About jenna

Zine Librarian at Barnard College, publisher of Lower East Side Librarian, Before I Forget, and Unprecedented zines.

Help an unemployed zine librarian (or two) get to the zine librarians unconference

This year two of our regular ZLUC participants won’t be able to make it to the conference in Austin because their former employers are at least a little bit douchey. Let’s see if we can help ’em out! Paypal your donation to jennafree@bigfoot.com, Venmo it to leslzine, or mail a check to Jenna Freedman | 203 Rivington St. #3C | NYC, NY 10002.

A straw that led to the one of the zine librarians quitting her job: http://judevachon.tumblr.com/post/117781855023/stop

The other one lost her job (after ten years pre- and post-MLS) when her position was deemed nonessential–“But can you help us with department planning before you go?” Like the other out-of-work librarian, she’d been a creative and proactive employee, founding the zine library, for example.

Donations so far: $360 + dorm room

$50 from a research & instruction librarian in New York
$30 from a zine archivist in Texas
$50 from a zine librarian in New York
$50 from a librarian in North Carolina
$40 from a librarian in Illinois
$40 from two wannabe zine librarians in Arkansas
$50 from a zine librarian in New York’s bonus mother
dorm room fee from an anonymous source
$50 from a zine librarian in Massachusetts

Surveys for Zine Makers and Zine Librarians

Darlings, a band of zine librarians is working to develop a catalog that would contain information about zines held in multiple libraries–one place you could go and find zines and determine who has them. We want to know what you think about that. To that end, we’ve made two surveys:

one for zine creators, readers and scholars

and one for zine librarians and archivists.

Please fill out one or both, as appropriate to your role(s) in zinedom.

Thank you! Blame/credit for the surveys goes to Madeline Veitch and me, with thanks to people who gave us feedback (MM, LD, ES, SSL, MG, E).

Survey squirrels, licensed for reuse from http://3dstage.deviantart.com/art/Survey-Says-263258911
Survey squirrels from Deviant Art

ZLUC Travel Grant 2014

For the third consecutive year, zine librarians & their friends are raising money to subsidize a librarian of color’s participation in the Zine Librarians Unconference. Here is the application form. Applications due June 6, 2014.

2012
2013

This year’s conference will be held at Duke University’s Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History & Culture July 18-20.

So far librarians have contributed $215 and $217.25 was raised at the NYC Feminist Zine Fest on March 1st for a total of $487.25. The Sallie Bingham Center will cover the winner’s single dorm room, as well.

Contribute via PayPal to jennafree@bigfoot.cxx. For other options and more info, email leslzine@gmail.cxx. (Wherein xx = om)

Unreproductive: Zines on Herbal Abortion and Menstrual Extraction

Here are some zines that discuss or even detail ways to end a pregnancy. Please be careful with how you carry out instructions found in a zine, or really any information resource. Neither I nor anyone from the zine librarians group is taking responsibility for the content found in the zines. Zines do not go through a peer review process and most zine makers do not have significant medical training. That doesn’t mean they don’t have valid knowledge about their own bodies and yours, but, just, don’t be reckless.

So here is a selective, annotated list, alphabetically by title:

  1. Doris #23 by Cindy Crabb, published in 2006.
    An explanation of menstrual extraction is just one part of this issue Cindy Crabb’s rightfully celebrated personal zine. In addition to ME, you’ll also read about Cindy’s grandma, outdoor adventures and the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse. The zine is illustrated with stick figure comics and drawings in Cindy’s inimitable style. Cindy and Doris are hard not to love.
    Held at: Bako Zine Library, Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Denver Zine Library, Multnomah County Library, Nadine Vorhoff Library/Tulane University, Pierce County Library System, Timberland Regional Library. You can also buy it from Cindy and from a bunch of distros (which you can look up on your own).
  2. Fertility Awareness for Non-Invasive Birth Control, by the Arthouse Coalition, Portland OR
    I’m a sucker for a DIY zine that includes a bibliography and glossary, which this one does. As the title suggests, this zine is more about knowing your body and preventing pregnancy than it is about abortion, but it does contain information about herbal emmenagogues. And if you want to know a lot about cervical fluid, this is the zine for you!
    Held at: Bingham Center/Duke University, Firefly Zine collection/University of Miami, Internet Archive (options for viewing and download), Papercut Zine Library, Schlesinger Library/Harvard, ZineLibrary.info (pdf)
  3. Free to Choose: a Women’s Guide to Reproductive Freedom, by Esther Eberhardt. (Note the Eberhardt Press catalog title leave’s out the word “Women’s,” hence some irregularity in library catalogs.
    In addition to being pretty this pamphletty zine provides history and context (stories from the “bad old days,” The Abortion Handbook, Jane), as well as information about menstrual extraction tools and procedures. It includes a short list of bibliographical references and is anti-copyright.
    Held at: AnarchaLibrary (link to pdf), Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, Birds Nest Zine Library, Brooklyn College,  Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Cleveland Health Science Library, Eberhardt Press (pdf), Evergreen State College Womyn’s Resource Center, Hampshire College, Mount Royal University, Schlesinger Libary/Harvard, Timberland Regional Library, University of Oregon, Vancouver Public Library
  4. Hot Pantz: Do It Yourself Gynecology, by Isabelle Gauthier and Lisa Vinebaum, 1995
    This is a classic women’s repro health DIY guide, originally published in French. Includes emmenagogues and advice for what to do to prevent pregnancy after a risky sexual encounter.
    Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, BitchMedia Community Lending Library, Bowling Green State University, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Cleveland Health Science Library, Duke University/Bingham Center, Multnomah County Library, Firefly Zine Collection/University of Miami, No Borders Radical Lending Library (link to pdf that isn’t working for me), Roberts Street Social Centre, Timberland Regional Library, University of Oregon
  5. Mine: an Anthology of Women’s Choices, edited by Meredith Stern, 2002.
    You won’t necessarily get the recipe for an herbal abortion or instructions for performing menstrual extraction. What this compilation zine will provide is other women’s stories about medical and surgical abortions, herbal abortifacients, menstrual extractions and the women’s thought processes behind their decisions.
    Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, Labadie Collection/University of Michigan, Schlesinger Library/Harvard University, Wisconsin Historical Society
  6. Radical Menstruation, 2004.
    Here’s the Barnard zine abstract: This political zine gives alternative ways to view and deal with menstruation, focusing on herbal and DIY remedies. It also critiques of the “culture of shame and ignorance” surrounding menstruation, provides a bibliography, and provides instructions on how to make a cloth pad or perform a menstrual extraction.
    Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bowling Green State University
  7. Red Alert #3, by the Blood Sisters collective, early 2000s?
    Contains an emmenagogue recipe.
    Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, OPIRG Infoshop
  8. She’s So Very, by Melissa Ann, 2008?
    Mostly a personal zine, about a lot of topics, this zine also includes an emmenagogue recipe–and interviews with Le Tigre band members about feminism, if you’re into that sort of thing.
    Held at Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Brooklyn College
  9. What Is This Thing Called M.E.? 2006 or later?
    Personal, DIY, cut and paste goodness–how have I never heard of this zine before?
    Held at: Papercut Zine Library (spreadsheet of holdings), pdf from unidentified source (RAM sucking download that might freeze your browser for a while)
  10. Wive’s Tales by Britton, 1993
    Here’s the Barnard abstract to another classic zine that still shows up at books fairs, zine fests and in distros, 20 years after it was published): This political DIY zine gives alternatives routes to female reproductive health. Included are guides to self-examination and forms of birth control, emmenagogues, and childbirth, as well as descriptions of diseases and tips for radical menstruation. There are illustrations and a bibliography.
    Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, DePaul University (Kim Nolan collection), Forgotten Zine Archive, Internet Archive (options for viewing and download), Smith College, Tamiment Library/NYU, University of Iowa

Note, re: library holdings. I searched WorldCat and did an internet search. I have surely missed other libraries, whose catalogs are not online or whose holdings are not otherwise represented on the open web or for whatever reason don’t show up very high on a results list. Librarians should feel encouraged to add their holdings in this post or in the comments for me to integrate as I am able.

XD Tribute to Zine Librarians

In Xerography Debt #33, editor Davida Gypsy Breier says nice things about us:

“As a zinemaker, I often go about my business of making zines because I still believe in tangible artifacts. Or, as Jeff Somers says in his column in this issue, they have discreteness. I forget that with print runs frequently fewer than 500, or even 100 copies, zines are often ephemeral. I knew that zine collections at libraries exist, and have contributed to several, but it wasn’t until after the [Caxton Club zine] symposium that it really sunk in that these librarians and archivists are unsung heroes of zine culture. They are saving and preserving documentation on events and subcultures that would otherwise go unrepresented or be grossly misrepresented. They are also working to make zines discoverable to new readers.

“So I would like to dedicate this issue to the zine librarians and archivists out there who are working to support and protect zines. Thank you!”

Aw, shucks, Davida! It’s our pleasure. 🙂

Update on zinelibraries.info / also zine librarian identity

Zinelibraries.info discussion

Overview:
MKE last year, session abt zine librarians’ documentation so that all info doesn’t live in the archives of the zinelibrarians’ listserv
At the end of the session, discussed reviving zinelibraries.info
Wordpress site — not currently pleased with theme or appearance
Maintainers have identified headings that need to exist, need for a new theme

It’s not really clear what the mission is for the site
What would help this session:
Clarify mission going forward
Divide up the work

Q: Should UnConference sites be separate from the site, or folded into it?

Agenda/What we want to accomplish:
Mission
Identifying audience & how it will be used
CMS – Are we talking about scrapping WordPress?

This session, talk in broad terms, additional session to discuss tech details

Audiences:
Zine librarians
Librarians & others generally curious about the intersection of zines & librarianship, zine collections
Librarians who work in cataloging, tech services (& other more conventional areas of librarianship)

How the site relates to the We Make Zines zine librarian group?
People who use the WMZ site tend not to be zine librarians

We would like to see it be a document repository
Documentation to help us not reinvent the wheel
Moving 5 yrs of different wikis into a single space
Member directory
[Identity/branding for zine librarians as a whole]
Programming ideas/documentation
Place where people can give themselves shout-outs, report on the cool stuff they’re doing — showcase or show and tell
Centralized repository or aggregator so we’re not just posting to disparate sites like FB

You have to opt-in to be on a listserv, but anyone can go to the website — listserv can be helpful for asking questions (though this happens on the Rad Ref website, too)
Value of the listserv is the delivery of content into your inbox
Keep the email list

Q: Any more input about the site?

Links to other resources – We don’t need to duplicate Jerianne’s Zine World site – directory of zine librarians
FAQ

Work process this year
Collectively-shared website – maintainers were hesitant to change it on their own/independently
Not sure about next steps, after discovering flaws
We could leave it in WordPress, try to make it do what we want to do, and if it can’t then consider switching platforms
What if the work team got bigger? Shared responsibility?
Would help to parse out – someone would be responsible for look & feel, someone could be responsible for content, someone could be responsible for adding members & welcoming them

Delineating what we need volunteers for:
Figuring out WordPress theme
Banner art
Managing users
Having some instructional material about how to use WordPress
UnConference sites — Mediawiki install & use that in addition to the WordPress site?
Organizing the stuff that’s already on the site/or is related and exists elsewhere
Determining headers, architecture

Volunteers for categories:
Wordpress theme – Celina & Mackenzie* – Elvis & Milo should be included
Banner art – Elvis* & Milo
Managing users – Violet* & Jenna
How-to-use-the-site documentation – table this until site is done / Erica?
Incorporating old content – this can happen later
Architecture – Celina* & Jude & Erica

Honor is willing to give added assistance later
Jude will get programming content ready

Alycia, Kelly & Nicki should be in on all of the conversations happening in the groups

*will send the first email to get things rolling

Notes by Alana

xZINECOREx: Union Catalog update

Union Catalogue/xZineCorex
Update from last year: we’d started to define zinecore: Dublin Core for zines
Idea behind this is that we’ll have a metadata standard that we all accept, so that this basic set of fields will be consistent, regardless of our catalogues. AND THEN it will be the basis of our union catalogue (WorldCat for zines!!!)

ZineCore refresher:
Title
Creator(s)
Subject(s) / Genres
Content description/notes
Publisher(s)
Contributor(s)
Date of publication
Type
Format / physical description
Identifiers (union ID#)
Source
Language
Relation (see also)
Coverage (place of publication
Rights (freedoms and restrictions)

QZAP has been using zinecore in their catalogue now: hasn’t changed things necessarily, but gives a standard to shoot for

What we need to do next:
We’ve been talking about this through 4 unconferences…what’s next? Things to bring back to our cataloguers. Interference Archives in NYC also interested in starting a catalogue: maybe two groups working on this will help move things along. They are building the history of the collection as they build the catalogue. Not quite the same goals, but adds complexity.

Goal: worldcat for zines! So we all know between ourselves, but also to help point researchers to other places.

Collective Access might be the tool we build this in. Cataloging tool built on a LAMP stack, based on Dublin Core, open source, free to use. Next step for QZAP is to build an install profile — from the time you add the software, you can choose that user profile and it will pull the (in this case, zinecore) fields for that profile. CA is geared for digital objects, which is great for QZAP, but also will allow folks to add cover scans, etc.

There are other products, but this allows you to import data from comma/tab delineated files, Excel spreadsheets. Question about LibraryThing– should be able to pull as a spreadsheet? Also: MARC records should also be able to be pulled in? Some concerns with MARC fields/subfields…You can have multiple instances of DC fields.
So, there may be some human element to pull out elements one way or the other — or a script that runs to do that. But, those are also mostly easily identifiable elements, just something to know we have to do. A lot of trial and error, but.

If we’re adding to a union catalogue, will there be duplicate entries, or a field for holdings?
Zinecore is defining the object — one of the additional pieces we’ll need for the union catalogue is a Holdings record.
So — we’d use the union catalogue to find the record, then add it to our own individual catalogues. But, we’ll also have a bunch of separate records for, say, Doris — how do we clear this up?

We have an identifier for the record, but maybe also some kind of title identifier (or authority file!) to see all the Dorises. (A “work” record in RDA/FRBR-speak)
But! We don’t have professionals doing this, necessarily….
So, we need a name authority file and title authority file. So: Cindy Crabb will always be Cindy Crabb and not Cindy Ovenrack. So, you can see the other names the person goes by, but you can also redirect someone to all the things that person has published.

So, we’re talking about two sides of the catalogue: the names part is not directly about the record’s metdata.

This takes everyone using the same rules — does this fit our community?
If we build the system, it’s already there…but someone has to do the work for the Cindy Crabb/Cindy Ovenrack. Is this gonna be so large that this is necessary? Is this something that has to be done going in?
Knowing that we’re going to do this down the line…is important to know, software-set-up wise…but no, we don’t necessarily have to do it now.
Could Zinewiki be our authority file? (Yeah — people like that.) But would that just be adding a lot more work, to add Zinewiki entries? Or….can the union catalogue that would then push data back out to Zinewiki?

Unique identifier for each zine — could it be a Uniform Resource Identifier that could be linked into the semantic web? (E.g. linked back to Zinewiki?)
So Doris #3 is a part of this uniquely identified DORIS.

Question about Type — a little confusion about what it means in DC. The field is there if you need it, you can leave it blank if you don’t use it.

Authority files: you can have multiples, as long as they communicate with each other. Which goes back to having a URI, so there’s a unique key to help connect them together.

Lunch: let tech people have their tech conversations…and then come back.
What did folks want to get out if it? A plan/timeline. A way for us to know that we’re cataloging things in a way that will be useful down the line. We don’t need to be anxious about this now, y’all!
What might help the tech discussion is: talking about the quirky little things we do in cataloging. (e.g. description of the cover, a la Papercut Zine Library.)
Questions too about editions, donor information…how does that stuff fit into Zinecore? Is it separate? Extended DC?

Notes by Kelly

International Zine Libraries Day

Attendance: Milo (facilitator), Kelly, Violet, Eric, Jenna (notes)

  • July 21st
  • http://zinelibraryday.wikispaces.com (should this get moved to the zinelibraries.info site?) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Zine-Library-Day/242929865735256
  • purpose is to promote zine libraries use and awareness
  • develop ALAish “toolkit”: zine library propaganda, web banner, press kit
  • try it out kind of event for libraries that don’t have a zine collection
  • at Iowa they made a pop-up library of zines people brought in
  • regional event, collaboration site, cross promotion
  • develop Zine Librarians identity
    • visual identity
    • community building
    • adding authority
    • what would a group look like besides the zine librarians list?
  • zine library users and supporters should bring donuts to their favorite zine librarian. n.b. determine ahead of time if the donuts should be vegan
  • do something like the international zine month activities list?

Can we add a zine libraries persona discussion to tomorrow’s schedule?
Maybe also something about accomplishing things we volunteer to do between zine librarians unconferences?

xZINECOREx timeline

Suggestion via UStream follower: design catalog for patrons, not for catalogers.

  • Front end and back end will be different, so perhaps this isn’t a concern
  • Multiple front ends could conceivably be available
  • Once the data is in place, there’s a lot we can do–table this part of the discussion for now?

Next steps / timeline

  • Apply for a Knight Foundation grant for development and infrastructure: DUE BY DUE DATE, JENNA & KELSEY and we hope others!
  • Develop QZAP as prototype: DUE JANUARY 1, ERIC & MILO. Lots of people willing to help with user testing.
  • Use Interference Archive catalog as prototype for sharing data
  • Research other grants: DUE ?
  • Plans for export import from CSV files, LibraryThing, MARC (from data dump), etc. (What are the others?) : Survey cataloging systems on Zine Librarians list DUE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, HONOR & CREW
  • Born xZINECOREx cataloging guidelines? Other documentation, as needed.
  • Union catalog admin for the user side: VIOLET

Announcing PGH-ZLUC scholarship

Zine librarians are pooling their money to offer a scholarship to this summer’s Zine Librarians Unconference in Pittsburgh on July 28th & 20th. The scholarship is meant to help someone from an underrepresented group attend the unconference and currently stands at $150 $170 $190 $210.

Applicants should send a short summary of their interest and qualifications to zines@barnard.edu by July 1st. Notifications will be sent out by July 7th.

If you want to contribute to the scholarship fund, please write to the same address.

MKE ZLUC happened

Check out the notes from the Zine Librarians Unconference held in Milwaukee earlier this month. Go to the schedule page to see what was discussed and to read any notes posted.

Two highlights