September 23, 2007
ABC No Rio
Present: Audrey, Caitlin, Carmen, Christine, Fiona, Jenna, Jessa, John, Lily, Mel, Melissa G., Melissa M., Pilara, Rita
1. Because a number of new people attended, we started with an introduction to Rad Ref, what it means to us individually, and what sorts of things we've done in NYC.
2. Melissa G. passed around a referral list of housing organizations and requested help in contacting them to find out what informational services they offer, what clients they serve, etc. Do they conduct educational sessions for the public, or do they do one-on-one interventions? If Rad Ref wants to help provide housing-related informational assistance, going through the referral list will prevent our duplicating or overlapping with their services and could provide an opportunity to work with other organizations. A few people said they could help.
3. InterActivist has been planning to use the Computer Center at ABC No Rio for skillshares every other Sunday. Rad Ref could use the alternating Sundays to hold skillshares for each other (librarians and LIS students). We decided that the first one will be Sunday, October 14, and it will be on the topic of housing/tenants' rights information online, led by Melissa G. Jenna will give her contact info for InterActivist to coordinate use of the space. Other skillshare ideas were fact-checking and silkscreening.
4. Mid-Atlantic Radical Bookfair. Jenna will coordinate home support and is planning to attend (Rad Ref will have a table there). Rita and Julie also expressed interest in going.
5. NYC Anarchist Bookfair. Planning has begun for the next one, to be held in April 2008. Melissa M. will send an announcement of the next planning meeting to the NYC RR list (there was a meeting on September 26 and will be another one on Wednesday, October 17, at ABC No Rio).
6. The meeting culminated in approximately 30 minutes of discussion about effecting change in the libraries where we're employed. We touched on union issues, working conditions, educating people on FOIA and (in NY State) FOIL, and dream projects we'd like to realize at work.
