literacy everywhere
Project Brand Yourself A Librarian
Project Brand Yourself a Librarian: THE AFTERMATH (PART 2)
Jul 27th
A couple of months ago, my best friend was visiting me in Lansing, and I decided to bite the bullet and get the library tattoo I’d been wanting. We’d been roommates during our mutual time at Michigan State University and had gotten in to our fair share of mischief back then, not the least of which was getting our first body modifications. That’s when I fell in love with tattoos. My first was a memorial tattoo for a recently-passed family member. My second tattoo reads, “I simply can’t do anything which I don’t feel deeply,” and is written in my own handwriting. (The guy who did the tattoo called it my “don’t sell out” tattoo, and it’s served me well in that regard.)
When I get tattoos, it is always an incredibly premeditated, personal decision. In looking at the comments on the Project Brand Yourself a Librarian page, I noticed people saying they’d wear a temporary library tattoo, they can’t afford another tattoo (a valid consideration), or they’re on the fence about getting a tat. I guess I was on the fence at first about getting my library tattoo as well, but it is something I absolutely don’t regret.
So many people stop me on the street now to ask, “Is that real?” of my tattoo. By and large, everyone talks about how cool it is, and it always starts a conversation about libraries (bonus!). Everything from questions about my library‘s overdue fines, to our millage, to a great conversation about what the library means for our community. One day, I was walking to a dinner meeting, and these two guys stopped me on the street. I thought they were messing with me at first and I was all set to ignore them. Instead they said, “Hey, is that a library thing?”
“Yeah – I work at the library.”
Their response? “That’s what’s up! Peace.” And with a nod and a smile, I was off to my meeting.
Ha! I love telling people this tattoo-related story because, especially for those who are “on the fence” about branding themselves a librarian, the BEST thing about library tattoos is the cred you suddenly find yourself armed with. If you’re prepared to permanently brand yourself a librarian, a lot of people have respect for that, and in my community, people understand that working at a public library can be quite the experience. The tattoo lets people know that you’re serious about what you do. Permanently serious.
Post by Heidi Gustad. Check out her awesome blog here: http://www.heidijogustad.com/
Project Brand Yourself a Librarian: THE AFTERMATH (PART 1)
Jul 8th
We came, we ALA’ed, and we got branded as librarians…
Since I had already branded myself a librarian back in January of this year, I decided to go another route for the ALA 2010 Project Brand Yourself A Librarian. As an 8Bit Librarian, it goes without saying that video games have a special place in my heart. I can remember getting my Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986 along with the games Super Mario Brothers, Duckhunt, Trojan, and Mighty Bomb Jack. I was in love instantly, not with just the experience itself, but the characters as well. Old Nintendo games have a reputation for not having the most well developed story lines but I found out that worked to my advantage. Instead of books, it was video games that unlocked my curiosity and imagination. They challenged me to create stories, think, and create.
When it came time to get another tattoo, picking my homage to video games was easy. The Legend of Zelda was the first video game that captured me completely. I was so into the world of Hyrule and the main character Link that it was all I thought about. I would spend hours playing in the woods, envisioning my own Hyrule. I would draw maps based on what I discovered while playing the game. Point being, The Legend of Zelda unlocked something in me that had been locked up before. I became curious. Instead of just sitting back and having the world fed to me, I decided to seek it out on my own. I don’t know exactly why I became a librarian, but I’m thinking that had something to do with it. That eternal curious feeling.
One of the reasons why 8BitLibrary was started by JP and I was not only to advocate for video gaming in libraries but also to reach out to the people that are just like the six year old version of myself I described above. In my youth, video games in libraries were not something that went together at all. Because of that, I sort of backed away from my library as I got older. I felt like they didn’t get me. I now look back on those years as a time where I lost a valuable resource that could’ve changed my life. Who know what I would be like if I had the library to guide me during those teenage year. My point is simple…if I can reach out to those teens with games and show them just what else we have to offer, I might be able to make a positive impact on their life.
So, here’s where I explain my tattoo.
Here’s the history behind the game and the Triforce, the relic which Link holds in my tattoo. I got it simply because I love 8Bit art and I love what the triforce stands for: WISDOM. POWER. COURAGE
I feel like that should be the new logo and slogan for libraries.
(much love to Peter Bromberg for the photo)
Project Brand Yourself A Librarian
Jun 26th
THE TIME HAS COME.
BRAND YOURSELF A LIBRARIAN TODAY!
The 8BitLibrary team and YOU (well, if you want to) will be going to Jinx Proof Tattoos in Washington DC on SATURDAY JUNE 26TH at 4:30PM.
The bummer? They don’t take appointments. JP and myself will be getting tattoos and we’d love for you to be there to support us (one of us will cry, but who?) or get your own tattoo. Of course, there will be lots of pictures and video. Which leads me to this:
TAGS: Twitter: #librarytat8bit Flickr, Etc: librarytat8bit
AFTERPARTY!
Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 9:30pm
WHERE: RFD Washington
ADDRESS: 810 7th Street
If you support the project, please add this to your blog/wiki/facebook/myspace:
PROJECT BRAND YOURSELF A LIBRARIAN FLICKR GROUP!
OTHER PLACES TO GET TATTOOS IN DC
- Fatty’s Custom Tattoos PHONE: 202-452-0999
- Tattoo Paradise PHONE: 202-232-6699
- Off The Hook Tattoos PHONE: 202-581-2018
- DC Ink PHONE: 202-232-7711
ALA 2010 Badges
Jun 15th
SO are you going to the ALA 2010 Dance Party?!
BOOM, SHOW YOUR PRIDE!
Also, are you getting a tattoo or supporting the Project Brand Yourself a Librarian??
BOOM!
Thanks folks,
Signed, JP “the 8bit Brawler”
Project Brand Yourself a Librarian UPDATE
May 7th
It has been decided…
The 8BitLibrary team and YOU (well, if you want to) will be going to Jinx Proof Tattoos in Washington DC on SATURDAY JUNE 26TH at 4:30PM.
The bummer? They don’t take appointments. JP and myself will be getting tattoos and we’d love for you to be there to support us (one of us will cry, but who?) or get your own tattoo. Of course, there will be lots of pictures and video. Which leads me to this:
TAGS: Twitter: #librarytat8bit Flickr, Etc: librarytat8bit
AFTERPARTY!
Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 9:30pm
WHERE: RFD Washington
ADDRESS: 810 7th Street
If you support the project, please add this to your blog/wiki/facebook/myspace:
PROJECT BRAND YOURSELF A LIBRARIAN FLICKR GROUP!
OTHER PLACES TO GET TATTOOS IN DC
- Fatty’s Custom Tattoos PHONE: 202-452-0999
- Tattoo Paradise PHONE: 202-232-6699
- Off The Hook Tattoos PHONE: 202-581-2018
- DC Ink PHONE: 202-232-7711
Project Brand Yourself A Librarian: The Flickr Group
Mar 15th
ALA Annual is right around the corner. Have you thought about your tattoo yet?
Join our Project Brand Yourself A Librarian Flickr group and add your photos if you’ve already got your library tattoo. Don’t have it yet? Maybe you’ll find some ideas here…
Speaking of ideas, let’s open up this post and discuss ideas for tattoos. What are you thinking of getting and why? Inspiration and sharing!
(and remember, the tag for this project is #librarytat8bit on Twitter and librarytat8bit everywhere else)
Project Brand Yourself a Librarian: Update #1
Feb 10th
1. FOR THOSE THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING
- Organizing one massive tattooing is sort of a logistical nightmare, so instead we’re opening it up to you. (See below for details)
- We’d like to keep track of how many folks are participating, so please reply to this post or email us at justinthelibrarian at gmail dot com so we can keep track!
- We want pictures! We wants details! The official hashtag for Project Brand Yourself a Librarian will be: TWITTER: #librarytat8bit and BLOGS/FLICKR/ETC: librarytat8bit
2. PLACES TO GET TATTOOS IN DC
- Jinx Proof Tattoos PHONE: 202-337-5469
- Fatty’s Custom Tattoos PHONE: 202-452-0999
- Tattoo Paradise PHONE: 202-232-6699
- Off The Hook Tattoos PHONE: 202-581-2018
- DC Ink PHONE: 202-232-7711
These are just a sampling of the tattoo parlors in the DC area. If you’d like to go somewhere else, please feel free to do so. 8 Bit Library bloggers will only be at one of these tattoo parlors (see below).
3. DAYS TO GET TATTOOS DURING ALA ANNUAL
- What day works best for you? Well, that’s your day! Any days between June 24-29 will be good!
- Members of the 8BitLibrary team will be getting their tattoo on Saturday June 26th, 4pm at Jinx Proof Tattoo
- After our tattooing on Saturday June 26th, there will be a 8BitLibrary Party! PLACE and TIME: TBA!
4. DOES MY TATTOO HAVE TO BE LIBRARY RELATED?
- We’ve been getting this question a lot. While we are SUGGESTING that you get a library themed tattoo, you can choose to get any type of tattoo you’d like. A tattoo is a personal thing and we here at 8 Bit Library don’t want to tell you what to get on your body. Make yourself happy and get the tattoo you want!
If you have any other questions, please let me know. (Justin of 8 Bit Library)
Project Brand Yourself a Librarian: The Video Interview
Jan 17th
JP and I were interviewed by the American Library Association’s YouTube Channel concerning the “Project Brand Yourself a Librarian” project. Rad stuff!
Thanks to the ALA for the interview! You can check out more videos from ALA Midwinter 2010 here on their YouTube channel
