About The Jane Austen Society of North America
Founded in 1979, the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) is a nonprofit organization staffed by volunteers and dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing.
JASNA offers an annual conference (the Annual General Meeting, or AGM); an annual journal, Persuasions and its partner Persuasions On-Line; a quarterly print newsletter; monthly email newsletters; a student essay contest; visiting scholars; and more!
Read more about JASNA and all it offers.
How to Join JASNA
JASNA memberships are available at a variety of levels, from student to individual to lifetime. The basic annual membership is currently $45.
JASNA has regions all over the US and Canada (and we’re working on Mexico!). When you join JASNA, you are automatically assigned to the region in which you live. So if you’re here in North Carolina, JASNA will let us know to add you to our list. A portion of your membership dues are shared with your region; there are no separate regional dues.
Visit the JASNA website for information on membership.
About JASNA North Carolina
The North Carolina region of JASNA was established in 1985 and has over 130 primary and secondary members.
We meet on a monthly basis typically via Zoom with periodic in-person meetings and events. This approach helps us reach people across the state and beyond. In December 2022, we held our first hybrid in-person/Zoom meeting.
Typically we meet on Sunday afternoons at 2pm. Meetings are free for members but do require registration. We are also happy to have guests who are interested in seeing if JASNA is right for them.
Additionally, we send a monthly newsletter that includes information about our events, events that may be of interest from other groups, and a variety of bits and pieces.
The JASNA-NC Team
Our Regional Coordinator is Sara Tavela; our treasurer is Dan Read, and our Janeite-at-large is Gisele Rankin. Rebecca Russell and Laine Wood handle our social media. Laine Wood is our membership officer, operating out of our membership.jasnanc@gmail.com address. Sara Tavela coordinates our virtual book club, with Mary Jane Curry and Nancy Martin-Young as facilitators. Elizabeth Jewell coordinates our meeting notetakers who produce meeting write ups for our blog. We welcome members who wish to volunteer. You can reach Sara and the rest of the team at jasna.ncarolina@gmail.com.
Accessibility Statement
“It was a very agreeable visit. There was everything to make it so; Kindness, conversation, & variety”
–Jane Austen, Letters (26 June 1808)
JASNA-North Carolina fully embraces accessibility for members who identify as having a disability, and we will make JASNA-NC as accessible as possible within our staffing, budgetary, and technical limits.
In planning JASNA-NC activities, we take accessibility into account in three main ways:
- Speakers and programming, including subject matter relevant to accessibility issues and engaging speakers who identify as having a disability
- Event design, including making both in-person and virtual events as accessible as possible
- Communication, including proactive communication of event access options/challenges and making communications themselves accessible
We recognize that accessibility issues are evolving and we always want to improve, so we encourage members to offer feedback or to let us know about accessibility requests they may have. Simply contact the regional coordinator(s) at jasna.ncarolina@gmail.com.
Accessibility policies
These accessibility policies accompany our accessibility statement above.
- In planning in-person events, we will choose ADA accessible locations whenever possible. This may not always be feasible, e.g., arboretum outing, someone’s home.
- When holding in-person meetings, we will, to the extent possible, also offer a virtual option (e.g., via Zoom, recorded for later viewing).
- When holding Zoom meetings, we will offer captioning, and we will offer recordings for later viewing (to the extent allowable, e.g., some guest presenters may prefer not to be recorded).
- We will communicate the accessibility of all meetings (virtual or in-person) in advance so attendees know what to expect and can make accessibility requests if needed.
- We will use best practices for accessibility in our communications, newsletter, website, and social media, including things like alt-text, image captions, and adequate contrast.
- We will review our accessibility policy and procedures at minimum once a year and make adjustments as needed.
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
NOTE: This statement is JASNA’s official position and is posted on JASNA’s main website; we repeat it here for ease of access and to emphasize its importance. At JASNA-North Carolina we strive to create a sense of belonging for our members.
To fulfill JASNA’s mission of fostering among the widest number of readers the study, appreciation, and understanding of Jane Austen’s works, her life, and her genius, JASNA strives to ensure that all people are welcome and feel valued in its meetings, events, and community spaces. JASNA is committed to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Society. There is no place in JASNA for discrimination or exclusion, including on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, ability, appearance, or education.
Community Guidelines
NOTE: These guidelines are JASNA’s official policy and are posted on JASNA’s main website; we repeat them here for ease of access and to emphasize their importance. At JASNA-North Carolina we strive to create a sense of belonging for our members.
JASNA is enriched and strengthened by the diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and opinions of our membership. The pleasure of our gatherings lies in the free exchange of ideas and the active participation of all who attend. As JASNA members, we have a shared responsibility for creating a welcoming, safe, and productive environment for everyone participating in our programs and on our digital platforms.
Each of us has the responsibility to:
- Communicate openly, thoughtfully, and respectfully; critique ideas, not people.
- Share the floor in discussions and question-and-answer sessions, encouraging newcomers and those who are less frequently heard to offer their views.
- Make it easy for others to join in at meals and social activities, sharing physical space as well as offering words of welcome.
- Respect others’ boundaries by asking before engaging in physical contact, taking photos or videos, or posting or publishing images.
- Be mindful of language. As we speak of history and writing from centuries past, we should adopt language that addresses the discriminatory nature of historically-used terms. (This request for sensitivity does not infringe on presenters’ freedom, for educational purposes, to use quotations or to display historical images that modern audiences may consider offensive or inappropriate.)
- Acknowledge that changes in language and understanding are an evolutionary process, and accept both mistakes and requests for change with grace.
“We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be.” —Mansfield Park
The following behaviors do not belong and will not be tolerated at JASNA events:
- Harassing, stalking, or threatening anyone.
- Public speech at the event that expresses hate for, fosters or perpetuates prejudice against, or encourages violence toward a person or group based on a characteristic such as (but not limited to) race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
- Deliberately disrupting the meeting.
- Wearing or carrying any weapon, real or simulated. (Exceptions may be made for official performances or programs.)
- Entering any space for which you do not have the appropriate badge, ticket, or invitation, or which is closed for the day.
- Recording, photographing, transcribing, posting, or publishing any part of a presentation without the speaker’s express permission. Even if the presenter gives permission for recording or photographing for personal use, livestreaming or sharing recorded AGM content online is not permitted. Note-taking for personal use only is allowed without restriction.
These rules apply at all Regional and AGM events, whether in-person or online, and at event-related social activities. The rules apply to all participants (JASNA members, guests, speakers, vendors, volunteers, and others) present at a JASNA event. JASNA retains the right to take any actions necessary to address concerns, including warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund.
JASNA has appointed an Ombudsperson, or Ombuds, as a resource to support members who need advice or want to report an issue or incident that is inconsistent with these Community Guidelines. The goal is to provide a confidential, impartial, informal, and independent process during which a member will feel heard, respected, and safe.
Visit the Ombudsperson page for contact information and to learn more about the role of the Ombuds.
Additionally JASNA has defined a Social Media Comment Policy.