Originally published at: Introducing the Geek Therapy Library (Beta) - Blog
The Geek Therapy Library is a database of media examples and activities that are collected in a way that is meant to be helpful for mental health practitioners, teachers, parents, and anyone who is looking for ways to use Geek culture in a way that can increase understanding.
It took us a while but we’re finally ready to launch a new version. And just like last time, the GT Library is free and open for everyone to use and contribute to. We’d love your help.
Alpha
In 2016, we announced the GT Library and launched the first version. (We are calling it the alpha version now.)
The GT Library idea was inspired by Dr. Patrick O’Connor’s Comicspedia database, and Lara Taylor and I wanted to take that idea and apply it to more media. We dedicated all of season 2 of GT Radio to it.
Unfortunately, the original site was overrun by bots and we took it down in 2017. It was built on the WikiMedia platform, the same technology that makes up Wikipedia.
The front page of the GT Library (Alpha): RIPBeta
First, I’d like to thank all of our Patreon supporters. We hit a patron milestone for relaunching the GT Library and we got to work as soon as it happened, as promised.
For the beta version of the Library, we’ve decided to use the GT Forum as a platform. The Forum continues to evolve as a place that connects all of the content across the GT Network and allows community members to share information and opinions. It is funded, run, and moderated by the GT Community, not by Google, Facebook, Twitter, or anyone else.
The Forum is open to everyone, even if they choose not to register, so there are no barriers to accessing the information. And anyone that registers can contribute to not only the Library but ongoing conversations throughout the Forum.
While the original version of the Library was built to resemble Wikipedia, the new version is a set of categories within the Forum that use a special type of post format that allows anyone to edit the original post in a thread. This feature is currently exclusive to Library entries on the Forum.
Full Circle
In 2013, Josué Cardona and Patrick O’Connor co-created the college course Geek Culture in Therapy, taught by Dr. O’Connor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. In the later sessions of the course, students were required to create activities which would then be made publicly available on what we called the Geek Therapy Wiki. Unfortunately, the platform that hosted it has disappeared but we’ve moved all of the students’ activities to the Geek Therapy Library – Activities category in the new Library! (A big thank you to Sarah Hays for helping us preserve the activities!)
Dr. O’Connor will also contribute to some episodes of the GT Library podcast which will look at Library entries over time. You can subscribe to the GT Library podcast right now.
Beta Testing
We’ve officially kicked off the beta phase of the Geek Therapy Library and we need your help. You can contribute to the Library in a few ways.
The quickest and easiest is to use this form. Tell us about your entry idea and any insights you have about the character or content, or make a request. Someone on the Library team will then convert your response into a Library entry.
You can also register on the Forum and create entries in the Geek Therapy Library category. You can currently make a content, character, or activity entry and each will provide a basic template to follow.
Finally, you can edit or comment on existing entries. Whether you fix a typo or add additional insights, every edit will improve the Library.
More detailed instructions, including video tutorials, will be available in the future to help everyone use and contribute to the Library. For now, check it out and don’t be afraid to add or edit content. The GT Library is an ongoing experiment and we need more people to make it the best it can be.
– Josué Cardona, Geek Therapy Librarian
Questions? Ask on the GT Forum or email us at hello@geektherapy.com.