Definition
Geek a Week is a multimedia project that produced a series of collectible trading‑card style portraits, each highlighting a notable individual from technology, science fiction, gaming, and related subcultures. The cards were released on a weekly schedule and later compiled into printed collections and digital archives.
Overview
The project was conceived and executed by Internet historian and archivist Jason Scott in 2010. Over the course of one year, Scott released 52 cards, each featuring a different “geek” figure—ranging from pioneering programmers and game designers to authors, artists, and other cultural influencers. The cards were distributed as free downloadable PDFs, printed on demand, and eventually assembled into a bound volume titled Geek a Week: The Book (2011). The initiative aimed to celebrate the contributions of individuals often overlooked in mainstream histories of technology and popular culture, while also providing a visually distinctive archival format.
Etymology/Origin
The title combines the colloquial noun “geek,” referring to a person with intense enthusiasm or expertise in a specialized field, with the temporal phrase “a week,” indicating the project’s weekly release cadence. The construction mirrors other serial‑release formats (e.g., “photo a day”).
Characteristics
- Format: Each card measures approximately 2.5 × 3.5 inches (standard trading‑card size) and includes a portrait photograph or illustration, a brief biographical summary, a notable quote, and design elements such as a unique border and background pattern.
- Distribution: Cards were initially offered as high‑resolution PDF files for personal printing, later made available as professionally printed sets via small‑run publishers and on‑demand services.
- Subject Selection: Individuals were chosen for their impact on “geek” culture; subjects include Ada Lovelace, Steve Jobs, William Gibson, Margaret Hamilton, and many contemporary creators. Selection criteria emphasized both historical significance and personal resonance with the project’s theme.
- Compilation: After the weekly series concluded, the cards were bound into a hardcover book featuring all 52 profiles, supplementary essays, and an index. The book serves both as a reference work and as an artifact of digital‑to‑physical archival practice.
- Community Engagement: The project invited feedback and suggestions from the online community, fostering discussion about who qualifies as a “geek” and highlighting underrepresented contributors.
Related Topics
- Trading cards and collectible card culture
- Nerd and geek subcultures
- Digital archiving and oral history initiatives
- Jason Scott (Internet historian)
- Biographical dictionaries of technology and popular culture
- Crowdsourced historiography
Note: The information presented is based on publicly available sources documenting the Geek a Week project, including the project's own website, published interviews with Jason Scott, and the 2011 printed compilation.