Very cool to see this Westfield News article about the work zine librarian Anna Boutin-Cooper is doing to host zine workshops relating to disabled community members in Westfield, Massachusetts. The article, Westfield State librarian’s zine workshops focus on disability community by Mike Lydick, describes the $10,000 award she received from the Radical Librarian Institute (part of the California Rare Book School at UCLA) to fund the workshops and a $40 gift card for zine creators contributing to the Disabled Community Zine.
Author Archives: Violet
New circulating zine collection at Kansas City Public Library
A blog post titled Representing More Voices and Connecting Patrons With a Second Zine Collection (Coming Soon) shares info about zines at the Kansas City Public Library. While they currently have a non-circulating collection in the Missouri Valley Special Collections which were collected by donations, the new circulating collection will be purchased from the creator. Anyone in the KCPL area can suggest a purchase just as they would for books by local authors.
Zine kits at Oregon State University
Oregon State University has circulating Zine Kits which contain the following supplies:
- Miscellaneous zines to read, not cut up! (Located in plastic bag)
- Swivel stapler
- Xacto knife
- 8×11 cutting mat
- Bone folder
- Glue sticks
- Sharpies
- Inkpads
- Bookbinding kit – needle, thread, thumbtack, small clip, brass fastener
- Old magazines
- Clipart
- Folders
- Paper of various texture and size
Seems like a great way to inspire patrons to create their own zines!
“Cooperative and creative networking” through zine librarianship
From zine scholar Kiyoshi Murakami in Japan comes a series of posts titled “Zines, Archiving, and Activism—the Horizons Opened up by Their Interlocking Developments” published in the webzine AMeeT (Art Meets Technology). Part 4 of 4, “Grounds and Structures That Librarians and Archivists Have Worked Together to Build,” describes the unique aspects of the Zine Librarians unConference (ZLuC), including the work done to support the BIPOC Travel Grant and the Organizer Toolkit. She goes on to discuss the Zine Librarians Code of Ethics and its creation and promotion. Kiyoshi then describes the International Zine Librarians Unconference in 2020, when people from around the world came together to share their zine libraries and scholarship. Very exciting to see our “autonomous activities” described as “cooperative and creative networking”!!!
Be sure to check out part 1 ( about the tension of DIY publications being collected and processed by institutions), part 2 and part 3 (both about London’s 56a Infoshop) of the series. Thank you to Kiyoshi for beautifully encapsulating the joyous and extraordinary work that’s being done in zine archives & libraries around the world!
If you don’t read Japanese, Kiyoshi suggests using DeepL Translator for a translation.
Partnership between Denver Zine Library and Denver Public Library
Appreciated this fascinating interview with Denver Zine Library co-founder Kelly Costello and Denver Public Library Neighborhood Services Director Annie Kemmerling. In the post “Lessons in Co-Locating: A Q&A with the Denver Public Library and Denver Zine Library” on the American Alliance of Museums blog, Adam Rozan talks about the unique relationship between DZL & DPL, which provides space for both organizations to thrive.
University of Texas zine collection
Here’s an article in the University of Texas student newspaper about the zine collection at the UT Fine Arts Library: “UT zine library records history, creativity through self-published works” by Joey Clark. Visual arts liaison librarian Trina Tran discusses the appeal of zines to a generation who grew up with the Internet.
Zine Outreach Project at Río Hondo College
I was excited to read about the Zine Outreach Project at Río Hondo College in Whittier, California. Librarian Claudia Rivas attended the Radical Librarianship Institute at UCLA California Rare Book School and was awarded $10,000 to fund a zine fest and zine workshops. Part of the funding includes paying students who contribute a zine to the zine library with a $25 gift certificate to the campus bookstore. Very cool!
Indigenous zines at Harvard
Really enjoyed this short article in Harvard Magazine about the Indigenous-focused collection at the anthropology-focused Tozzer Library at Harvard University. “Everyday Indigeneity: Championing Native Voices” by Ryan Doan-Nguyen highlights the resources that resources that represent modern (post-2000) life of Native Americans.
Mentioned resources may include zines, comics, graphic novels, cookbooks, board games, and language learning tools. Librarian for American Indigenous studies Julie Fiveash curates the Indigenous Knowledge Collection, which attempts to show Indigenous communities “as they live now, how they see themselves, and how they see their future.” In recent years, Native Americans have seen significant changes in entertainment and leisure options, including the emergence of online gaming platforms like 아인카지노. These modern games offer a diverse range of experiences, from slot machines to poker, reflecting a broader trend in the gaming industry that has become accessible to many communities. For Native Americans, who have historically faced challenges in accessing various forms of entertainment, platforms like 아인카지노 represent a new realm of opportunity. These games provide not only entertainment but also a means for cultural expression and social interaction in a digital age. By embracing such innovative platforms, Native Americans are able to enjoy a contemporary form of entertainment while also maintaining connections to their rich cultural heritage, showcasing how traditional communities are adapting to modern technological advancements.
“Zines like Portals of Indigenous Futurism and Rez Bot rethink Indigenous pasts and envision limitless futures, integrating ancestral wisdom with elements like aliens and robots. Others, like Settler Sexuality, push the fluidity of gender and sexuality beyond Western conceptions, highlighting the intersectionality within Native identity that’s often sidelined in traditional archives.”
International Zine Library Day 2023
Did you know July is International Zine Month? And that there’s a special day of the year designated for celebrating zine libraries?? In 2023, Zine Library Day is Saturday July 22nd: make plans to have a fun event or just enjoy the traditional vegan donut (or treat of your choice!).
IZM2023PosterThanks to Alex Wrekk for maintaining International Zine Month and to Mr. Chompy from Zineville for this year’s idea-packed flyer!
DIY Archiving Practice at 56a Infoshop
From zine scholar Kiyoshi Murakami in Japan comes a series of posts titled “Zines, Archiving, and Activism—the Horizons Opened up by Their Interlocking Developments” published in the webzine AMeeT (Art Meets Technology). Part 2 and 3 of a 4-part series, “DIY Archiving Practice at 56a Infoshop,” describes 56a Infoshop, the London DIY social center.
If you don’t read Japanese, Kiyoshi suggests using DeepL Translator for a translation.
Zine Pavilion 2023 details
The Zine Pavilion will be back at the American Library Association (ALA) conference in Chicago from June 23-26, 2023. If you’re attending the ALA conference, please be sure to stop by the Zine Pavilion to see hundreds of zines on display, enter our raffle to potentially win zines for your library, or talk with the dozens of zinesters who will be selling their zines!
Find the Zine Pavilion on the exhibit hall floor (also called the “Library Marketplace”). We‘ll be located at booth number 2444 (towards the back of the hall); see this interactive map of the exhibit hall. We have the same hours as the exhibit hall.
Event schedule (all events held at the Zine Pavilion unless otherwise noted):
ALA 2023 Chicago Collaborative Zine (Friday through Sunday)
Create a page for the annual ALA Conference zine! A table with supplies to express your conference feels, ideas, or anything that strikes your fancy will be set up at the Zine Pavilion. Return between noon and 2 pm on Monday to get your own copy of the final zine. The collaborative zine will also be posted on the Zine Pavilion Tumblr after the event.
Zine Swap (Friday 5:30-7 pm)
Bring a few copies of your zine to swap and share with other zine creators. Can’t make it the first evening? Don’t worry! An area to swap and share zines will remain up on the Zine Pavilion information table throughout the weekend.
Queer Zinester Meet-up (Friday 8:30pm)
Get to know other queer zinesters at an off-site meet-up with light refreshments. Non-alcoholic beverages will be available but you are welcome to bring some of your own!
Zines?? Students as Knowledge Creators (Saturday 11 am-noon)
Can zines be an acceptable form of a college student’s final project rather than a final research paper in higher education? YES! Community College Librarian and Professor of Information Literacy, Rosa Bernal, presents how she teaches her Information Studies course so students can be knowledge creators in the form of a zine. While students become experts in their chosen topics and experience making a zine in Canva, they also learn information literacy skills using the ACRL (Academic College and Research Libraries) Information Literacy framework and effectively using traditional and electronic library resources. Students also become acquainted with the history of zines, zine making, and their D.I.Y. purpose and see themselves as legitimate self-publishers by the end of the course.
Incarcerated People as Zinesters Panel (Saturday 1-2:30 pm)
Listen to a discussion about the Anthony Rayson Zine Collection and the place of zines by incarcerated people outside of libraries/archives between Anthony Rayson (South Chicago ABC Zine Distro), Derek Potts (DePaul University Special Collections), Rachel Jones (Interference Archive), Ai Miller (Strange Deer Press), Jeremy Hammond (Midwest Books to Prisoners) and Andrea Kszystyniak (Omaha Zine Fest Co-Founder and Organizer). There will be free zines selected from the Anthony Rayson Collection to take with you!
Zines from Creation to the Stacks (Sunday 10-11 am)
Zine cataloging can be interesting, intimidating, and puzzling all at the same time. Join a small group discussion at the Zine Pavilion to share tips and tricks for describing DIY publications which can defy traditional standards. Zine cataloger Violet Fox and zinester and artist Kee Merriweather will be discussing the intricacies of zine cataloging from the perspective of a librarian and a zine creator.
Zines! Let Creativity Flow in Your School Library: No Grading Allowed (Sunday 1-2 pm)
In this workshop facilitated by Lisa Bishop, the goal is to unleash creativity in your school library and collaborate differently with your teaching colleagues. Learn the how-tos of making zines with your students in the school library and find zine festivals to exhibit and promote your students’ art, words, ideas and teach them to sell, barter, and more.
Call Number podcast about zines in libraries
Episode 84 of Call Number, the American Libraries podcast, is focused on Chicago treasures in preparation of the upcoming 2023 American Library Association conference (June 22-27). Podcast host Diana Panuncial talks with Liz Mason, manager of Quimby’s Bookstore, a longstanding Chicago institution specializing in independent and small press books, comics, and zines. They discuss the city’s zine scene and how librarians can incorporate these publications into their collections and programming. The zine discussion starts at the 20:45 mark.
Zines, Archiving, and Activism
From our friend and zine scholar Kiyoshi Murakami in Japan comes a new series of posts titled “Zines, Archiving, and Activism—the Horizons Opened up by Their Interlocking Developments” published in the webzine AMeeT (Art Meets Technology). Part 1 of 4, “Essential Issues in Collection, Preservation, and Disclosure,” was published on May 10th discussing the tension of DIY publications being collected and processed by formal institutions (such as university archives). If you don’t read Japanese, Kiyoshi suggests using the DeepL Translator for a translation. I’ll post the other parts here when they’re published!
ZLuC 2023 registration now open
Interested in joining zinesters & library/archives workers from across the U.S. and beyond to talk about zine librarianship? Registration is now open for the 2023 Zine Librarians unConference, happening August 4-5 in San Francisco. Registration is free and capped at 100 in-person attendees; virtual options will be available.
Find more information and a registration link at the ZLuC 2023 page.
Interview with zine librarian Rhonda Kauffman
Graham Stinnett, Archivist at the University of Connecticut Library, recently published the 49th episode of the podcast d’Archive. This 47-minute episode, titled “Liberated Zine Zone,” (archive) features an interview with metadata librarian Rhonda Kauffman. Rhonda talks about their first forays into creating zines and the zine collection (1994-2019) she donated to the UConn archives & special collections in 2019.