Reflection on Module 10: The Power of Stories

“Many readers may recall the mantra of Erik Boekesteijn, Doklab consultant and senior advisor to the National Library of the Netherlands: libraries should keep stories, share stories, and make stories” (Stephens, 2019).

This module presented the perfect opportunity to return to my idea of fandom-infused critical librarianship, in which I’ve argued that libraries should embrace and encourage remix culture to better serve and connect with their patrons. As our online culture continuously homogenizes, bringing even niche subcultures to the forefront of the modern zeitgeist, everyday human interaction transforms into participatory culture. Fandom evolves from a group who share a specialized interest to become a major framework in understanding and connecting with others within our day-to-day. Simply put, fandom-infused critical librarianship is one way in which libraries can expand participatory culture to encourage their community to keep, share, and make stories.

“The Naked Truth: Connect, Create, Contribute (NT: CCC) initiative from the Mill Valley Public Library in California is a mashup of live storytelling events throughout the year, a web archive of recorded stories, and the opportunity for community members to contribute their own voice. Mill Valley city librarian Anji Brenner told me, “Live storytelling is immediate and personal; it’s a direct line to the oral tradition from which formalized literature emerged.” The recordings, then, preserve “the voice of living, breathing people in a particular place, in a particular time” (Stephens, 2019).

One example of a service that could be transformed through remix culture is a book club. Book clubs present an easily understood programming option for both librarians and patrons, which can be adjusted to include the reading and writing of fanfiction. Once a book has been selected, engagement and discussion can derive from patron-created fanfiction, which can be shared within the club and further discussed or remixed by other participants. The structure of library programming and an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion allows for the creation of a safer and more open environment where ideas are freely shared, and conversations are freely had. This can, in turn, offer a space that is more appealing to engage within and contribute to for everyone, but especially those who are marginalized or disadvantaged, than what may be available online.

“Readers found the format of the event to be both surprising and refreshing. It was frequently mentioned that being faced with another human being inspired them to reflect on their own biases and resulted in an increased sensitivity towards the diversity that exists beyond physical appearance” (Arne-Skidmore, 2021).

”What StoryCorps does so well is capture the stories of people of color, LGBTQ folks, and the disabled that often don’t make it into mainstream media. That’s a role for libraries. These efforts to preserve our collective story should be lauded and supported. The dialogue that stories can create benefits all who participate” (Stephens, 2019).

The anonymous nature of online spaces can often be a catalyst for hateful and unempathetic behavior, and this is especially true in fandom spaces and on fanfiction hosting sites, such as Archive of Our Own (Ao3). Ao3, the current most popular site for reading and posting fanfiction, is an archive that maintains a stance of neutrality and anti-censorship. Anyone can post a story with any type of content, both family-friendly and explicit, so there are often conversations being had about Ao3’s responsibility or lack thereof to moderate stories that are problematic in nature. Fanfiction exists as a form of escapism and personal exploration. It is in many ways a direct look into human nature and desire. It is no surprise then that it can and often does perpetuate the normative culture of white supremacy, excluding those who are non-white, non-cis, and non-neurotypical. The book club allows for face-to-face connection and communication, which can help foster understanding and kindness within patrons towards others in their community. I think this idea exists as a remix of the human library idea mentioned in Wentz’s (2013) article.

“The human library provides a place for people, both readers and books, to frankly explore ideas through one-on-one dialogues” (Wentz, 2013).

“The most interesting directive in Boekesteijn’s mantra is that the ways organizations make stories demonstrate the importance of tapping into the collective voice of our communities” (Stephens, 2019).

Although fanfiction writing and reading are usually done alone, encouraging a cycle of read, remix, and remix a remix could be an interesting way to foster positive forum discourse and creativity.

“Of course, the written word is not going away. Thompson notes that “text is our most powerful go-to communication tool.” If we define digital literacy as the ability of people to find, use, and create information, we certainly can’t limit those creations and exchanges to text. Isn’t it fascinating to consider where this might take us?”(Stephens, 2019)

I believe that fanfiction is a text-based communication tool which fosters, encourages, and strengthens digital literacy. I initially argued this idea by highlighting the importance of fanfiction writers and readers as a valuable information community worth studying within library and information science. Fanfiction can be used as both a means to better understand and serve patrons and a valuable tool for greatly enhancing and expanding traditional pedagogy at all academic levels. It encourages reading and writing but also creativity as well. As long as there are books and media, fanfiction is always going to exist and will continuously evolve.

“NI is an emerging research methodology that utilizes a flexible interview format to collect information about unique, personal experiences. The current body of literature using NI demonstrates that this approach enables researchers to gather responses that were not anticipated, and ideas that cannot be summarized by checking a, b, or c. Moreover, NI specifically thinks outside the box of surveys. While surveys remain a vital tool for painting an overall picture, NI is a nuanced methodology enabling researchers to capture dynamic discourse on complex topics. NI encourages a full spectrum of unique responses and brings to life the story of individuals. This is an innovative way to capture major themes and trends, share personal journeys, and reveal unexpected details and insights” (Stephens, 2020).

I think fanfiction can be a great tool for narrative inquiry. Not necessarily for typical research, but librarians can use it to understand their patrons through the analysis of their writing. Fanfiction is a way to dream and fantasize about what you want or how you feel; it’s a place to freely explore desires or difficult ideas. Fanfiction provides a fascinating look into the human psyche through remix culture in a way that feels safe to share with others. Just like with regular novels, you can gain a deeper understanding of the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Encouraging patrons to make their own fanfiction, which can be kept and shared with their fellow community members, can give unique insight into patron thoughts and feelings while also boosting creativity, literacy, and engagement.

“Current studies utilizing NI emphasize what a powerful tool it is for studying populations whose voices might not be regularly heard in mainstream media. Part of the power of NI is that unlike a survey, the interview feels like a seriously compassionate way of reaching out, listening, and learning” (Stephens, 2020).

References

Arne-Skidmore, E. (2021). New study on the impact of the human library. In The Human Library Organization. https://humanlibrary.org/new-study-on-the-impact-of-the-human-library/

Stephens, M. T. (2019). Wholehearted librarianship: finding hope, inspiration, and balance. ALA Editions.

Stephens, M. (2020). Office hours: Narrative inquiry. In Tametheweb.com. Tame the Web. https://tametheweb.com/2020/04/09/office-hours-narrative-inquiry/

Wentz, E. (2013). The human library: Sharing the community with itself. Public Library Association. https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/04/human_librar/