the libraries and archives of New York comes together to learn, share ideas, and collaborate.