Jenna Freedman
Director of the Barnard Zine Library, Barnard College Library
203 Milstein Center, Barnard College, Columbia University
3009 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
jfreedman@barnard.edu
Teaching
The Perzine Is Political: Critical Thinking with Casual Texts, taught in Barnard College's Pre-College Program, summer 2023.
These are one session classes of 60-90 minutes.
- Advanced internet research
- Community librarianship and free/open source software (team taught)
- Effecting change--activism in your library, in your life Fact checking History of "radical, militant" librarianship
- Library research at Barnard/Columbia Library
- Research at public libraries
- Zines in the classroom
- Zines--place in the library, in media
Research Interests
Alternative press
Radical librarians, librarianship
Creating Wikipedia entries for women of color zine makers (Victoria Law and Mimi Thi Nguyen so far), as well as scholar Alison Piepmeier (collaborative project), zine creator Cindy Crabb, writer Kyle Lukoff, and performance artist Marty Pottenger.
Zines and librarianship
Zine publishing, as compared to other self-publications
Education
MA, 2020: Digital Humanities, CUNY Grad Center
MA, 1999: Library and Information Science, University of South Florida
BA, 1989: Theatre, SUNY New Paltz
Selected Publications
Editor, Zine Reviews column, Library Journal, 2008-2012.
Contributing Editor, The Unabashed Librarian, 2000-2022.
Jenna Freedman. 2025. "How to Overthrow the Ten-Page Paperarchy" in Critical Information Literacy Applications in Libraries edited by Lauren S. Kehoe and Julie N. Harnick. Chicago: ALA Editions.
Diaz, Stephanie, Jenna Freedman, Dorothea Salo, Elizabeth Portelli, Meredith Weston Kostek, Robert Truman, and Misty Trunnell. “Idea Lab: Discussing Library Social Media Ethics.” Journal of Library Outreach and Engagement. 3 (September 7, 2023): 154–61.
Jenna Freedman. 2022. "Foreword" and "Zine Libraries" in Stolen Sharpie Revolution: A DIY Resource for Zines and Zine Culture, 6th edition, 2nd printing by Alex Wrekk. Portland, OR: Lunchroom Publishing.
Jenna Freedman. 2021. "The Barnard Zine Library: The Controlled and the Wild" in Zines in Libraries: Selecting, Purchasing, and Processing. Edited by Lauren DeVoe and Sara Huff. Chicago: ALA Editions.
Jenna Freedman, "Who Better to Document This Time Than Everyone?" The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian 195 (2020).
Jenna Freedman, "Weigh of Showing: An Interactive Technology Pedagogy Zine." Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy 16 (2019).
Elvia Arroyo-Ramirez and Rose L. Chou and Jenna Freedman and Simone Fujita et. al. "The Reach of a Long-Arm Stapler: Calling in Microaggressions in the LIS Field through Zine Work." Library Trends 67, no. 1 (2018): 107-130.
Freedman, Jenna. June 2016. Solidarity! Zine Collection Goes to University of Kansas Libraries. Library Journal.
Freedman, Jenna and Shannon O'Neill. May 2016. Library Beautification: Decorating a Denuded Library That Has Only Three Months Left to Live (in Its Current Location). College & Research Libraries.
[14 zine librarians]. 2015. Zine Librarians Code of Ethics. zinelibraries.info.
Freedman, Jenna. July 1, 2015. Cut & Paste: Five Black Zine Lives. bitchmedia.
Freedman, Jenna. 2014. Punk as a Zine Library. Maximumrocknroll #371.
Jenna Freedman. 2014. ""Zine Libraries" in Stolen Sharpie Revolution: A DIY Resource for Zines and Zine Culture, 5th edition, by Alex Wrekk. Portland, OR: Lunchroom Publishing.
Freedman, Jenna and Rhonda Kauffman. 2014. Cutter & Paste: A DIY Guide for Catalogers Who Don’t Know About Zines and Zine Librarians Who Don't Know About Cataloging. In Informed Agitation: Library and Information Skills in Social Justice Movements and Beyond. Edited by Melissa Morrone. Sacramento, CA: Litwin Books.
Freedman, Jenna. 2012. Self-Publications with Riot Grrrl Ideals. In Make Your Own History: Documenting Feminist & Queer Activism in the 21st Century. Edited by Lyz Bly and Kelly Wooten. Los Angeles, CA: Litwin Books.
Freedman, Jenna. 2012. The Zines Are in Charge: A Radical Reference Librarian in the Archives: A Perzine-tation. Metropolitan Archivist, 18.1.
Freedman, Jenna. 2011. Pinko vs. Punk: A Generational Comparison of Alternative Press Publications and Zines. In The Generation X Librarian: Essays on Leadership, Technology, Pop Culture, Social Responsibility and Professional Identity. Edited by Martin K. Wallace, Rebecca Tolley-Stokes and Erik Sean Estep. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.
Freedman, Jenna. 2011. Implementing a Personal Librarian Program for Students and Faculty at Barnard College. The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian, no. 157: 11-13.
Kam Yan Lee, Jenna Freedman. 2010. Odd girl in: expanding lesbian fiction holdings at Barnard College. Collection Building, 29, no. 1.
Freedman, Jenna. 2009. Grrrl Zines in the Library. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 35, no. 1 (Autumn 2009).
Freedman, Jenna. 2009. Veteran Librarians. Library Journal. 134, no. 15 (Sep 15, 2009).
Freedman, Jenna. 2009. Twitter as a Tool for Website News. The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian, no. 151: 7-10.
Freedman, Jenna. 2008. AACR2-bendable but not flexible: Cataloging zines at Barnard College. In Radical cataloging : Essays at the front. Edited by K. R. Roberto. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.
Freedman, Jenna. 2006. A DIY Collection. Library Journal 131, no. 11 (Jun 15): 36.
Freedman, Jenna, 2006. How to Pick What Zine Library to Donate To? Zine World, no. 23 (July): 42.
Yeo, Shinjoung, Joel J. Rane, James R. Jacobs, Lia Friedman, and Jenna Freedman. 2005. Radical Reference Taking Information to the Street. Information Outlook 9, no. 6 (Jun): 55.
Freedman, Jenna. 2005. Zines Are Not Blogs: A Not Unbiased Analysis. Counterpoise 9, no. 3 (Summer): 10.
Gisonny, Karen, Jenna Freedman. 2006. Zines in libraries: how, what and why? Collection Building 25, no. 1: 26.
Freedman, Jenna. 2004. "Libraries Wired, and Reborn." The Unabashed Librarian, no. 131: 12.
Freedman, Jenna. 2003. Cross-promotion: College and Public Libraries Promote Public Library Cards. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 128: 5.
Freedman, Jenna. 2003. High calling/low salary. In Revolting librarians redux: Radical librarians speak out. Edited by K. R. Roberto and J. West. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.
Freedman, Jenna. 2003. Reference Desk Questions Alone Don't Answer. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 129: 24-25.
Freedman, Jenna. 2003. What Librarians Do. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 129: 8-10.
Freedman, Jenna. 2000. Encourage book love. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 114: 21.
Freedman, Jenna. 2000. Express this--the road to ruin. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 116: 28-31.
Freedman, Jenna. 2000. Libraries, outsourcing, and undergarments. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 114: 28-31.
Freedman, Jenna. 1999. The St. Petersburg Junior College, Seminole Campus CyberLibrary--or When is a library not a library. Florida Libraries 42, no. 3 (March/April) : 52-53.
Freedman, Jenna, Celia Perez. 2000. Spanish-English library glossary--Biblioteca glosario Ingles-Espanol. The Unabashed Librarian, no. 115: 27-30.
Presentations List
Awards
ALA-APA Angel, ALA-APA, 2008
Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change, ALA, 2007
Significant Achievement in Women's Studies Librarianship, ACRL, 2007
Movers & Shakers, Library Journal, 2003
3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant, ALA, 2002
Ebsco Conference Sponsorship, ALA, 2000