Caverns of Memory: Erin McBrien’s Archival Journey

Flower in the River: A Family Tale Finally Told

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In today's episode, I speak with Erin McBrien, Interim Curator at the Upper Midwest Literary Archives (University of Minnesota), to explore the fascinating world behind preserving our collective stories.

Highlights:

• Step inside a real-life treasure vault: 80 feet underground in limestone caverns(!) where priceless historical materials are preserved
• From famous horror magazines to immigrant stories: Erin shares her path from South Dakota to becoming the guardian of Midwestern literary history
• Learn why preserving "ordinary" people's stories matters just as much as famous authors
• Discover how my research for both my family and the other people of the Eastland will find a permanent, accessible home at UMLA
• Explore the challenges of preserving digital history in an AI age (and why that matters to all of us)
• Find out why you don't need to be a scholar to access these amazing collections - they're for everyone!

Fun Facts:

• The archive is housed in underground caverns with perfect temperature and humidity control
• Erin worked with materials from Forrest Ackerman, the legendary founder of Famous Monsters magazine (I had a total fan moment about this!)
• The collections include everything from handwritten letters to protest materials to adoption records
• Every piece of history they preserve becomes publicly accessible - no gatekeeping here

Quote of the Episode: "There is no point to us saving this if people do not engage with it." - Erin McBrien

Whether you're a history buff, writer, researcher, or just curious about the stories that shape our communities, this episode offers a glimpse into how we ensure important histories aren't lost to time.
Links:

• Upper Midwest Literary Archives
• Robert Bly
• John Berryman
• Carol Bly
• Forrest J Ackerman

• Book website: https://www.flowerintheriver.com/
• LinkTree: @zettnatalie | Linktree
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-z-87092b15/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zettnatalie/
• YouTube: Flower in the River - A Family Tale Finally Told - YouTube
• Medium: Natalie Zett – Medium
• The opening/closing song is Twilight by 8opus
• Other music. Artlist

Разделы

1. Caverns of Memory: Erin McBrien’s Archival Journey (00:00:00)

2. Preserving Literary History in the Midwest (00:00:07)

3. Archiving and Curating Literary History (00:14:22)

4. Navigating Challenges in Literary Archiving (00:21:43)

5. Exploring Ethical Considerations in Archiving (00:28:20)

6. Exploring Archives and Special Collections (00:37:02)

7. Remembering the Eastland Disaster (00:46:54)