Come catch a live recording of Library Bytegeist at a public radio event in Brooklyn! We will be talking about the community-run mesh wi-fi network they have built in Gowanus to remain resilient in the case of future disasters, either natural or man-made.
You can RSVP at the BRIC event page.
WHEN
Friday, May 5, 9:00 – 9:30 pm
WHERE
Gallery at BRIC House
647 Fulton Street (Enter on Rockwell Place)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
WHO
Molly Schwartz, Fellow at the Metropolitan New York Library Council, host and producer of Library Bytegeist
Raul Enriquez, Technology Coordinator & Training Specialist, New America / Resilient Communities
Mario Peart, Digital Steward with the Gowanus Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC)
This recording will be part of the Public Access / Open Networks exhibit. This exhibition will present both key and lesser-known figures who worked in the Public Access arena, as well as contemporary artists experimenting with the democratic potential of new media platforms on the Internet. The show highlights the historical relationships between community-produced media and political action, documenting the potential for social change and creative reimagining through this technology.
RESILIENT NETWORKS NYC
Resilient Networks NYC is a multistakeholder partnership building local wireless networks in six Superstorm Sandyimpacted neighborhoods. In each neighborhood, New America’s Resilient Communities Program is partnering with a local community organization on the front lines of climate adaptation and economic resilience. With our support, our partners are training local residents as “Digital Stewards” to conduct outreach, collaborate with local businesses and leaders, and design, install, and maintain resilient public WiFi systems.
When telecommunications systems are functioning normally, these public WiFi networks will provide access to the internet. Because commercial networks often fail in emergencies, however, the networks also feature redundant connections, local hosting, and backup power systems. This design will allow the networks to function as response and resilience organizing platforms in emergencies, enabling community based organizations to communicate with each other, with local residents, and with first responders, even when other systems fail.
Shawn Averkamp is Manager of Metadata Services at The New York Public Library where she directs strategy, production, ontology design, and quality control for digital resource and discovery metadata. Previously she worked as Data Services Librarian and Interim Head at the University of Iowa Libraries Digital Research and Publishing department, contributing to the Libraries’ 
Liza Harrell-Edge is currently Manager of Digital Initiatives at the