Zinemaking resources at the Tiny Zine Swap Shop

Excited to stumble upon the website Tiny Zine Swap Shop, which is designed to help library workers introduce zinemaking to young people. Created by Scottish library worker Fi Johnston, the Tiny Zine Swap Shop has resources focused on the joy of making one-page zines, including a template, workshop, brief histories of zines, inspiration ideas, ideas for curriculum, and more.

See Fi give a presentation about the site at Tiny Zine Swap Shop titled “The Benefits of Zinemaking on Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing.” That presentation was part of a June 2024 “Zine Webinar Morning” sponsored by the Academic and Research Libraries Group Scotland, which includes presentations such as:

  • Penny Robertson discussed City of Glasgow College Library’s successful bid for funding with the Europe Challenge for their project where library staff and co-created zines with students.
  • Bridget McCall outlined the ongoing project at the University of Dundee to create a collaborative guide to small-press and zine creation and discovery.
  • Zines in academic spaces: the Glasgow School of Art Library: Assistant Librarians Charlotte Dunn and Jenna Meek discussed the importance of zines within academic spaces – not only as outputs but as authentic sources that can be used to diversify academic research.
  • Zines Subject Headings project at the GSA Library, using the Homosaurus and the Zine Subject Thesaurus.

The video is a great way to see what’s happening in the Scottish zine librarian scene!

Making Zines at the Library

bold graphic with the title of the zine "Making Zines at the Library"This fun graphic is the bold cover of a new zine by Low of YOLOW Zines, a zine creator in Minneapolis. This free 14-page zine is filled with information about resources available to those who want to create zines at the Hennepin County Libraries. It also includes interviews with zinesters and librarians. Find “Making Zines at the Library” in full color on Canva, and find the resources linked at this Google doc (bit.ly/HCLIBzineresources).

Poster on Zine-Making in Libraries, Archives, and Museums

A poster created by Emma Metcalfe Hurst and Marsha Taichman describing “DIY: Zine-Making in LAMS, for LAMS” was presented at the ARLIS/NA 52nd Annual Conference (Art Libraries Society of North America) in April. The poster, shaped like a minizine (!!), describes benefits and challenges of zine-making in libraries, archives, and museums. It also links to a survey on zine-making in LAMS that’s open until May 28th, which has an option for respondents to share digital copies of their zines to help LIS workers get inspired to make their own zines. Please take the survey and share with colleagues to help with that research!

Zine kits at Oregon State University

screenshot of the toolkit website featuring a photo of seven zines

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!