The pace of 2025 is loud and fast. Technology is racing ahead, and honestly, the noise can be overwhelming. As I worked through Professor Michael Stephens’ Hyperlinked Library course, I realized the most valuable content I could create wasn’t something fast or flashy—it was the exact opposite. It had to be a commitment to Slow Media, a deliberate act of positive counter-culture.
This final project became personal. I’ll admit, I let fear get the best of me for too long, putting off great ideas. This Oberammergau video, set at a frosted, babbling brook, is that old idea rejuvenated and finally presented with intention.
My Triumph Over Technophobia and Shyness
The creation of this video was a compromise that ultimately showed me the power of simple action. I faced a major technophobia of mine, choosing to master the editing needed for crystal-clear 4K stabilization and sound. I also faced my camera shyness.
The solution? A low-sensory, no-talking video. I am there, meditating, facing away from the camera. This format suits my content so well because it allows the healing, natural sounds of the stream to come through fully, without distraction. It’s a low-key way to model meditation, demonstrating how simple and powerful it is—and it proved to me that I can show up in a digital space and still be authentic.
Building The Digital Sanctuary: Empathy and Open Access
My video is a tiny Digital Sanctuary, and the legal and design decisions behind it connect deeply to the Hyperlinked Library mission.
First, the legal safety: While I researched using Public Domain authors (Poe, Carroll) for future storytime projects, this video is built on assets I completely own—my own footage and the authentic ambient audio. It is inherently free and open access, without any hidden copyright issues.
Second, the service of Empathy. This is the heart of the project. Why post a video about silence? Because I want to provide value to others. We have to be mindful of the stress our hyper-connected lives create, and I felt I could help others slow down with me.
This is where the principles of human service become clear. I’m directly inspired by Michael Stephens’ belief that our work must be driven by compassion:
““Losing a bit of control opens the heart and the mind to what the future will bring.”
― The Heart of Librarianship: Attentive, Positive, and Purposeful Change”
Even without a literal voice-over, the video is a human voice communicating a powerful message: You are valued. Take this time for yourself. It is an open, transparent effort to address a real user need—the need for calm.
Moving Forward with Intention
This project connects me with this moment in my personal history, and my hope is that it offers others a free, quiet connection to the world and to themselves. It truly helped me demonstrate a tone of peace, calm, empathy, and inspiration.
I’m not stopping here! Having faced this fear and presented my work, I feel ready to expand the project and continue building this quiet counter-culture. Next up: The contrasts of Baden-Baden and the historic beauty of Schloss Moyland/Kleve.