Testimonials
Here’s what past participants have said about their experiences:
“This was a beautiful opportunity for me to bridge my professional work and creative interests, learn about and connect with unique NYC cultural institutions and their collections, and collaborate with a diverse group of artists, archivists, librarians and others from across the boroughs.”
– Fall 2025 participant
“Search & Discovery expanded my artistic practice, my knowledge of New York’s libraries and archives and secrets, and my understanding of what archives and libraries can be. I can’t recommend it enough.”
– Spring 2026 participant
“We are often too siloed in our own workplaces and roles there. I really enjoyed allowing myself to branch out and explore other aspects of my profession alongside and in exchange with fellow Cross-Reference participants and our extraordinary teacher Dr. Shannon Mattern.”
– Fall 2025 participant
“I cannot wait to recommend this class to others!”
– Spring 2026 participant
“I hope this experiment continues to grow and flourish—it has been truly nourishing, and I feel fortunate to have been part of the inaugural course.”
– Fall 2025 participant
“This was such a memorable and unique class. It was quite a rewarding adventure to explore resources around the city with a group of people interested in the same investigations coming from a range of perspectives.”
– Spring 2026 participant
Additional praise….
“Every week brought a new place, a new set of people, and a genuinely different way of thinking about research through the eyes of map makers, poets, doctors, musicians, technologists, foragers. The learning was experiential and multi-sensory; most visits included an on-site activity that made the ideas tangible, not just theoretical. The pre-readings were rich and carefully chosen, and they’re a resource I get to keep and return to. The group of participants was diverse and interesting, which made the conversations richer. And Shannon Mattern, the creator and instructor, is extraordinarily knowledgeable. She has a way of connecting ideas across fields that I haven’t encountered in many educators. Refreshing doesn’t quite cover it. I came away with a much broader sense of what research can look like, and honestly, a different relationship to curiosity itself.”
– Spring 2026 participant
“This program was a treasure through and through. The collection of resources Shannon put together for each class were super thoughtful and thought-provoking. They were also immediately relevant to both each class session and my work in other areas–I was even able to share some references with my students! I also greatly appreciated the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of the cohort. The opportunities to move around the city and engage with collections, institutions, and people that I might not have otherwise managed was also a great boon, and I’m really grateful METRO made this happen and is planning to continue the program.”
– Fall 2025 participant
Thank you to everyone who has shared kind words!