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Sarah and Jen Wolfe Zines

 Collection
Identifier: MsC0878

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Scope and Contents

The collection consists of numerous zines assembled by Sarah and Jen Wolfe during the 1990s. Many of the zines are products of the 1990s feminist "riot grrrl" movement; they deal with the issues of concern to that movement, including female-driven music, complexities of female identity, and a consciousness of institutional, social and cultural sexism. Riot grrrl zines are also concerned with feminist political and social issues such as discrimination, sexual abuse, eating disorders, and concerns over body image. Many zines are marked by stories of intensely personal experiences relating to these issues. A number of the zines are less strictly riot grrrl-oriented; these more traditional publications describe local, regional, and national underground music scenes, and are derived from the original outsider music zines created by the punk movement in the 1970s. In addition, a much smaller number of zines consist of cartoons and comics rather than articles, interviews or personal essays. Also included are several issues of publications that catalog and review zines: Factsheet Five and Zine World. Note that, because of the irregular and amateur nature of zine publications, many of the items in the collection do not have specific issue numbers or dates attached to them.

Dates

  • Creation: 1991-2003

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply; please consult Special Collections staff for further information.

Extent

8.4 Linear Feet (20 containers)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Collection of amateur publications primarily from the feminist riot grrrl movement of the 1990s, together with numerous zines documenting various independent/underground music scenes.

Physical Access Requirements

The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, usecoll Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials

Method of Acquisition

The collection was donated by Sarah and Jen Wolfe in June 2008 with a few additions in October 2009.

Related Materials

JOHNSON, BRENT. The Brent Johnson Iowa Killed Buddy Holly Small Press and Zine Shop Collection, 1990-2005. 5.5 ft.

Collection of zines and other small press publications assembled by Johnson, an Iowa City native who operated the Iowa Killed Buddy Holly Small Press and Zine Shop in Iowa City (msc0319).

PUBLIC SPACE ONE. Public Space ONE Zine Collection, 1977-2008. 2.2. ft.

Collection of zines donated by Iowa City-based art and performance venue Public Space ONE. Many zines relate to anarchist or radical politics, and many zines are from Iowa City-area authors (msc0370).

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS. Special Collections Floating Zine Collection, 1998-2010. 1.0 ft

Collection of assorted zines not tied to any particular donor or other collection (msc0331).

STEWART, SEAN. Sean Stewart Zine Collection, 1986-2009. 1.0 ft.

=Collection of zines dealing with a wide variety of subjects, themes, and creative styles, collected by a Baltimore-based zine writer, editor and reviewer (msc0353).

WOLFE, JEN. Jen Wolfe Collection of Female-Driven Comics, 1948-2006. 3 ft.

Collection of comic books that mostly feature major female characters, are written and drawn by female artists, and/or chronicle stories of "traditionally female" interest, such as romance comics (msc0879).

ZINE MACHINE. Zine Machine Collection, 2001-2009. 0.8 ft.

Collection of zines taken from the Zine Machine, a repurposed vending machine in the University of Iowa Main Library that distributes zines to interested parties. Many of the zines are local to Iowa City in origin (msc0885).

Related Publications

JOHNSON, BRENT. The Brent Johnson Iowa Killed Buddy Holly Small Press and Zine Shop Collection, 1990-2005. 5.5 ft.

Collection of zines and other small press publications assembled by Johnson, an Iowa City native who operated the Iowa Killed Buddy Holly Small Press and Zine Shop in Iowa City. MsC 319. (Finding Aid)

PUBLIC SPACE ONE. Public Space ONE Zine Collection, 1977-2008. 2.2. ft.

Collection of zines donated by Iowa City-based art and performance venue Public Space ONE. Many zines relate to anarchist or radical politics, and many zines are from Iowa City-area authors. MsC370. (Finding Aid)

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS. Special Collections Floating Zine Collection, 1998-2010. 1.0 ft

Collection of assorted zines not tied to any particular donor or other collection. MsC331. (Finding Aid)

STEWART, SEAN. Sean Stewart Zine Collection, 1986-2009. 1.0 ft.

Collection of zines dealing with a wide variety of subjects, themes, and creative styles, collected by a Baltimore-based zine writer, editor and reviewer. MsC 353. (Finding Aid)

WOLFE, JEN. Jen Wolfe Collection of Female-Driven Comics, 1948-2006. 3 ft.

Collection of comic books that mostly feature major female characters, are written and drawn by female artists, and/or chronicle stories of "traditionally female" interest, such as romance comics. MsC 879. (Finding Aid)

ZINE MACHINE. Zine Machine Collection, 2001-2009. 0.8 ft.

Collection of zines taken from the Zine Machine, a repurposed vending machine in the University of Iowa Main Library that distributes zines to interested parties. Many of the zines are local to Iowa City in origin. MsC885. (Finding Aid)

Subjects

Record Groups

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the University of Iowa Special Collections Repository

http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/sc
Contact:
Special Collections Department
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City IA 52242 IaU
319-335-5921
319-335-5900 (Fax)

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