There have been chats of late in the code4lib IRC channel about what code4lib is. I think the people involved have always described it as an informal collection of librarians and library programmers (the topics range from musical tastes, locker room humor (hopefully not too much and hopefully the bad stuff doesn’t go unanswered), kids and families to things like actual code, ILSes, neat library hacks, different programming languages, etc. — there is a fair amount of the latter stuff during work hours (and even into the night… the people there code for fun too)). Around the recent Code4Lib conference, though, there was more and more talk about the possibility of extending the group into a conference, a non-profit organization, a journal, and a few other things as well.
I’ve been talking with a friend recently, who is a relative newcomer to the code4lib channel, about the “insular” nature of the group (I agree with his assessment, but I also think code4libbers try to be friendly and reach out when new folks enter — some of the problem is just related to group dynamics and especially to groups that have a high context barrier (see below)). Also recently, number 4 in Caveat Lector’s list of Fifty ways to lose your techies generated some interesting discussion in the channel. I’m not aware of anyone who has actually been “sent into” the code4lib channel, but I think the uncomfortableness mentioned in that post is something many people (male or female) might feel when first encountering the group.
So, to start, I don’t think the informal aspect of code4lib can be emphasized enough. Anyone entering the channel looking only for intellectual conversations on the directions of libraries, how to hack their ILS, or which programming language would be the best to learn to start simplifying their daily tasks is going to be disappointed and, in a way, that is disappointing. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a library coder support group that could help people with just a little experience improve their skillsets or start thinking about library issues in different ways? There are a lot of really knowledgeable and smart people in the channel and I think there is a real need for this outreach in libraryland… what my friend jokingly called Code4libmobile (a name he downplayed but I actually like).
This is not to say this doesn’t happen. People do pop into the channel and ask about a software package for libraries. Often one of the authors, or at least another user, will be in the channel and be able to help out with the problem. Also, regulars in the channel often ask questions and learn a lot from the experiences of others in the channel. There is a great sharing of knowledge that goes on, but it is not the only thing that goes on. There are a lot of “in” jokes and things that may not make sense to someone not “indoctrinated” into the code4lib way. Recently, there has been an effort to counter this problem by creating a #code4lib FAQ. It tries to explain some of the “in” jokes (often revolving around the chat room bot, panizzi) to break down some of the barriers between the old timers and newcomers (does even using those labels create a barrier, recognize one, or neither?)
I’ve always like the Marx quip that “I wouldn’t want to join any group that would have me as a member.” I’m a polite person (I think) and try to be friendly to everyone I meet, but there is also a side of me that really dislikes group dynamics. We can psycho-analyze this away to me being an introvert by nature, the fact that I have red hair and was picked on as a child by the cool kids, or whatever. What I’m getting at, though, is that any group that I join I also try to continue to look at from a third party perspective (in as much as this is possible). To be honest, group dynamics, when the people in the group start exhibiting the same behaviors, saying the same things, etc., also scare me a bit — though I think it is natural for people in a group to behave this way (I do it myself).
Part of this goes back (okay this post is really turning into a long rambling post about me now) to my father. He is an intercultural communications specialist/consultant and grew up in Japan (as a child of a missionary family). I think it is fair to say that he taught me that culture is relative. That we need to step outside of our own culture to understand others’ (and, at the same time, that we really can’t step outside of our own cultures because they are who we are — there is no objective viewpoint). He also introduced me to Edward Hall, a cultural anthropologist, who suggested that cultures fall on a continuum of “high” to “low” context.
According to Hall, Japanese culture is high(er) context; there is much that is conveyed through non-verbal means. This means that a person who grows up Japanese learns many things about how to act, speak, etc. that aren’t necessarily conveyed as verbal /explicit lessons in their society. The United States, in contrast, is a low context culture. Things, more often than not, are explicitly stated/learned. As an aside (hey, this is already a rambling post anyway), I’ve always been interested in the idea that the culture of the southern U.S. has a much higher context than that of the North’s. It is interesting to look at expectations of interactions from this perspective (but that is another post (probably for another blog)).
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I think, based on my experiences, that #code4lib is a pretty high context culture. That sounds impossible because after all it is one that is based in large part on text (IRC messages). People in there know each other from the various library conferences, and some of them are even friends outside the channel, but much of the interaction takes place on a virtual level. I guess what I’m suggesting is that groups are often higher context than individuals (Japan is more group oriented and the U.S. is more individualistic — sorry (to all those cultural anthropologists who actually know what they are talking about) for the generalizations). Since #code4lib has been around about two years the group has formed a tightness that may be off putting to new people who enter (though I should also note that the group has grown greatly in recent months).
I guess my ideal for any group would be one that allows expression of ideas (even ones that are offending). I expect groups to have a conscience, too, though. I would hope that offending ideas are addressed (not in that a person is stopped from saying them, but in that a plurality of voices is always allowed and encouraged — and if someone disagrees with something that is said s/he would feel comfortable voicing dissent). I certainly know that some in code4lib have rubbed me the wrong way before (even people I like and respect on most other topics). I hope, though, that by continuing to contribute I shape the group. I think that with #code4lib’s growth the group can only benefit (as long as the lines of communication are kept open between people). The more diverse opinions the better, in my opinion.
So, back to the “what code4lib should be”… given all this, I’m not sure the group is the best place for outreach. This is not to say that the members of the group shouldn’t do these sorts of things. Just that if we do our efforts shouldn’t be “branded” with the code4lib name. I understand the advantage of capitalizing on a name that is becoming more well known (though hardly anywhere near being really well known in the community as a whole). I just think, though, that this is trying to make code4lib into something it is not. I think these other endevours (non-profit, journal, outreach, etc.) really need to be more formal. Anyway, this is all just my personal opinion (I do not speak for the group as a whole — noone does in my opinion). It is just something that has been on my mind lately (as I watch #code4lib continue to grow) so I thought I’d throw it out there. Comments, criticisms, throwing things at me are welcome…
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