Come Help Us Create Wikipedia and Create Change, Edit by Edit, on February 15, 2023!

Screenshot of Wikipedia Entry for the Movie Tár 1-20-23
Screenshot of Wikipedia Entry for the Movie Tár 1-20-23

Wikipedia has become so central to our lives that we count on it to represent reality, and solid fact. When we encounter a new phenomenon, we check out our trusty online friend for more information.  So, it was fascinating to me recently to see the lines blur between fiction and reality, when Wikipedia was used as a visual and social cue in the movie Tár, starring Cate Blanchett, about a famed female conductor.  In the movie, one of the clues to the coming turbulence in Lydia Tár’s life is a screen capture of a mystery editor changing items on the conductor’s Wikipedia entry. It looked and felt so real, the filming and Blanchett’s performance so rivetingly vivid, that many people believed the film was a biopic of a real person.   As Brooke LaMantia wrote in her article, No, Lydia Tar is Not Real,

“When I left the theater after watching Tár for two hours and 38 minutesI immediately fumbled for my phone. I couldn’t wait to see actual footage of the story I had just seen and was so ready for my Wikipedia deep dive to sate me during my ride home. But when I frantically typed “Lydia Tar?” into Google as I waited for my train, I was greeted with a confusing and upsetting realization: Lydia Tár is not real…the film’s description on Letterboxd — “set in the international world of classical music, centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra” — is enough to make you believe Tár is based on a true story. The description was later added to a Wikipedia page dedicated to “Lydia Tár,” but ahead of the film’s October 28 wide release, that page has now been placed under a broader page for the movie as a whole. Was this some sort of marketing sleight of hand or just a mistake I stumbled upon? Am I the only one who noticed this? I couldn’t be, right? I thought other people had to be stuck in that same cycle of questioning: Wait, this has to be real. Or is it? She’s not a real person?

Wikipedia is central to LaMantia’s questioning!  While it’s easy to understand people’s confusion in general, the Tár Wikipedia page, created by editors like you and like me, is very clear that this is a film, at least as of today’s access date, January 20, 2023… On the other hand, did you know you can click on the “View History” link on the page, and see every edit that has been made to it, since it was created, and who made that edit?  If you look at the page resulting from one of the edits from October 27, 2022, you can see that it does look like Tár is a real person, and in fact, a person who later went on to edit this entry to make it clearer wrote, “Reading as it was, it is not clear if Lydia actually exists.”  Maybe I should write to LaMantia and let her know.

I tell this story to show that clearly, Wikipedia is a phenomenon, and a globally central one, which makes it all the more amazing that it is created continuously, edit by edit, editor by editor.  There are many ways in which our own and your own edits can create change, lead to social justice, correct misinformation and more.  While it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of minute changes to esoteric entries, it’s also possible to improve pages on important figures in real-life history and bring them into our modern narrative and consciousness.  And it’s easy to do!

If you are interested in learning more, and being part of this central resource, we warmly welcome you and invite you to join us on Wednesday, February 15, from 1-2:30 for our 2023 Wikipedia Editathon, part of the University of Calif0rnia-wide 2023 Love Data Week.  No experience is required—we will teach you all you need to know about editing!  (but, if you want to edit with us in real time, please create a Wikipedia account before the workshop).  The link to register is here, and you can contact any of the workshop leaders (listed on the registration page) with questions.  We look forward to editing with you!


Update: Moffitt Library’s first floor reopened after flooding

Moffitt Librarys first floor has reopened after flooding forced it to close last week.

The library will be open for studying for RRR week and finals, although working electrical outlets will be in short supply.

The flooding, brought on by heavy rains, had forced an evacuation of Moffitts first floor last week and caused classes held on that floor to be relocated.

Stay tuned for updates.


Apply now: Moffitt Library Student Advisory Council

A meeting of the Moffitt Student Advisory CouncilWhat is it?

The Moffitt Library Student Advisory Council consists of student representatives who meet regularly with Doe/Moffitt Library staff to advise the library on policies, services, collections and spaces.

Council members:

  • Advise in the design and implementation of library policies and services affecting students
  • Offer student perspectives on relevant library issues
  • Gather input from other Cal students,
  • Inform the design and policies for the renovation of Moffitt Library
  • Represent the Berkeley Library at campus events and meetings
  • Serve as advocates for the library among the Cal student body

The Council consists of undergraduate students who bring a diversity of perspectives, academic experiences, and personal backgrounds.  Students must currently be registered at the University of California, Berkeley and in good academic standing.

What is expected of members?

Your role as a member will be to offer insights about how the library can best support students’ educational experience at Berkeley. Members provide an informed student perspective on policies, services, collections and spaces; participate in development of surveys and other assessment tools; and represent the Berkeley Library at local events and meetings.

Members are asked to contribute their ideas and opinions and respectfully consider other ideas brought to the Council. With a primary focus on the renovation of Moffitt Library, members are expected to be informed about the project and the planning completed to date.

The term of service is one academic year, with possible renewal of the appointment. Meetings are generally held several times per semester and are approximately 2 hours. There are likely to be other opportunities to participate through focus groups, online surveys, library events, and contributions to online forums such as the Moffitt LibraryFacebook page.

What would I get from the experience?

Serving on the Council will provide an opportunity to share with the library administration concerns of highest priority to students. Participation can provide connections for future references; be an opportunity to meet new friends and help create the kind of Berkeley community students want. You will be an influencing voice in shaping the library services and spaces important to you and your peers.

How do I apply?

Undergraduates can volunteer through an online application.  Interested students with questions about the Council may contact Jean Ferguson, Learning and Research Communities Librarian at  jean.ferguson@berkeley.edu.


Movies @ Moffit: Rat Film

Image from the movie Rat Film

Rat Film
A film by Theo Anthony

Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Doors @ 6:30pm, show @ 7:00pm
405 Moffitt Library
Free; open to UCB students only (UCB student ID required)

Across walls, fences, and alleys, rats not only expose our boundaries of separation but make homes in them. “Rat Film” is a feature-length documentary that uses the rat–as well as the humans that love them, live with them, and kill them–to explore the history of Baltimore. “There’s never been a rat problem in Baltimore, it’s always been a people problem”.


March 10 FSM event: Free Speech, Civility, and Democratic Engagement

Free Speech, Civility, and Democratic Engagement

Free Speech Movement Café
Moffitt Library
UC Berkeley
Saturday, March 10, 2018 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Presented by the Class of ’68 and the Center on Civility and Democratic Engagement at the Goldman School of Public Policy

“CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?”
Breaching ideological echo chambers and the role of civility. A unique opportunity for students and the Cal community to engage in small group discussions with members of the Class of ’68.

10:00 a.m. Breakfast — alumni and students gather
10:25 a.m. Welcome and introductions
10:40 a.m. CENTER ON CIVILITY AND DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT

  • Goldman School of Public Policy, Dean Henry Brady
  • Mission and activities of the Center,
  • Dan Lindheim ’68, faculty director; Larry Rosenthal, program director
11:30 a.m. STUDENT AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

  • Small Group Discussion: Breaching ideological echo chambers and the role of civility
12:20 p.m. CENTER SPONSORED STUDENTS IN ACTION

  • Undergraduate student Viviana Morales ’18, UCDC internship
  • Goldman School of Public Policy graduate student Rawan Elhalaby, Advanced Policy Analysis Project
12:50 p.m. Class of ’68 5oth reunion and Class of ’18 involvement
Wrap-up
1:00 p.m. Adjourn

This event is free, open to the public, and all are invited to participate. Sponsored by the University Library’s Free Speech Movement (FSM) Café

Programs Committee. For more information: contact fsmprograms@lists.berkeley.edu.

The Library attempts to o er programs in accessible, barrier-free settings. If you think you may require disability-related accommodations, please contact us prior to the event: fsmprograms@lists.berkeley.edu, 510-768-7618.


Movies @ Moffitt: Anthropocene

Anthropocene

Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Doors @ 6:30pm, show @ 7:00pm
405 Moffitt Library
Free; open to UCB students only (UCB student ID required)

A Working Group of international scientists is deciding whether to declare a new geological epoch — the Anthropocene — with the Earth shaped more by mankind than nature. Its members tell the story of the Anthropocene and argue whether it’s a tragedy, a comedy, or something more surreal. With archival footage, award-winning stills and interviews, [the film] proposes a common secular narrative for mankind but leaves viewers to decide how we should write the ending.

View the trailer and visit the website.


Apply Now for the Moffitt Library Student Advisory Council

Student Advisory Council
Do you live in the library? Do you never come to the library?

We want your opinion on how Moffitt Library can best meet the scholarly needs of undergraduates at UC Berkeley.

As a council member, you will provide advice and suggestions at monthly dinner meetings on services, events, programs and technology available in Moffitt Library.

Apply to join the Moffitt Library Student Advisory Council by September 25, 2017.


Movies @ Moffitt: My Love Affair with the Brain, May 3

My Love Affair with the Brain
Spend Wednesday evening of RRR week learning more about your brain, and how it can thrive! This delightful documentary follows renowned brain scientist and UC Berkeley professor emerita of anatomy Dr. Marian Diamond, introducing us to her groundbreaking accomplishments at a time when so few women entered her field, as well as her entertaining teaching style and charming personality.

Wednesday, May 3
Doors @ 6:30pm, show @ 7:00pm
405 Moffitt Undergraduate Library
Free; open to UCB students only (UCB student ID required).
Movies @ Moffitt happens on the first Wednesday of each month of the semester.


Edible Book Festival 2017: The Results

People viewing the Edible Book Festival Entries

Does reading make you hungry? Have you ever wanted to eat a book? The Edible Book Festival is an opportunity to do just that (or to imagine doing it, anyway). This year’s festival, held on Monday, April 10 in Moffitt Library, was a display of culinary renderings of famous literary works. Entries ran the gamut, from “A Wrinkle in Thyme” (A Wrinkle in Time) to “Red Velveteen Rabbit Cupcakes” (The Velveteen Rabbit) to “Me Guac Pretty One Day” (Me Talk Pretty One Day). Some entries played directly off their book’s title, as in the case of an olive twist bread, while others made references to the content: a daikon radish boat sailing over a pile of collard greens (Love in the Time of Cholera).

Susan Powell with her entry, 'Charred Lettuce Web'
Susan Powell with her entry, ‘Charred Lettuce Web’

Judges Julie Chen, Jean Ferguson, and Susan Schweik selected entries for the categories of Best in Show, Punniest, and Best Student Entry, and Most-Book-Like. There was also a People’s Choice award, for which the 80-plus attendees cast votes for their top three picks. Competition for this award was fierce: the winter was “Love in the Thyme of Collard Greens,” with “Olive(r) Twist” and “The Last UniCorn Dog” taking second and third place, respectively. “Love” also took Best in Show, while the corn dogs went home with Punniest.

Other winners were “The End of Your Leaf Book Club” (The End of your Life Book Club) for Most Book-Like, and “Rye + Pressed Juice = This” (Pride and Prejudice) for Best Student Entry. “12th Night” (Twelfth Night), and “Olive(r) Twist” (Oliver Twist) all took Edible Mentions.

The Edible Books Festival is held on or around April 1, which is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of Physiologie du gout. The other, highly flexible rules of the festival require that all entries “. . . must be ‘bookish’ through the integration of text, literary inspiration, or, quite simply, the form.” It is an international phenomenon, with participation in Germany, Australia, Japan, and China, among other countries. This year’s festival was UC Berkeley’s first, but the judges, participants, and attendees are already looking forward to next year.

'Love in the Thyme of Collard Greens,' an entry in the Edible Book Festival

'12th Night,' an entry in the Edible Book Festival

 


“Painted Nails” screens on April 5 in Movies @ Moffitt

Painted Nails Movie Poster
Painted Nails is directed by Erica Jordan and Dianne Griffin

After learning that her work has caused her life-threatening health problems, Vietnamese immigrant Van Nguyen, a San Francisco nail salon owner, becomes a resolute activist in the fight to regulate chemicals in personal care products, advocating for the safety of nail salon workers and their clientele, both at the local level and in Washington DC.

Wednesday, April 5
Doors @ 6:30pm, show @ 7:00pm
405 Moffitt Undergraduate Library
Free; open to UCB students only (UCB student ID required).
Movies @ Moffitt happens on the first Wednesday of each month of the semester.