Rochester and Syracuse, New York Regions
“iJane: Jane Austen in the Information Age”
May 3, 2008
On Saturday, May 3, the Rochester and Syracuse Regions of JASNA sponsored a super-regional conference on “iJane: Jane Austen in the Information Age” at the Rochester Public Library. Two guest speakers (and JASNA members) framed the day’s discussions: Myretta Robens, founder of The Republic of Pemberley, and Maggie Sullivan, founder of Austen Blog and author of The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World.
Myretta Robins, founder of
The Republic of Pemberley
Joining us from Boston, Ms. Robens described how a group of fans who wanted to chat electronically about the 1996 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice served as the catalyst for the creation of a complex network of information on Jane Austen, book and film reviews, book discussions, advice from “Lady Catherine,” sites explaining historical contexts, Regency links, and international friendships. The Republic of Pemberley receives ten million hits a month—and the number of visitors swells whenever a new Austen film comes out.
Maggie Sullivan,
founder of Austen Blog
Maggie Sullivan drove up from Philadelphia to share her thoughts on the way new technologies have transformed communities of Austen readers by overcoming the geographical boundaries that used to keep discussions of novels, film, and history strictly local. Austen Blog, for example, gives participants an opportunity to comment on how Austen is understood (and too often misunderstood) by filmmakers, journalists, and parody writers. But it’s also a community of smart discussants who review books, share news about Austen events, and keep up with each other’s lives around the world. Ms. Sullivan delighted the audience with her collection of “geek” toys – including electronic book readers that will hold as many e-texts of Austen and related works as you can find.
A luncheon catered by the library’s restaurant, Simply Crepes, gave participants a pleasurable opportunity to chat about our topic and make new friends.
This Super-Regional Conference was funded in part by a grant from the Jane Austen Society of North America.