Travis Wagner (they/them)
@drtlwagner.bsky.social
Cyborg academic in a world of robot academics. Assistant Professor in the iSchool at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Preserving queer history and obsolete technology one VHS tape at a time.
http://travislwagner.com
http://travislwagner.com
Truly stoked to have my favorite academic partner in crime continue teaching with us! I’m gonna insist all of our students take classes with Ashley!
Can I say something professional on here? 🎙️ Starting next semester, I'll be teaching av preservation at the U of Illinois ischool~~!
December 16, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Truly stoked to have my favorite academic partner in crime continue teaching with us! I’m gonna insist all of our students take classes with Ashley!
Really excited to be both presenting as part of this series and to be helping @ryancordell.org conceptualize the series as well! More from me hopefully in the coming months on this intersection between queerness, archives, and format obsolescence!
Our inaugural speaker will be @drtlwagner.bsky.social on "The Persistence of Obsolescence in Queer Information & Media Technologies," showing how "obsolescence can serve as a generative tool to think about the past, present, & future of queer archives" skeuomorph.ischool.illinois.edu/our-research...
December 15, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Really excited to be both presenting as part of this series and to be helping @ryancordell.org conceptualize the series as well! More from me hopefully in the coming months on this intersection between queerness, archives, and format obsolescence!
Reposted by Travis Wagner (they/them)
📄'How do LGBTQ+ library catalog users talk about subject searching?'🔽
doi.org/10.1108/JD-1...
#Library
#Research
#Catalogue
#Metadata
#LGBTQ
doi.org/10.1108/JD-1...
#Library
#Research
#Catalogue
#Metadata
#LGBTQ
How do LGBTQ+ library catalog users talk about subject searching?
Purpose. Subject searching in the library catalog is a challenge for any user, but may be especially so for members of marginalized groups whose language diverges even further from established systems...
doi.org
December 15, 2025 at 9:32 AM
📄'How do LGBTQ+ library catalog users talk about subject searching?'🔽
doi.org/10.1108/JD-1...
#Library
#Research
#Catalogue
#Metadata
#LGBTQ
doi.org/10.1108/JD-1...
#Library
#Research
#Catalogue
#Metadata
#LGBTQ
Proposing a society level resolution for the new year: Bands should only be able to cover “Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog
December 11, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Proposing a society level resolution for the new year: Bands should only be able to cover “Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog
Reposted by Travis Wagner (they/them)
We did a thing!
Thanks to the EveryLibrary team and to all of the wonderful contributors!
p.s. a webinar series highlighting some of the articles is coming in early 2026.
www.everylibraryinstitute.org/everylibrary...
Thanks to the EveryLibrary team and to all of the wonderful contributors!
p.s. a webinar series highlighting some of the articles is coming in early 2026.
www.everylibraryinstitute.org/everylibrary...
EveryLibrary Institute Announces a Special Issue of The Political Librarian, “Weaponized Politics and Dismantled Policies: Defending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in America's Libraries and Cultura...
EveryLibrary Institute is a 501c3 organization that supports library funding in the United States.
www.everylibraryinstitute.org
December 9, 2025 at 7:13 PM
We did a thing!
Thanks to the EveryLibrary team and to all of the wonderful contributors!
p.s. a webinar series highlighting some of the articles is coming in early 2026.
www.everylibraryinstitute.org/everylibrary...
Thanks to the EveryLibrary team and to all of the wonderful contributors!
p.s. a webinar series highlighting some of the articles is coming in early 2026.
www.everylibraryinstitute.org/everylibrary...
Move over media archaeology we are trying to actively revive these skeletons 🧙📼💀
Yesterday @drtlwagner.bsky.social & I were brainstorming a new @skeuomorphpress.org speaker series—essentially each talk would unpack how a old medium is interwoven in the design/function/&c. of a newer medium—& one of their students suggested we call the series "Media Necromancy"—just *chef’s kiss*
December 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Move over media archaeology we are trying to actively revive these skeletons 🧙📼💀
A new article is out in Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, where my colleague Karen Wickett and I explore how the LCSH "Conduct of Life" enacts, often anti-queer, ideological work on information objects. Read the article here:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
“Works Containing Moral Guidance and Advice to the Individual”: Examining the Ideological Underpinnings of the Library of Congress’ Conduct of Life Subject Heading
This paper explores the ideological underpinnings of the Library of Congress subject heading “Conduct of Life” in catalog records where it is used as a subdivision in relation to queerness. Using F...
www.tandfonline.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:46 PM
A new article is out in Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, where my colleague Karen Wickett and I explore how the LCSH "Conduct of Life" enacts, often anti-queer, ideological work on information objects. Read the article here:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Just found out that Jimmy Cliff passed away. I guess it is time to give this song a ton of spins and watch the movie that gives it its namesake. There's truly nothing quite like it.
youtu.be/BpQrLUopf-k?...
youtu.be/BpQrLUopf-k?...
The Harder They Come
YouTube video by Jimmy Cliff - Topic
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Just found out that Jimmy Cliff passed away. I guess it is time to give this song a ton of spins and watch the movie that gives it its namesake. There's truly nothing quite like it.
youtu.be/BpQrLUopf-k?...
youtu.be/BpQrLUopf-k?...
I think I have found what is officially the best name for a backup band ever:
youtu.be/lc-pIH0CBxM?...
youtu.be/lc-pIH0CBxM?...
Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media - Breeze
YouTube video by Terminal Passage
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 11:01 PM
I think I have found what is officially the best name for a backup band ever:
youtu.be/lc-pIH0CBxM?...
youtu.be/lc-pIH0CBxM?...
In my IS 308: Race, Gender, and Information Technology class, I asked students to make zines today about inclusive tech issues, and they insisted that I should also participate. I thought that was a fair request and took a swing at making my own (though I didn't finish)
November 11, 2025 at 7:40 PM
In my IS 308: Race, Gender, and Information Technology class, I asked students to make zines today about inclusive tech issues, and they insisted that I should also participate. I thought that was a fair request and took a swing at making my own (though I didn't finish)
Reposted by Travis Wagner (they/them)
Next in New Currents, @drtlwagner.bsky.social & Alison Harding use traditional analyses to examine work created using generative AI in ""Remember, love knows no boundaries and comes in many forms": The conceptualization of queerness within AI-generated fan works"! Read it in #TWC46:
buff.ly
November 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Next in New Currents, @drtlwagner.bsky.social & Alison Harding use traditional analyses to examine work created using generative AI in ""Remember, love knows no boundaries and comes in many forms": The conceptualization of queerness within AI-generated fan works"! Read it in #TWC46:
Hit an important Google Scholar citation mark today 😈 #hailsatan
November 9, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Hit an important Google Scholar citation mark today 😈 #hailsatan
Reposted by Travis Wagner (they/them)
New survey researching how recent policy shifts within the U.S. in higher education are impacting DEI reparative metadata/cataloging efforts in academic libraries & archives in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. 📚 #critcat uncg.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Ramification of DEI shifts in higher education on reparative cataloging activity
Survey for "Ramification of DEI shifts in higher education on reparative cataloging activity".
uncg.qualtrics.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:36 PM
New survey researching how recent policy shifts within the U.S. in higher education are impacting DEI reparative metadata/cataloging efforts in academic libraries & archives in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. 📚 #critcat uncg.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Students in my Information Organization and Access course have an assignment where they make their own taxonomy on a topic of their choosing. One student did TV shows, and included I Think You Should Leave, and I felt obligated to include this comment.
October 23, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Students in my Information Organization and Access course have an assignment where they make their own taxonomy on a topic of their choosing. One student did TV shows, and included I Think You Should Leave, and I felt obligated to include this comment.
Stoked to share my op-ed in The Hill that I wrote as part of The OpEd Project 2025–26 Public Voices Fellows at UofI. In it, I talk about historical trends in automation and how it might inform current understandings of anti-trans legislation. Check it out here: thehill.com/opinion/civi...
thehill.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Stoked to share my op-ed in The Hill that I wrote as part of The OpEd Project 2025–26 Public Voices Fellows at UofI. In it, I talk about historical trends in automation and how it might inform current understandings of anti-trans legislation. Check it out here: thehill.com/opinion/civi...
Reposted by Travis Wagner (they/them)
The folks at University of Illinois have very kindly invited me to give a little talk next week (10/22)! Stop by if you're in Urbana, or zoom in if you're not. Many, many thanks to @drtlwagner.bsky.social for facilitating, and details can be found here: ischool.illinois.edu/news-events/...
MSLIS Speaker Event: Jeremy Keen Abbott
Jeremy Keen Abbott will present "Library time: in pursuit of liberatory leisure."
ischool.illinois.edu
October 16, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The folks at University of Illinois have very kindly invited me to give a little talk next week (10/22)! Stop by if you're in Urbana, or zoom in if you're not. Many, many thanks to @drtlwagner.bsky.social for facilitating, and details can be found here: ischool.illinois.edu/news-events/...
Excited to announce my new article titled 'In A Way I’m Coming Out to All of You Tonight'": Activist Media, Digital Curation Pedagogy, and the future of Queer Archives' in the most recent issue of Synoptique focused on "Teaching Media Archives"
Synoptique: An online Journal of Film and Moving Image Studies
@synoptiquejournal.bsky.social
· Oct 3
We are thrilled to announce the release of Synoptique issue 11.1, "Teaching Media Archives," edited by Hugo Ljungbäck and Christian Balistreri! You can read the issue in open access on our website: www.synoptique.ca/issue-11-1.
Issue 11.1 | Synoptique
Issue 11.1 - Teaching Media Archives
Edited by Hugo Ljungbäck and Christian Balistreri!
Synoptique, An Online Journal of Film and Moving Image Studies.
www.synoptique.ca
October 4, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Excited to announce my new article titled 'In A Way I’m Coming Out to All of You Tonight'": Activist Media, Digital Curation Pedagogy, and the future of Queer Archives' in the most recent issue of Synoptique focused on "Teaching Media Archives"
Found this incredible set of cels out of a 90s issue Excalibur (a spin off of X-Men) and fully intend to use it as the cover photo next time I teach Digital Preservation
September 30, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Found this incredible set of cels out of a 90s issue Excalibur (a spin off of X-Men) and fully intend to use it as the cover photo next time I teach Digital Preservation
Turns out the easiest way to turn off the perpetually useless AI overview on Google is to switch browsers. Time to live the Duck Duck Go life, I guess.
September 23, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Turns out the easiest way to turn off the perpetually useless AI overview on Google is to switch browsers. Time to live the Duck Duck Go life, I guess.
For most of undergrad/grad school, I stopped playing video games. The joy of returning was being able to play a decade of indie/AAA games in a row. To a lesser extent, I am doing this with anime, but have the benefit of expedient access to older stuff without needing to use extralegal means.
September 21, 2025 at 6:49 PM
For most of undergrad/grad school, I stopped playing video games. The joy of returning was being able to play a decade of indie/AAA games in a row. To a lesser extent, I am doing this with anime, but have the benefit of expedient access to older stuff without needing to use extralegal means.
New article with a former doc student from UMD. We examine how ChatGPT interprets the creation of queer fanfiction across fandoms that feature openly queer and/or "shipped" queer characters. It took time to publish, but I think the findings hold up:
journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/tw...
journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/tw...
"Remember, love knows no boundaries and comes in many forms": The conceptualization of queerness within AI-generated fan works
| Transformative Works and Cultures
journal.transformativeworks.org
September 17, 2025 at 12:32 PM
New article with a former doc student from UMD. We examine how ChatGPT interprets the creation of queer fanfiction across fandoms that feature openly queer and/or "shipped" queer characters. It took time to publish, but I think the findings hold up:
journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/tw...
journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/tw...
New obsession is tracking down and playing a copy of the board game Dragon Strike which includes a corresponding VHS tape of footage corresponding to the game
September 16, 2025 at 3:06 PM
New obsession is tracking down and playing a copy of the board game Dragon Strike which includes a corresponding VHS tape of footage corresponding to the game
New publication in Archival Science focused on how archival practitioners working with queer collections construct and manage finding aids. This work was done in collaboration with a set of MLIS students, one who joined our PhD program yesterday
Read it here:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Read it here:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
“The finding aid is the first thing that people see, we don’t want to put anyone off viewing the collection”: how practitioners navigate queerness in finding aids - Archival Science
This paper reports on findings from semi-structured interviews with 29 archival practitioners who work on the creation and maintenance of finding aids related to LGBTQIA+ archival materials. The paper...
link.springer.com
August 26, 2025 at 1:14 PM
New publication in Archival Science focused on how archival practitioners working with queer collections construct and manage finding aids. This work was done in collaboration with a set of MLIS students, one who joined our PhD program yesterday
Read it here:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Read it here:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Nothing prepares you for the chaos of students returning to U of I. We’re talking “Master Blaster Runs Campustown” levels of chaos.
August 18, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Nothing prepares you for the chaos of students returning to U of I. We’re talking “Master Blaster Runs Campustown” levels of chaos.
There are a lot of weird and wacky things about Urbana-Champaign, but one of the weirdest and wackiest is Emoji Cream, which is an ice cream truck run out of a van that cranks trap-infused versions of classic ice cream jingles.
August 9, 2025 at 8:20 PM
There are a lot of weird and wacky things about Urbana-Champaign, but one of the weirdest and wackiest is Emoji Cream, which is an ice cream truck run out of a van that cranks trap-infused versions of classic ice cream jingles.