This is a Modern WorldThis is a Modern WorldSub Cultures and Sub Genres: Make your librarySub Cultures and Sub Genres: Make your library

service truly multiculturalservice truly multicultural

Let’s Identify a SubcultureLet’s Identify a Subculture

►Come together, on a local and national Come together, on a local and national level to socialize and skill share.level to socialize and skill share.

►Create their own publications and Create their own publications and organizations.organizations.

►Are constantly struggling to re identify Are constantly struggling to re identify themselves and find their relevance in themselves and find their relevance in the world.the world.

►Have created their own social hierarchy.Have created their own social hierarchy.

LIBRARIANSLIBRARIANS

While we are a profession, While we are a profession, much of our behavior much of our behavior

mimics that of a subculture.mimics that of a subculture.

Under Your InfluenceUnder Your Influence

► Librarians Librarians involvement in a involvement in a subcultures may subcultures may explain their choice explain their choice in the profession in the profession (Geek is now thought (Geek is now thought of as a subculture). of as a subculture).

► Many changes in our Many changes in our profession can be profession can be attributed to the attributed to the influence of influence of subcultures and subcultures and countercultures.countercultures.

Beyond Race and ClassBeyond Race and Class

►SubcultureSubculture►CountercultureCounterculture►Youth CultureYouth Culture►Urban TribesUrban Tribes►Enthusiast Enthusiast ►““Scene”Scene”

In the (post) modern world In the (post) modern world we are all looking for our we are all looking for our place. We can no longer place. We can no longer rely on our ethnicity and rely on our ethnicity and

ancestry for identity.ancestry for identity.As librarians we are As librarians we are challenged by a society challenged by a society becoming fragmented becoming fragmented

and increasingly and increasingly complex. complex.

We can resign ourselves to We can resign ourselves to serving a increasingly serving a increasingly smaller “norm” or we smaller “norm” or we can learn to embrace can learn to embrace

diversity outside of class diversity outside of class and race.and race.

What Is A SubcultureWhat Is A SubcultureIn Sociology and In Sociology and

Cultural Studies it is Cultural Studies it is Defined as…Defined as…

A group of people with A group of people with a culture (whether a culture (whether distinct or hidden) distinct or hidden)

which differentiates which differentiates them from the them from the

larger culture to larger culture to which they belong.which they belong.

Sociology and Subcultures Sociology and Subcultures

► The Chicago School is best The Chicago School is best known for its analysis of known for its analysis of how the urban environment how the urban environment affects human behavior. Its affects human behavior. Its members studied social members studied social structures and physical structures and physical environmental factors, environmental factors, rather than genetic and rather than genetic and personal characteristics, in personal characteristics, in the development of human the development of human interaction.interaction.

Identification of a SubcultureIdentification of a Subculture

► Distinctive use of Distinctive use of aesthetics.aesthetics.

► A symbolic use of style A symbolic use of style which can be interpreted which can be interpreted by other members of the by other members of the same culture. same culture.

► Affinity to a particular type Affinity to a particular type of music, physical activity of music, physical activity (sport), style of art, or (sport), style of art, or geographic territory. geographic territory.

► An often antagonistic view An often antagonistic view of normal society and of normal society and social conformity.social conformity.

The Urban TribeThe Urban Tribe

► The urban tribe is a The urban tribe is a microgroup of people microgroup of people who share common who share common interests in metropolitan interests in metropolitan areas. The members of areas. The members of these relatively small these relatively small groups tend to have groups tend to have similar worldviews, similar worldviews, dress styles and dress styles and behavioral patterns. behavioral patterns.

► Defined by French Defined by French sociologist Michel sociologist Michel Maffesoli, 1985. Maffesoli, 1985.

Types of Subcultures?Types of Subcultures?

► PunksPunks► GothsGoths► GammersGammers► TechiesTechies► BeatsBeats► HippiesHippies► RaversRavers► ModsMods► MetalheadsMetalheads► Urban PrimitivesUrban Primitives► FurriesFurries► SukebansSukebans

There the are sub- subcultures… There the are sub- subcultures… punk is the base of several. punk is the base of several.

Skinheads, hipsters, artpunks, Skinheads, hipsters, artpunks, hardcore kids, straight edge and hardcore kids, straight edge and many others are rooted in punk.many others are rooted in punk.

Some embrace their subculture, Some embrace their subculture, others see it as a stereotype.others see it as a stereotype.

Subcultures in the LibrarySubcultures in the Library

►Teen Services Teen Services ►Children’s Children’s

Services/ParentsServices/Parents►Collection developmentCollection development►ProgrammingProgramming►Adult instructionAdult instruction►Non traditional library Non traditional library

services services

Sub Cultures Sub Cultures and Emerging and Emerging

Genre’sGenre’s►Punk is now added to anything outside the Punk is now added to anything outside the

norm… Cyber Punk, Steam Punk, and norm… Cyber Punk, Steam Punk, and Horror Punk (just saw that one the other Horror Punk (just saw that one the other day).day).

►Urban Fiction is very much a part of the Urban Fiction is very much a part of the “street” lifestyle, which can be defined as a “street” lifestyle, which can be defined as a subculture.subculture.

►Modern art, music, and literature is often Modern art, music, and literature is often influenced by sub/counterculture. influenced by sub/counterculture.

Not Judging a Book By It’s Not Judging a Book By It’s CoverCover

►Some subcultures have similar Some subcultures have similar aesthetics, but vastly different tastes aesthetics, but vastly different tastes and values.and values.

►Members of a subculture are not always Members of a subculture are not always comfortable being identified by it, comfortable being identified by it, especially by outsiders.especially by outsiders.

►You may find that many of these groups You may find that many of these groups may become library advocates. may become library advocates.

►Nothing is more D.I.Y. than the library.Nothing is more D.I.Y. than the library.

In ClosingIn ClosingWe need to rethink how we We need to rethink how we

categorize our collections and categorize our collections and the people we serve. While the people we serve. While

subcultures are a small subcultures are a small segment of the population, segment of the population, they need to be taken into they need to be taken into consideration when tooling consideration when tooling our library services. They our library services. They

could make strong advocates could make strong advocates for your organization.for your organization.