The Russell Library at Maynooth University is home to many unique treasures. In amongst cuneiform... more The Russell Library at Maynooth University is home to many unique treasures. In amongst cuneiform tablets from the Babylonian period, incunabula from 1470 onwards, and medieval manuscripts, resides a lesser known collection of significant importance – the Furlong Collection. Comprised of the personal library of the former Bishop of Ferns, Thomas Furlong (1802-75), this collection is a unique treasure of the Russell Library.
Zines (as in magaZINE), are independent self-published, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) magazines, created o... more Zines (as in magaZINE), are independent self-published, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) magazines, created out of a desire for self-expression rather than profit, and distributed in small runs. They’re highly personal, can be on any subject imaginable, and are made with an eclectic variety of materials, such as twine, string and glitter. Zines are awake and immediate in a manner that is unlike any other medium. To me, they are powerful tools used to represent the underrepresented in society. They offer a platform to people on the fringes, whose voices are ignored or misrepresented in mainstream publications and traditional libraries.
Presentation to Library Staff on Who Bishop Thomas Furlong was •Why his collection came to Maynoo... more Presentation to Library Staff on Who Bishop Thomas Furlong was •Why his collection came to Maynooth •Highlights of the collection •Future plans for this collection
Specialist information archives, particularly in subcultural and non-institutional settings, pres... more Specialist information archives, particularly in subcultural and non-institutional settings, present special considerations of local context, cultural appropriateness and use patterns. In this poster, we describe our work developing a system of classification, cataloging, and preservation measures in the context of Seomra Spraoi's Forgotten Zine Archive, a Dublin, Ireland-based collection of underrepresented and ephemeral cultural materials. The goal of organizing and preserving these materials was achieved without compromising the noncommercial, do-it-yourself ethos of the materials and organization. Our actions contributed structure and method to a previously undervalued information domain, which may become important in the future as the cultural resonance of alternative media and zines in particular becomes more widely acknowledged. To develop these systems, keys aspects of the Forgotten Zine Archive were examine via a detailed user needs assessment questionnaire and approximately 3? months of weekly participant observation sessions. The survey and observational data, viewed through lenses of existing theory and archival practices, were used to ground any practical decisions made. The collection of over 1800 zines was then classified and cataloged based on this knowledge. Issues of preservation and digitization were also extensively considered. Once our field work was done at Seomra, we developed a set of more generalizable considerations, contributing to existing best practices in the domain of subcultural archiving. Through working with the Forgotten Zine Archive, we generated a set of conclusions and best practice suggestions, with potential benefit to any group, academic or otherwise, that wishes to undertake the maintenance of a similarly ephemeral collection. Catering the cataloging process to the audience and setting is vital when dealing with alternate media, and one effective way to approach this task has been established through this project.
The Russell Library at Maynooth University is home to many unique treasures. In amongst cuneiform... more The Russell Library at Maynooth University is home to many unique treasures. In amongst cuneiform tablets from the Babylonian period, incunabula from 1470 onwards, and medieval manuscripts, resides a lesser known collection of significant importance – the Furlong Collection. Comprised of the personal library of the former Bishop of Ferns, Thomas Furlong (1802-75), this collection is a unique treasure of the Russell Library.
Zines (as in magaZINE), are independent self-published, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) magazines, created o... more Zines (as in magaZINE), are independent self-published, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) magazines, created out of a desire for self-expression rather than profit, and distributed in small runs. They’re highly personal, can be on any subject imaginable, and are made with an eclectic variety of materials, such as twine, string and glitter. Zines are awake and immediate in a manner that is unlike any other medium. To me, they are powerful tools used to represent the underrepresented in society. They offer a platform to people on the fringes, whose voices are ignored or misrepresented in mainstream publications and traditional libraries.
Presentation to Library Staff on Who Bishop Thomas Furlong was •Why his collection came to Maynoo... more Presentation to Library Staff on Who Bishop Thomas Furlong was •Why his collection came to Maynooth •Highlights of the collection •Future plans for this collection
Specialist information archives, particularly in subcultural and non-institutional settings, pres... more Specialist information archives, particularly in subcultural and non-institutional settings, present special considerations of local context, cultural appropriateness and use patterns. In this poster, we describe our work developing a system of classification, cataloging, and preservation measures in the context of Seomra Spraoi's Forgotten Zine Archive, a Dublin, Ireland-based collection of underrepresented and ephemeral cultural materials. The goal of organizing and preserving these materials was achieved without compromising the noncommercial, do-it-yourself ethos of the materials and organization. Our actions contributed structure and method to a previously undervalued information domain, which may become important in the future as the cultural resonance of alternative media and zines in particular becomes more widely acknowledged. To develop these systems, keys aspects of the Forgotten Zine Archive were examine via a detailed user needs assessment questionnaire and approximately 3? months of weekly participant observation sessions. The survey and observational data, viewed through lenses of existing theory and archival practices, were used to ground any practical decisions made. The collection of over 1800 zines was then classified and cataloged based on this knowledge. Issues of preservation and digitization were also extensively considered. Once our field work was done at Seomra, we developed a set of more generalizable considerations, contributing to existing best practices in the domain of subcultural archiving. Through working with the Forgotten Zine Archive, we generated a set of conclusions and best practice suggestions, with potential benefit to any group, academic or otherwise, that wishes to undertake the maintenance of a similarly ephemeral collection. Catering the cataloging process to the audience and setting is vital when dealing with alternate media, and one effective way to approach this task has been established through this project.
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