Shannon Mattern
@shannonmattern.bsky.social
director of creative research @ the metro ny library council; recently resigned 😱 full professor of media studies, art history + anthropology
architecture, archives, 🎨, cities, 🐕, infrastructure, libraries, 🗺️, sound++
nyc + upstate
wordsinspace.net
architecture, archives, 🎨, cities, 🐕, infrastructure, libraries, 🗺️, sound++
nyc + upstate
wordsinspace.net
I check in regularly w/ my best friend from middle + high school, who lives in Chicago. She told me a one-year-old was pepper sprayed in her neighborhood last week 😭 — and that she and her son, who’s off school tmrw, are dedicating the day to food pantry logistics. Donations have filled her home 💕
November 11, 2025 at 2:41 AM
I check in regularly w/ my best friend from middle + high school, who lives in Chicago. She told me a one-year-old was pepper sprayed in her neighborhood last week 😭 — and that she and her son, who’s off school tmrw, are dedicating the day to food pantry logistics. Donations have filled her home 💕
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
My ACA current plan is going from $385/mo to $821/mo.
November 11, 2025 at 12:21 AM
My ACA current plan is going from $385/mo to $821/mo.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
lmao, right, cuz every small business owner's favorite thing about entrepreneurship is negotiating their own health insurance
Trump: "I want the money to go into an account for people where they buy their own health insurance. It's so good. The insurance will be better. It'll cost less. Everybody is gonna be happy. They're gonna feel like entrepreneurs. They're actually able to go out & negotiate their own insurance"
November 11, 2025 at 12:34 AM
lmao, right, cuz every small business owner's favorite thing about entrepreneurship is negotiating their own health insurance
"The experiences of socialist countries in Eastern Europe remind us that societies can achieve a great deal when they treat ppl’s basic needs as a shared responsibility. Education, healthcare, childcare, housing, and a reasonable, minimal standard of living were seen not as privileges..." [1/3]
What Socialism Got Right
Writing "The Red Riviera" taught me that even flawed socialist systems offered insights into equality, solidarity, and the dignity of everyday life.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
November 10, 2025 at 11:46 PM
"The experiences of socialist countries in Eastern Europe remind us that societies can achieve a great deal when they treat ppl’s basic needs as a shared responsibility. Education, healthcare, childcare, housing, and a reasonable, minimal standard of living were seen not as privileges..." [1/3]
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
🗓️This Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1:30-4 PM ET in Brooklyn: Our co-founder @prisonculture.bsky.social is facilitating a discussion circle focused on the contributions of radical Black women activists and theorists in the U.S. from 1910-1960. If you're in NYC and interested in joining, register now to join!
Communiversity Catalog: Black Radical Women in the U.S. 1910–1960: A Study and Discussion Circle — Interrupting Criminalization
www.interruptingcriminalization.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:32 PM
🗓️This Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1:30-4 PM ET in Brooklyn: Our co-founder @prisonculture.bsky.social is facilitating a discussion circle focused on the contributions of radical Black women activists and theorists in the U.S. from 1910-1960. If you're in NYC and interested in joining, register now to join!
This nostalgia for the NYC 🎶 scene of James Murphy's "NY I ❤️ You, But You're Bringing Me Down" Aughts reminds me that it was the very scene she's mourning — Glasslands, Other Music, etc — that I tried to capture in this panel discussion in my 2009 City+Sound class
wordsinspace.net/archived-cou...
wordsinspace.net/archived-cou...
New York, I Love You
On LCD Soundsystem, borrowed nostalgia, and the election of Zohran Mamdani
www.hearingthings.co
November 10, 2025 at 11:32 PM
This nostalgia for the NYC 🎶 scene of James Murphy's "NY I ❤️ You, But You're Bringing Me Down" Aughts reminds me that it was the very scene she's mourning — Glasslands, Other Music, etc — that I tried to capture in this panel discussion in my 2009 City+Sound class
wordsinspace.net/archived-cou...
wordsinspace.net/archived-cou...
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
"We’re done waiting for Dems to find their spine. We can’t afford a weak & cowardly Democratic Party while the authoritarians invade our cities, terrorize our communities, & threaten our democracy. We get the party we demand, & we intend to demand a Democratic Party that fights.” — @indivisible.org
Indivisible Launches its Largest Primary Program in Response to Senate Democrats Surrendering on the Shutdown Vote
indivisible.org
November 10, 2025 at 11:08 PM
"We’re done waiting for Dems to find their spine. We can’t afford a weak & cowardly Democratic Party while the authoritarians invade our cities, terrorize our communities, & threaten our democracy. We get the party we demand, & we intend to demand a Democratic Party that fights.” — @indivisible.org
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
Over the last 10 months, the federal government has cracked down on political expression with a persistence and viciousness reminiscent of some of the darkest periods of U.S. history. Welcome to the Third Red Scare.
The First Amendment Won’t Go Quietly
Welcome to the third Red Scare.
www.theatlantic.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Over the last 10 months, the federal government has cracked down on political expression with a persistence and viciousness reminiscent of some of the darkest periods of U.S. history. Welcome to the Third Red Scare.
The post office — now 250yrs old! — is amazing. But I'm surprised they're advertising, given that the regime is trying to kill it. Maybe they want people to use it for holiday shipping, find everything delayed + lost, then be all: Damn these worthless public services! Defund! Privatize!
USPS Commercial (2025)
YouTube video by Commercial Archivist
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:21 PM
The post office — now 250yrs old! — is amazing. But I'm surprised they're advertising, given that the regime is trying to kill it. Maybe they want people to use it for holiday shipping, find everything delayed + lost, then be all: Damn these worthless public services! Defund! Privatize!
I have spent 2.5 hours today completing vendor trainings and registrations, and arranging my own travel, for work that other institutions have asked me to do 🤪 As I and others have said a billion times before: the work of enterprise software responsibilization should be paid labor, too.
November 10, 2025 at 10:14 PM
I have spent 2.5 hours today completing vendor trainings and registrations, and arranging my own travel, for work that other institutions have asked me to do 🤪 As I and others have said a billion times before: the work of enterprise software responsibilization should be paid labor, too.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
'It's a lost map!'
'Where did you find it?'
'In the Map Drawer, in the Map Room of the Map Library'.
OH is seriously thinking about doing a talk on data and discovery entitled 'why we keep biscuits in the biscuit tin'. Seems appropriate.
'Where did you find it?'
'In the Map Drawer, in the Map Room of the Map Library'.
OH is seriously thinking about doing a talk on data and discovery entitled 'why we keep biscuits in the biscuit tin'. Seems appropriate.
November 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
'It's a lost map!'
'Where did you find it?'
'In the Map Drawer, in the Map Room of the Map Library'.
OH is seriously thinking about doing a talk on data and discovery entitled 'why we keep biscuits in the biscuit tin'. Seems appropriate.
'Where did you find it?'
'In the Map Drawer, in the Map Room of the Map Library'.
OH is seriously thinking about doing a talk on data and discovery entitled 'why we keep biscuits in the biscuit tin'. Seems appropriate.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
Pretty fitting that Trump's "electors" receive pardons that are just as fake as they are.
Trump claims he "pardoned" his fake electors. He doesn't have that power.
The president executed a half-baked plan cooked up by pardon attorney Ed Martin.
www.motherjones.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Pretty fitting that Trump's "electors" receive pardons that are just as fake as they are.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
In small communities, especially, #FriendsOfTheLibrary groups can make a huge difference in promoting the library and also enhancing community spirit. Join the fun!!!
November 6, 2025 at 8:39 PM
In small communities, especially, #FriendsOfTheLibrary groups can make a huge difference in promoting the library and also enhancing community spirit. Join the fun!!!
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
Want to be a #LibraryDefender? Join (or start!) a Friends of the Library group. #FriendsOfTheLibrary groups are a great way to strengthen your local library and fight for #InformationAccess for all! Learn how in our new Friends of the Library 101 Zine! www.librariesforthepeople.org/resources#fo...
Resources — For The People
www.librariesforthepeople.org
November 4, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Want to be a #LibraryDefender? Join (or start!) a Friends of the Library group. #FriendsOfTheLibrary groups are a great way to strengthen your local library and fight for #InformationAccess for all! Learn how in our new Friends of the Library 101 Zine! www.librariesforthepeople.org/resources#fo...
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
Look at these performative bastards.
November 10, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Look at these performative bastards.
This week in Misfits, we head the Bklyn Public Library's Info Commons to discuss "wayward classification" (the politics of organization, alternative / speculative classification schemes, etc) + meet w/ Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who'll share her work + lead us through a "scoring the stacks" exercise 🤗
November 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
This week in Misfits, we head the Bklyn Public Library's Info Commons to discuss "wayward classification" (the politics of organization, alternative / speculative classification schemes, etc) + meet w/ Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who'll share her work + lead us through a "scoring the stacks" exercise 🤗
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
This right here.
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
November 10, 2025 at 1:23 AM
This right here.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
It is very weird seeing my friends and family slowly start to realize we're not overreacting.
Read every word & share with everyone you know. This is real life here in Chicago. Americans need to know this grotesque reality & stand with us.
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
It is very weird seeing my friends and family slowly start to realize we're not overreacting.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
MSNBC reported Schumer's office felt that the longer that shutdown went on, the more likely it was that people would start to blame the Dems.
My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.
My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.
November 10, 2025 at 2:18 AM
MSNBC reported Schumer's office felt that the longer that shutdown went on, the more likely it was that people would start to blame the Dems.
My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.
My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
When I was on @looksunfamiliar.bsky.social I chose this sequence from a 1979 Sesame Street episode - probably the first time I ever heard Philip Glass was this exclusive piece he wrote for this animated sequence, Geometry of Circles. It's never appeared anywhere else.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
Philip Glass - Sesame Street - Geometry of Circles.mp4
YouTube video by SamCam2011
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:46 AM
When I was on @looksunfamiliar.bsky.social I chose this sequence from a 1979 Sesame Street episode - probably the first time I ever heard Philip Glass was this exclusive piece he wrote for this animated sequence, Geometry of Circles. It's never appeared anywhere else.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWw...
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
“.. As the raids have continued, consumers have started to question whether the company’s silence makes it an accomplice to the sweeps rather than merely the backdrop. .. A backlash is coming for the company.”
@bloomberg.com $HD
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
@bloomberg.com $HD
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 PM
“.. As the raids have continued, consumers have started to question whether the company’s silence makes it an accomplice to the sweeps rather than merely the backdrop. .. A backlash is coming for the company.”
@bloomberg.com $HD
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
@bloomberg.com $HD
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
Reposted by Shannon Mattern
It sure would be a shame if a whole crop of experienced civil servants with intimate knowledge of government's inner workings, who had formerly been barred from running for partisan office by the Hatch Act, suddenly became available to be candidates because they got fired.
November 10, 2025 at 3:17 AM
It sure would be a shame if a whole crop of experienced civil servants with intimate knowledge of government's inner workings, who had formerly been barred from running for partisan office by the Hatch Act, suddenly became available to be candidates because they got fired.