I just want to say this here publicly :
I've lurked on this Listserv for a couple of years and haven't seen what
Julie's writing about here -- in fact I've been impressed at how helpful
people will be, but I have seen it happen on so many other listservs and
it's not helpful at all when it happens.
Additionally, as someone who works with lots of small and rural public
librarians, I can attest that this happens. A lot.
I have to go out of my way to remind people to ask questions on listservs
and/or emails when they don't know something and I always hear back, but "I
don't want to feel stupid."
This is research work exploring. Julie, I'll be in touch!
On Fri, Mar 18, 2016 at 2:25 PM Salazar, Christina <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Julie asked a specific question in regards to personal and anonymous
> opinions. She did not ask for a blanket statement about this list to go out
> TO the list. (This you can read within her message.)
>
> This is one way to shut someone who happens to have a differing opinion
> down. ("Gosh, everyone else thinks that things are peachy keen, I really
> MUST be stupid.")
>
> Don't let's have a conversation that could easily turn into
> self-congratulation in this public space unless the congratulation is
> legitimately warranted.
>
> I for one have drafted and then deleted several messages to this list out
> of a motivation to protect myself.
>
> Christina Salazar
> Systems Librarian
> John Spoor Broome Library
> California State University, Channel Islands
> 805/437-3198
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> McCanna, Terran
> Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 9:31 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] reearch project about feeling stupid in
> professional communication
>
> I don't see it on this forum, but I have certainly seen it on other
> professional forums.
>
>
> Terran McCanna
> PINES Program Manager
> Georgia Public Library Service
> 1800 Century Place, Suite 150
> Atlanta, GA 30345
> 404-235-7138
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cary Gordon" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 12:22:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] reearch project about feeling stupid in
> professional communication
>
> I might have rose colored glasses, but I don’t see much of that in this
> forum. I can’t remember the last flame war. Most folks just answer the
> questions as best they can.
>
> I think that you should present your sanitized results here. Perhaps we
> are missing something.
>
> Cary
>
> > On Mar 18, 2016, at 5:36 AM, Swierczek, Julie <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > Following earlier discussions about the fear of looking stupid in
> public, I've decided my unofficial research project for the year is to look
> into ways that communication (especially on professional listservs) might
> provide grounds for that fear. I think this might be something especially
> relevant in tech circles.
> >
> > I would like to ask you if you have any examples of listserv
> communication where you felt that one person was trying to belittle another
> person, particularly about their knowledge of a given subject in their
> field. Best of all would be if you could point me to the conversation in a
> public listserv archive so that I could read more of the thread. However,
> I am also perfectly happy with you quoting the message or even just telling
> me about it. I would also appreciate any explanation you could provide
> about why you see it as a case of someone belittling someone else. (I ask
> that for two reasons: 1) it may not be obvious to me because I am not part
> of that group and I don't know how things normally work in it, such as
> ongoing flame wars, etc., and 2) I'd also be interested in gathering
> people's feedback and interpretations of the bad behavior they have seen.)
> >
> > An example would be someone saying, "You should know x, y, and z" in
> response to someone who identifies as a newbie and has a very basic
> question. The newbie is asking for help and someone else essentially calls
> them stupid for not knowing about the topic.
> >
> > I promise to keep all posts confidential, as well as your communications
> to me about them. (If I publicized any of that information, I would myself
> be publicly shaming people for being stupid, and that is the opposite of
> what I am trying to accomplish here.) I intend to anonymize feedback,
> removing information about people, topics, the particular listserv, etc.
> >
> > To avoid spamming the list with this project, please send your response
> to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. Also, if
> you are interested in the project, please communicate with me through that
> email address, since I feel this is off-topic for the list.
> >
> > Thanks very much.
> >
> > Julie
> >
> > ------
> >
> > Julie C. Swierczek
> > Digital Asset Manager and Archivist
> >
> > Harvard Art Museums
> > 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
> > www.harvardartmuseums.org<http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/>
>
--
Heather Braum
NExpress Coordinator
Resource Sharing Librarian
Northeast Kansas Library System
[log in to unmask]
"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read
and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." ~Alvin
Toffler, *Rethinking the Future*
