"In 20 years you will not be able to find out what really happened at the protests against the Republican National Convention by reading old newspapers," Jenna Freedman told Utne Reader in "The New Monastic Librarians." "They didn't cover it, but zinesters did," she concluded.
Freedman is a zine librarian, preserving these home-made, paper-based publications for future generations to read--forming a community of dedicated, informed readers.
In addition to her zine library at Barnard College, she helped found Radical Reference, a group of volunteer research experts who answer difficult questions. They fill in historical blanks about a variety of issues, including history book editing, domestic violence, and protests during the 2004 RNC.
For all these reasons, we've spent the last week with Freedman in my deceptively simple feature: Five Easy Questions. In the spirit of Jack Nicholson’s mad piano player, I run a weekly set of quality interviews with writing pioneers—delivering some practical, unexpected advice about web publishing.
Jason Boog:
Professionally, you work as a librarian at Barnard College. Did zines influence your career path at all? Have you done much writing outside of zines?
Jenna Freedman:
I guess zines did influence my career path, but not my career choice. I was in library school when I reencountered zines in 1999.
I don't actually remember what did that, but I was certainly inspired by the collection at the Salt Lake City Public Library and its creators, Julie Bartel and Brooke Young.
I've done some writing outside of zines, but I'd be surprised if you could find any of it. My bad poetry was in some lit zines and small magazines in the 90s.
A monologue from a Tipped Uterus, a play I directed and wrote with the ensemble is in More Monologues for Women, by Women.
Now I'm more into professional writing. Keep an eye on my website for articles about zines, Radical Reference, and whatever else I get around to.
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