[OpenGLAM] Open [XYZ] symbols and icons

Sat Feb 22 22:48:42 UTC 2014

Some time ago, I remember us having a discussion about iconography, and
about the associations of a lock being unlocked as a main icon for OpenGLAM
(the idea that an unlocked lock still, basically, insinuates a lock as the
default state, with the negative associations that suggests).  This was in
the midst of a larger discussion regarding our messaging to the larger GLAM
community.

But after all, what alternatives are there?  Well, I've recently began to
notice (it's no doubt not new) a sort of trend in Open [XYZ] iconography
that is exciting to me.  The main OKF logo uses it already, actually.

Note the attached (will an image attach?) screencap of the icon for the
Open Science @openscience twitter icon.  If attachments don't pass, it's
basically a large O shape with "sci" encircled within.

I imagine it's meant to evoke the Creative Commons logo, which is a large O
with 'cc' encircled.

I have to say that I love this.  I love the simplicity of it, the resonance
with existing efforts, the inclusiveness of the O as a circular form...
 more than that, though, I think I love the absence of negatively coded
associations such as those we bind to a lock, or some other more
'real-world' symbol.

Interestingly, I then noticed this approach used slightly differently for
Open Plaques @openplaques (which is a repository of commemorative sites).
 I wonder if it's a larger trend.  Conscious or unconscious, I truly hope
it is.

As linguist George Lakoff notes, so much of how we approach a given concept
or idea is pre-flavored by the often-unconscious associations we have with
the words or symbols used to convey its meaning.

Maybe GLAM is too long to encircle, but...  the next time I'm in Photoshop
I'm going try my curiosity...

Food for thought,

- Heath

-- 
Heath Rezabek // labs.vessel.cc
Long Now Foundation (Intern) // Manual for Civilization Project //
longnow.org
Open Knowledge Foundation // Texas Ambassador for the OKFn // okfn.org
Icarus Interstellar // FarMaker Team // icarusinterstellar.org
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