Zine protesting cuts to Birmingham libraries

There have been several articles about the new Brum Library Zine, a collaborative effort to protest severe funding cuts proposed to the Birmingham Library system in England. A different author was paired up with each of the 35 neighborhood libraries and each wrote a piece inspired by that library and the people it serves. In The Guardian: Jonathan Coe and Kit de Waal among 35 writers of ‘protest zine’ defending threatened Birmingham libraries. At the BBC: Writers create protest magazine over library cuts.

This seems like a great idea to copy to support your local library system!

Antifa For Kids zine

Cover of Antifa for Kids zineWhile updating the Zines for Kids page here at zinelibraries.info someone recommended Sasaki Family Zines “Antifa For Kids“, published by Just Seeds.

While it’s totally appropriate for some kids and their families, the Zines for Kids page is supposed to be a safe resource for parents and educators. Since that was the goal, it didn’t feel right to put AFK there, but a number of folks within the zine librarian community really do like this one, and think it’s a humorous way to look and talk about policing for parents and children.

As a compromise, we updated the Zines for Kids page without it, but still wanted to include it, so here it is. Libraries are not neutral, and zine libraries even more so. In both instances, though, we do strive to serve wide communities, and that sometimes means holding, sharing and talking about materials that might make some of us uncomfortable or might be deemed inappropriate in some circumstances. In this case we’re happy to have found a way to balance both the need for having super kid-friendly resources with the desire to further conversations that are happening in communities around the world about public safety.

Contemporary Collecting: DIY Publishing webinar

The Bibliographical Society of America hosted a webinar on July 28 about DIY Publishing. Miarosa Ciallella, a zinester and library worker, talks about zines as activism and zines as a way to resist technocracy. Ciallella talks about how we know that social media is oppressive and how zines are “micro-archives that reflect and reject dominant narratives of historical moments.” Ciallella argues that we should start mentally investing in DIY print culture as a way to document history. (The other half of the presentation, about real estate flyers from Real Estate Trailblazers, is also interesting, though not as relevant to this site!)

Find the full description of this presentation at: memberplanet.com/events/bsa/contemp-collecting-diy and the recording at youtube.com/watch?v=BqxLE0zh5Xo.

screenshot of a slide reading "Technology and zines" with points including algorithmic bias and zines as micro-archives of experience

WHY? Why Make Zines in times of strife (and calm)

Contributed by Milo Miller

I feel like this is a conversation that keeps happening over and over within zinester and zinelib communities, but it’s one that’s timeless. For some of us, we kind of know it inherently, but it’s always good for a refresher and to get new eyes, ears, and typewriters clacking about it. So, presented in listicle format, it’s Why Make Zines, Spring 2017 edition:

1) Making zines is relatively easy. There is no special knowledge needed, not a lot of hi-tech wizardry that takes days, months, and years to learn. If you can make a mark on paper with your writing implement of choice, you can make a zine.

2) Zinemakers own the whole production and distribution process. From a seed of an idea to a fruit-bearing tree of a zine, we are beholden to only ourselves. Which means that we have final say on the writing, drawing, illustrating, cut-and-pasting, copying, folding, stapling, and distribution. While it might seem labor-intensive to those who have never made zines before, it’s hugely advantageous.

3) Zines can be about ANYTHING. Because of #2, there’s no limits as to what can go into a zine. Which is part of why we make them. We can and do write about all sorts of topics – things that are challenging, or sexy, or political, or just silly and fun – without fear of being censored or even edited too hard.

4) You own and control your zines. Think about #2 and #3 combined, and what that means… In this space and time, usually someone else has SOME stake in how media gets out in the world. They own the publishing platforms, and are making money off your work. Facebook, Tumblr, Google/Blogger, YouTube, Twitter, etc… When you use them for getting your work and ideas out in the world, you’re beholden to them, and they’re selling ads and making revenue off you. And if they don’t like what you say or post, they may just delete your content, or freeze/erase your account. Not so with zines.

5) Making things can feel really good, and storytelling can be hella cathartic… And not everyone can (or wants to) knit, have bebes, or bake bread from scratch. But to catch those good, creative feels, making zines is an easy way to go. It’s “self-care” that’s not about consumption.

6) Making zines and trading them, selling them at zine fests, or through your Etsy/indy book store/distro is a great way of getting mail. Who doesn’t love mail covered in stickers and washi tape?

7) So, I’m not sure how it works for hetero-cis-male zine makers, but for the rest of us, making zines is a good way of making/expanding friend and tribal networks. I mean, really, now… most of my closest friends are zinesters (and zine librarians!)

8) I believe that we all have things to teach and learn. At QZAP, when we offer internships, we ask our interns to make zines, and specifically we ask them to make a mini-zine that “teaches somebody something.” Which means, for us, that we’ve got a huge folder with mini zines that teach how to do the dishes, put on condoms, change bike tyres, etc. So, reason #8 on why to make zines is to teach somebody something.

9) It took us a little while to get here, but for me one of the real reasons to make zines is to tell stories. The stories of our lives. Our stories are tales of people who often are marginalized in some way. We don’t have access, we don’t have privilege. Or we have some, but that gets traded away in other ways. Because we’re queer, trans, and gender non-conforming. Because we’re women. Because we’re Black and Latinx and Asian and Indigenous. We need to make zines because our stories are important, and WE are important, and zines are a great way of sharing this import.

10) Do you really need any more reasons? Add your own in the comments!

This blog post was inspired by current political events and is part of a semi-occasional series on zines as resistance.