{"id":91,"date":"2026-10-04T21:07:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T04:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/innerchildlibrarian\/?p=91"},"modified":"2026-10-05T16:54:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T23:54:52","slug":"public-libraries-could-partner-with-asian-american-diaspora-at-mahjong-meetups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/innerchildlibrarian\/2026\/10\/04\/public-libraries-could-partner-with-asian-american-diaspora-at-mahjong-meetups\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflection on Hyperlinked Communities: Public Libraries Could Partner with Asian American Diaspora at Mahjong Meetups"},"content":{"rendered":"

What do you know about Mahjong? Quick vote on my poll: Vote Here<\/a> | See results here<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Music tangent: I invite you to listen to <\/span>Last Night of the Dynasty (Instrumental)<\/span><\/a> by Shanghai Restoration Project. It reminds me of the<\/span> opening theme song<\/span><\/a> from Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I first heard of music by Shanghai Restoration Project <\/span>on this Instagram post<\/span><\/a> by Common Ground Mahjong (2026) titled, \u201cMahjong is political\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n\"\"<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In a similar vein, are hyperlinked libraries are political too? When public libraries insist on wearing the guise of apoliticalness, it sounds like a way of saying, \u201c[w]e [don’t] architect for prejudice, but we [don’t] design systems to combat it either\u201d (Boyd, 2016).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/td>\n\"\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Mahjong social clubs are growing in popularity for young Asian Americans in U.S. metropolitan areas. These meetups are usually free to attend, volunteer-run, or grant-funded. Mahjong meetups can ward off social and cultural loneliness. Mahjong meetups can also mobilize a community to take political action. Public library staff could build a relationship with members of the Asian American diaspora through playing together at mahjong meetups. I started to daydream of these outcomes when public libraries meet mahjong communities:<\/span><\/p>\n