Class notes 9/7/10

• AlterNet, an alternative news website mentioned in Tom Eland’s article that you read for class today.

• The Alternative Press Center advocates for alternative and independent media. Take a look at the online directory to get a sense of the range of topics and viewpoints represented in the alternative press.

• Ethnic NewsWatch is a subscription database available through the library website with newspaper, magazine, and journal articles from ethnic and minority publications. Many articles are available in Spanish and English.

• Eland’s article argues that we need the alternative press to provide access to information and opinions that are not represented in the mainstream press. He points out that very few very large corporations own most mainstream press outlets; here’s a chart from 2009 depicting the top 6 corporations that own U.S. media. Note that this website, FreePress, promotes media reform — remember to cultivate skepticism, and always try to find out who/what organization is producing the information and what their agenda is.

• We read a few articles about zines (and looked at several kinds of zines) as one example of a non-mainstream print publication. The Barnard College Library Zine Collection collects and preserves zines, and has lots of great zine resources on its website.

Zine World

I read three articles on zines. I’m assuming its a modernized form of the common magazine, found now online. Zines, pronounced “zeens” are non-commercial, published press releases; as I’ve interpreted this new form of info enlightenment. There are all sorts of Zines, just like magazines. Zines consist of thousands of categories and subject matters imaginable. Zines connect people with similar interests in the form of discussion boards, event planners, etc., a gathering of the minds, so to speak, with creative artists in the music field, education field, how-to-fix-er up-er field and you have a name for it field! Categories are managed in what is called ” Zine distros.” People use zines as sounding boards and to produce new works of art for hopeful publication. Up-to date information of global events also contribute to information found in the Zine World. Information is gathered, written about, discussed, churned and debated in a virtual world online. 

Question: How does one join in on these online Zines? I found myself having some difficulty navigating in this type of format. Also, how can one discern if info on these Zines is accurate and reliable? Colleen K.

http://www.loc.gov/aba/cataloging/classification/lcco/lcco_l.pdf

L Education

Subclass LH
LSubclass LH
LH1-9 College and school magazines and papers H1-9 College and school magazines and papers

L7-991                                   Education (General)

L7-97                                           Periodicals.  Societies