I’m posting this to the zine libraries site because I want people to contribute to it, but I should also put out there that the front matter is not necessarily representative of all zine librarians everywhere, zine librarians who add their favorite intellectual property claims and disclaims from zines, or even of myself tomorrow. That said, here goes:

Unless they say otherwise, zines are protected by copyright. Sometimes even when a zine creator declares a zine anti-copyright, you might err on the side of protecting their privacy, e.g., if the zine was made in the 1990s before a lot of people understood what sharing would look like in the digital context. Many in the zine community prefer to consider kindness and consent, rather than strict legality. When deciding what to excerpt or share in any way, think about if it was your zine. How might you wish someone to share or protect your vulnerable, intimate content? We’re not saying never quote or never cite from zines. We want you to. Just be thoughtful about it.

We recommend you don’t digitize first and ask questions later. A bunch of zines are orphan works, meaning the creators are impossible to find. You still have to try. I won’t say anything more about digitization because Kelly Wooten already said it all, in 2009. Anyway, zine digitization isn’t the point of this; it just can’t be avoided when you’re talking about copyright. In this case, I’m merely wanting to celebrate cute and clever statements zine librarians have found in zines.

• “Copylefted because everyone owns words and I trust people to give credit”
  Libel #18: The Europe Poems by Jenna DeLorey, 1998? (postmark
• “Reproducing/reprinting all or any part of this zine without prior consent will be considered utterly disrespectful and generally uncool.”
  Aqsa Zine #4 Ancestors + Descendents
• “All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electric, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. unless its something you’re just doing because you love it and not for any commercial gain. then you can use a little part. you can always write me if you have questions. plus I’d love to know what you are doing!”
  Cindy Crabb. The Encyclopedia of Doris: Stories, Essays and Interviews. Doris Press. 2011.
• “Anti-copyright: Going Homo may be reprinted at will for non-profit purposes, except in the case of individual articles, grafix, and other contributions copy-righted by their creators or previous publishers. It would be nice, tho, if you mentioned you found it in Going Homo.” Going Homo #3
• “permission for reprinting with proper credit  given is happily granted as long is it’s not for jive-ass corporate greed bullshit.  if you have to ask about that part, you probably are. go to hell.” Gumption no. 3. 1995?
• “All material herein Is owned by Its respective creators. So don’t steal — ask
  politely. And remember to always give credit where credit Is due.”
  Queer Nasty #5.
• “No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission by Julia. You may, however, attempt to persuade/woo her with cookies, beer, or high school handjobs.”
  Julia Wertz. The Fart Party #1, 2006.
• “No part of this zine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electric, recording or otherwise without the prior permission from its creator. Unless you’re just printing it for funzies & not for commercial gain. \_("/)_/”
  (ascii art reproduced as best I could)
  Infinity Dots. Take Two: Escape from the Bayou, 2016.
• Copyrights are silly, and we can’t keep you from stealing our shit, but maybe please don’t?
  Brook and Felicia, The Most Important Zine of the Day, 2014
• Published by Mutya Inc.©.  And if you even dare copy the stuff in this issue for your own purposes and say it came from your own lips, be prepared to stay home a lot, lest I sick my headhunters on you!
  Sabrina. Bamboo Girl #1. 1995.
• c. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  Dead Inside #1. 2016
• Share it. Copy it. Paste it. Cut it. Destroy it. Remake it.
  Do whatever the fuck you want. Don’t do it for cash. Credit me. Tell me about it.
  Gravestones/Church Signs by Moose Lane. 2016ish.
• if you steal this i’ll seriously kill you.
  Scrappy J.: A Story About Fighting by Cassie J. Sneider, 2008.
• @narchopyright – steal and give credit
  No State Solution by rozele, 2003
• (sloppyright) Lol rights reserved. Any part of this zine: do whatever without prior permission.
  Undoing Sex: Against Sexual Optimism by Mynwych Hyrryr, July 2012.
• Copyrights are for little boy businessmen. “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.”
  No Apology #1 by Heidi. Early 1990s?
• All errors © Norman Shamas
  the zine also contains a CC license, which apparently applies only to non-errata
  A Brief Introduction to Fosta-Sesta by Norman, October 2018.
• Feel free to swipe whatever you want from here, with polite attribution, of course. Or make a hundred copies and leave them in the waiting room at your doctor/midwives’ office.
  Self Defense for Pregnant Ladies by Kelly Wooten, 2012.
• Everything in this collection was created by Erika Moen. Do not steal. Don’t be a dick. c 2007
  White Stripes screenshot used w/out permission (p.13)
  DAR: A Super Girly Top Secret Comic Diary #1 by Erika Moen, 2007
• Please do not reproduce this zine in any way, shape, or form. No photocopying, scanning, uploading, emailing, etc. Please do not catalog and/or otherwise add to a library collection. This is for your eyes only.
  [no attribution] 2020
• Used with love, but without permission.
• It is time to let go of the ego and to learn. Static is copyright free, and we encourage you to reproduce at will. We only ask that you are respectful enough to inform us of any use. Please request permission for use of drawings by Amy Davis or Danielle Frohlich. Other than that, steal away, you little pirates.
  Static #1 by Nono and Squeaky, Summer 1996
• This zine collects work building a mad tarot deck. The collages in it are scavenged from folders, magazines, online collections, and infringe on multiple people’s copyright.
  Anti-Copyright/Copyleft
  (well, it would be hypocritical for it to be anything else, right lol)
  A Mad Tarot by Lilith, 2021
• all rights NOT reserved. any part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any forms or by any means–electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise–without the prior written permission of the producers.
  Hourglass by Ally Meyer, 2023

Please add yours, either right in the post, or in the comments.