Is this a Mash-Up or a Template? Towards a Typology for Literary Bots
Isabelle Gribomont, Lucie Mentalechta · Digital Access to Libraries · 2024
This paper introduces the LabEL literary bot typology, which was developed empirically from 588 literary bot accounts on Twitter. The typology features eight categories that capture various aspects of bot procedurality. It abstracts the processes reliant on specific files, resources, tools, and scripts into stable elements. The typology is introduced with a contextual overviewoftheTwitterplatform, sincebots’formalelementsareinfluenced by their technosocial environment. We provide several case studies to illustrate the practical application of this typology, showcasing its strengths and limitations. Finally, we briefly explore potential applications for studying and preserving literary bots. In addition to offering tools for analysing literary bots individually, within collections, or alongside other types of generative electronic literature, the typology also aids in preserving a fragmented memory of this form and contextualising it within the broader landscape of digital literary art.