Exploring the Digital Medusa: Ssnakes, Sstorytelling, and Sserious Leisure by Anna Louise Borynec A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Library and Information Studies Digital Humanities and School of Library and Information Studies University of Alberta © Anna Louise Borynec, 2019 Abstract This research project collected a sample of nine single-authored websites of classical mythology in order to determine whether they could be conceived of as a serious leisure activity under Robert A. Stebbins' Serious Leisure Perspective. Data was manually collected from these websites using a customized rubric that focused on the authors of these websites, rather than their users, and which evolved organically throughout the data collection process. The respective articles on each website about the mythological figure of Medusa was used as a case study for all such articles. Analysis of these authors and their websites was done using three branches of investigation represented by each of the three chapters: applying the Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) in order to understand how these websites function as leisure activities and fit into existing models of leisure; applying three perspectives borrowed from Library and Information Studies/Science(s) (LIS) (Information Behaviour, Information Architecture, and Bibliometrics) in order to identify and analyze the information phenomena occurring on these websites; and applying the perspectives common in studies of Adaptation in order to understand these websites as a part of a larger interpretive and expressive tradition in an interdisciplinary context. Inductive qualitative analysis was then performed on the results of each branch of analysis—tying the three approaches together—and revealing the extensive dedication of these authors to their websites, urging scholars to take them (and other similar hobbyist websites) as seriously as their creators do. This project concluded that the websites in question were expressions of their authors' knowledge about classical mythology, gathered as a part of their belletristic liberal arts hobby. It also demonstrated that mythological stories can be considered, in themselves, a source of information, and that the work of creating adaptations is, in itself, a serious leisure activity. ii Furthermore, the activity of adaptation—that is, the gathering, understanding, and re-presentation of knowledge about a particular narrative—comprises a complex and recursive interplay of information behaviours suitable for further study. Therefore, this research project provides insight into the Serious Leisure Perspective, Information Behaviours, and Storytelling as a method of information exchange, furthering the understanding of stories as information and leisure across multiple disciplines. This project also demonstrates that, while challenging and somewhat limiting, it is possible to conduct this style of analysis on documented leisure activities without interacting with leisure participants or using computer-aided data collection and analysis methods. Finally, this project identifies paths for future inquiry and further analysis into these and other, similar hobbyist websites. iii Acknowledgements First of all, my thanks to Dr. Danielle Allard, Dr. Harvey Quamen, and Dr. Selina Stewart for always being willing to sit down as a group, and for discussing this work with each other as much as with me. Their contributions and insight have been invaluable. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Selina Stewart in particular for her help with translations and for being such an encouraging presence throughout both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I am also grateful to Dr. Sean Gouglas and Dr. Tami Oliphant for supporting me in this endeavour and taking the time out of their busy lives to serve on my committee. This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. iv Table of Contents Abstract ii Acnowledgements iv Table of Contents v List of Tables ix List of Figures x Introduction 1 Bacground 1 Researc Qestions 4 Secondary Objectives of the Study 4 Signifcance of the Study 5 Literature Review 8 Defning Concepts 8 Serious Leisure 8 Liberal Arts Hobby 9 Information Behaviour 10 Describing Tools 10 Te Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) 11 Hektor's Model of Information Activities 13 Information Architecture 14 Bibliometrics and Citation Analysis 15 Methods of Adaptation 17 Connecting the Dots 19 Methodology 21 Scope of Researc 21 Methods of Comparable Studies 22 Researc Qestions 27 Data Collection Methods 28 Te Need for a Rubric 28 Elements of the Rubric 32 v Te Rubric 35 Selection Criteria 38 List of Included Websites with Short Summaries 41 Greek-Gods.info (G.info) 41 Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant (GM) 41 GreekGods.org (G.org) 41 Mythman (MM) 42 Mythweb (MW) 42 Paleothea (Paleo) 42 Teoi Greek Mythology (Teoi) 43 Timeless Myths (TiM) 43 Torrey’s Muses (ToM) 43 Data Analysis Methods 44 Trustworthiness: Credibility, Transferability, Dependability, and Confrmability 47 Chapter 1: Applying the Serious Leisure Perspective 51 Introduction 51 Goals of this Chapter 51 Applying the Serious Leisure Perspective 52 Is this Leisure? 52 No Commercial Afliations 53 Free Time 53 Un-Coerced Activity 54 Te Qestion of Wanting 55 Was the Activity Satisfying and/or Fulflling? 56 Concluding General Leisure 57 Serious Leisure 58 (1) Te Occasional Need to Persevere 60 (2) Leisure Career 61 (3) Signifcant Efort 64 (4) Durable Benefts 66 (5) Identifcation with Pursuit 70 (6) Unique Ethos 75 Concluding the Six Distinctive Qalities 84 vi Narrowing to a Liberal Arts Pursuit 85 Motivations for and Expressions of Liberal Arts Pursuits 86 Typing these Websites According to the Ten Fields of Liberal Arts Pursuits 90 Te Qestion of Information in Fiction 97 Concluding Remarks 98 Chapter 2: Applying Library and Information Studies Perspectives 101 Introduction 101 Goals of this Chapter 102 Information Behaviour 104 Choosing a Model for Information Behaviour 104 Selecting Hektor's Model of Information Activities 106 Applying Hektor's Model 108 Search & Retrieve + Browse 110 Monitor + Exchange 114 Instruct 117 Unfold + Publish 121 Dress 125 Wrapping up Hektor's Information Activities 129 Information Arcitecture 132 Where is Medusa? 134 How Does One Find Medusa? 138 Bibliometrics 141 Applying Bibliometrics 142 Applying Citation Analysis 146 Challenges for the Collection of Citation Data 151 Concluding Remarks 154 Chapter 3: The Perspectives of Adaptation 157 Introduction 157 Goals of this Chapter 157 Tree Methods of Adaptation 159 Introduction 159 Methods of Adaptation 160 vii Complicating Spirit and Creative Adaptations 163 Wrapping up the Methods of Adaptation 166 Te Interdisciplinary Study of Adaptations 168 Identifying as a Storyteller 171 Choosing Sources 173 Judging Authenticity of Works 173 Can these Websites be Considered Academic? 184 Wrapping up Authenticity & Academia: Does it Mater Who Chooses Sources and How? 191 Translation as Adaptation 194 Informing Medusa 198 Contradictions 200 Adaptations and the Serious Leisure Perspective 205 Concluding Remarks 207 Conclusion 210 Introduction 210 Revisiting the Researc Qestions 211 1. How do these websites, their content, and their creators challenge or support the theory of serious leisure and, more specifcally, the leisure arts hobby expounded therein? 211 2. What information phenomena are evident in the creation and presentation of these websites? 213 3. How do broader ideas of storytelling and adaptation interact with information phenomena and the concept of leisure? 216 4. What can be learned about these websites and their authors' activities using a method that excludes participant interaction as well as any computer-aided data collection/analysis? 218 Contributions and Implications of Researc 219 Avenues for Further Researc 221 Works Cited 226 viii List of Tables Table 1: Contributors to the Websites 56 Table 2: Years of Operation of each Website 57 Table 3: Professional and Academic Backgrounds of Sampled Authors 63 Table 4: Names and Pseudonyms of the Authors 70 Table 5: Te Presence of Recommended Readings and Sister-Sites 79 Table 6: Mediums of Contacting the Authors 79 Table 7: Websites Linking to Each Other 80 Table 8: Audiences of Each Website 83 Table 9: Given Motivations for the Creation of these Websites 87 Table 10: Number of Images of Medusa in Galleries and Articles 127 Table 11: Organizational Systems and Navigation Methods of these Websites 128 Table 12: Medusa's Categorization through Hierarchical Classifcation 136 Table 13: Te Number of Articles on each Website & Geting to Medusa 138 Table 14: Top Ten Cited Authors on Site-Wide Bibliographies 146 Table 15: Top Ten Cited Authors on Medusa-Specifc Bibliographies 147 Table 16: Top Ten Cited Works on Site-Wide Bibliographies 148 Table 17: Top Ten Cited Works on Medusa-Specifc Bibliographies 149 Table 18: Multiple Versions of Medusa's Story on a Single Article 182 Table 19: Primary and Secondary Sources Cited on Site-Wide Bibliographies 186 Table 20: Number of Multiple Translations Cited by a Single Website 187 Table 21: Primary and Secondary Sources Cited on Medusa-Specifc Bibliographies 190 Table 22: List of Cited Secondary Sources on Medusa 190 Table 23: Descriptions, Locations, and Relationships in the Medusa Myths 198 ix List of Figures Figure 1: Te Serious Leisure Perspective 12 Figure 2: Hektor's Information Activities Model 14