Literally V. R.:
Imaginary Libraries in the World Wide Web

Vortrag im Rahmen der Konferenz "Re-Mediating Literature", Utrecht, 04.- 06. 07. 2007*

Imaginary libraries have a considerable long tradition in our media culture, in literature as in fine art as well. Not only metaphorically spoken one may call them "virtual realities" - and if the term as such wouldn't be that appropriate in this context, one might even tend to add: "by nature".
At the same time, for obvious reasons they have always been closely connected to the cultural tradition of printed matter, the collection of books, and the disciplines of knowledge so neatly mirrored by and at the same time set into power by libraries and their catalogues.

From this background, it is no wonder that since the 1980ies, together with the latter also imaginary books and libraries made their way into cyberspace. However, one might ask in how far tensions, ruptures and negotiations, rivalries and synergies between the intermingling cultural spaces, practices and imaginations of so called "Gutenberg Galaxy" and the realms of digital media have changed not only this relationship, but also led to new developments and perspectives.

To discuss and further explore this question the lecture will invite to a guided visit of several imaginary libraries in the World Wide Web.
In this turn, the tour will also give opportunity to address specific topics like the imaginations of media in other media, the impact of intermediality and cross-media narratives on cultural memory and the disciplines of knowledge, as well as digital media and networks as tools and spaces for enacting and re-enacting, creating and re-creating the latter, including utopian and dystopian perspectives as well as cultural critique.

*Please note: Due to extern organisatorial circumstances, I had to cancel my personal attendance. For a publication of the paper pls. consult the related pages.