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
Here’s what we did in the fall! I’ll organize something similar for the spring! crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/
November 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Here’s what we did in the fall! I’ll organize something similar for the spring! crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/
Our fall class, which is exploring The Misfit, has drawn a wonderfully heterogenous group representing a range of knowledge institutions, city agencies, and artistic practices! Please help us spread the word about our spring class — and please consider applying!
November 18, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Our fall class, which is exploring The Misfit, has drawn a wonderfully heterogenous group representing a range of knowledge institutions, city agencies, and artistic practices! Please help us spread the word about our spring class — and please consider applying!
My dad, brother, and I acknowledge the dates of birth and death of all of our past and present canine family members. Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of Dugan's birth. He passed away in 2016 — a good, long, rich, joyful life for a border collie: the smartest + most garrulous one we ever knew ❤️
November 17, 2025 at 4:32 AM
My dad, brother, and I acknowledge the dates of birth and death of all of our past and present canine family members. Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of Dugan's birth. He passed away in 2016 — a good, long, rich, joyful life for a border collie: the smartest + most garrulous one we ever knew ❤️
Might I also recommend:
November 16, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Might I also recommend:
I love this piece by Charles Radtke in Mortise & Tenon magazine — Radtke told Glenn Adamson that he used as many different kinds of joints as possible, both to challenge himself and “to communicate the handmade quality of his work”…
November 14, 2025 at 5:53 AM
I love this piece by Charles Radtke in Mortise & Tenon magazine — Radtke told Glenn Adamson that he used as many different kinds of joints as possible, both to challenge himself and “to communicate the handmade quality of his work”…
This was amazing. Such a heartening and inspiring endorsement of disobedience, escape, noncompliance, waywardness, and loving others through transition. Our discussion gathered up so many seeds from across the fall — and struck just the right chord as we turn toward our spring publication 🥰
November 14, 2025 at 12:13 AM
This was amazing. Such a heartening and inspiring endorsement of disobedience, escape, noncompliance, waywardness, and loving others through transition. Our discussion gathered up so many seeds from across the fall — and struck just the right chord as we turn toward our spring publication 🥰
As part of its Letters to the Future exhibition, the Bklyn Public Library is loaning art to patrons. A jrnlst wrote to ask me abt precedents. I'm ✍️ an email that lists *lots* of museum — esp campus museum — art-loan pgms, but I've got only a cpl *library* art-loan pgms. Might anyone know of others?
November 13, 2025 at 3:02 AM
As part of its Letters to the Future exhibition, the Bklyn Public Library is loaning art to patrons. A jrnlst wrote to ask me abt precedents. I'm ✍️ an email that lists *lots* of museum — esp campus museum — art-loan pgms, but I've got only a cpl *library* art-loan pgms. Might anyone know of others?
This wk in Misfits, we visit the Bklyn Public Library to discuss "wayward classification" (the politics of organization, alternative / speculative classification) + meet w/ Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who'll lead us through a "scoring the stacks" exercise! crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/por...
November 12, 2025 at 2:15 AM
This wk in Misfits, we visit the Bklyn Public Library to discuss "wayward classification" (the politics of organization, alternative / speculative classification) + meet w/ Kameelah Janan Rasheed, who'll lead us through a "scoring the stacks" exercise! crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/por...
Oh, cool! I’ve always wanted to go there! I saw some similar work at Hancock Village :)
November 12, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Oh, cool! I’ve always wanted to go there! I saw some similar work at Hancock Village :)
Our spring iteration of the Cross-Reference Coalition will focus on 🔎SEARCH + DISCOVERY💡 We'll work tgthr to design a scavenger hunt, map, or field guide that encourages defiantly-anti-AI exploration of NYC's knwldg resources + cultural heritage.
We'll distribute our call for apps early next week!
We'll distribute our call for apps early next week!
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Our spring iteration of the Cross-Reference Coalition will focus on 🔎SEARCH + DISCOVERY💡 We'll work tgthr to design a scavenger hunt, map, or field guide that encourages defiantly-anti-AI exploration of NYC's knwldg resources + cultural heritage.
We'll distribute our call for apps early next week!
We'll distribute our call for apps early next week!
I was looking for an old photo from some field work, came across this one from 2017, and wondered: what the hell is that?! Oh, it's from back when I used to organize our dept's speaker series, and we went out to dinner afterward. Here: Bar Six. Everyone got the skate :)
November 11, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I was looking for an old photo from some field work, came across this one from 2017, and wondered: what the hell is that?! Oh, it's from back when I used to organize our dept's speaker series, and we went out to dinner afterward. Here: Bar Six. Everyone got the skate :)
I lost my 📦 of my cords + adapters in the move, so we came up to the Apple Store @ Crossroads mall in Albany — wow, this is the most vibrant mall I’ve seen in decades! They’ve got an Orange Julius! It’s evoking Benetton + Esprit nostalgia 💕
(I assume you’ve been here, @langealexandra.bsky.social?)
(I assume you’ve been here, @langealexandra.bsky.social?)
November 9, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I lost my 📦 of my cords + adapters in the move, so we came up to the Apple Store @ Crossroads mall in Albany — wow, this is the most vibrant mall I’ve seen in decades! They’ve got an Orange Julius! It’s evoking Benetton + Esprit nostalgia 💕
(I assume you’ve been here, @langealexandra.bsky.social?)
(I assume you’ve been here, @langealexandra.bsky.social?)
Beautiful pre-sunrise over Queens
November 7, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Beautiful pre-sunrise over Queens
We made boxes with Maria Pisano!
November 6, 2025 at 10:22 PM
We made boxes with Maria Pisano!
This week we talk about containment (Wardian cases, card catalogs, archival boxes, storage architectures, 📦-based pubs like Aspen, kiribako, etc), and materials + ideas that defy it — and we take part in a box-making workshop @ the Ctr for Book Arts!
crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/por...
crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/por...
November 6, 2025 at 4:48 AM
This week we talk about containment (Wardian cases, card catalogs, archival boxes, storage architectures, 📦-based pubs like Aspen, kiribako, etc), and materials + ideas that defy it — and we take part in a box-making workshop @ the Ctr for Book Arts!
crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/por...
crossreference.wordsinspace.net/fall2025/por...
First commute into the city since our move back upstate, a gorgeous sunset over the Hudson, and a moving conversation w/ a mom who’s come to the city to be with her daughter as she initiates a divorce. I shared some of my own experience.
Sometimes I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be 🙏
Sometimes I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be 🙏
November 5, 2025 at 10:23 PM
First commute into the city since our move back upstate, a gorgeous sunset over the Hudson, and a moving conversation w/ a mom who’s come to the city to be with her daughter as she initiates a divorce. I shared some of my own experience.
Sometimes I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be 🙏
Sometimes I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be 🙏
Ha! I ended up giving those away to a New School friend. So many bookshelf losses in recent years 😢
November 3, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Ha! I ended up giving those away to a New School friend. So many bookshelf losses in recent years 😢
Among the things I hate to leave behind are these bookshelves. We worked with Philadephia Woodworking (woot!) to create adjustable shelves and bottom panels to allow access to wires. ✨ Scribing to the wavy walls of a 200yo house is no joke!
November 3, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Among the things I hate to leave behind are these bookshelves. We worked with Philadephia Woodworking (woot!) to create adjustable shelves and bottom panels to allow access to wires. ✨ Scribing to the wavy walls of a 200yo house is no joke!
Today’s our last day in Philly, and I stole away from packing for a final visit with Phoebe. I had hoped to see her off to her new home before we left, but alas 🥺 If someone wants a sweet, beautiful 4mo pit puppy — found as a weeks-old stray — she’s at Doggie Style on 16th and Spruce 💕
November 3, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Today’s our last day in Philly, and I stole away from packing for a final visit with Phoebe. I had hoped to see her off to her new home before we left, but alas 🥺 If someone wants a sweet, beautiful 4mo pit puppy — found as a weeks-old stray — she’s at Doggie Style on 16th and Spruce 💕
We’re moving back to NY Mon and Tues. I’m eager to watch Inge discover her new favorite sunny spots in the new house :)
November 1, 2025 at 2:22 PM
We’re moving back to NY Mon and Tues. I’m eager to watch Inge discover her new favorite sunny spots in the new house :)
I love that this photography studio is floating in the river!
October 31, 2025 at 11:41 AM
I love that this photography studio is floating in the river!
Oh, yeah! Thanks!
October 31, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Oh, yeah! Thanks!
This was so fun! We waded through the deluge to get there, and Printed Matter mopped up a little flood to accommodate us!
People like learning and making analog things together — even, and perhaps especially, without being compelled to do so!
People like learning and making analog things together — even, and perhaps especially, without being compelled to do so!
October 30, 2025 at 10:29 PM
This was so fun! We waded through the deluge to get there, and Printed Matter mopped up a little flood to accommodate us!
People like learning and making analog things together — even, and perhaps especially, without being compelled to do so!
People like learning and making analog things together — even, and perhaps especially, without being compelled to do so!
Another thing I will miss about Philly: the pet shop on our corner that partners with a local rescue by housing dogs that are up for adoption, and which neighbors (like me!) can volunteer to walk. I’ve met so many wonderful pups en route to stable homes ❤️
This is Phoebe, a 4-month-old stray 🥹
This is Phoebe, a 4-month-old stray 🥹
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Another thing I will miss about Philly: the pet shop on our corner that partners with a local rescue by housing dogs that are up for adoption, and which neighbors (like me!) can volunteer to walk. I’ve met so many wonderful pups en route to stable homes ❤️
This is Phoebe, a 4-month-old stray 🥹
This is Phoebe, a 4-month-old stray 🥹
Reading Margaret Mead + Paul Byers’s 1968 The Small Conference: An Innovation in Communication, I’m most charmed by the design — esp that orange cover, and Byers’s photographic studies of proxemics, gesture, expression, etc :)
October 27, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Reading Margaret Mead + Paul Byers’s 1968 The Small Conference: An Innovation in Communication, I’m most charmed by the design — esp that orange cover, and Byers’s photographic studies of proxemics, gesture, expression, etc :)