Would you like to host the 2017 Zine Librarians unConference (ZLuC)? Applications for a host site will be accepted until November 30th, 2016 via this form. Throw your hat in the ring to host one a bunch of amazing zine librarians at YOUR institution!!
click to download printable pdf
Inspired by Alana and Noah’s “Icebreakers are Awkward†zine, Jamie Glass created a zine for library student worker training—it’s a one-pager and a quick ‘n’ easy way to get to know people! Use and adapt as desired.
I love sharing zines with all kinds of audiences, and have been leading zine-making and zine history workshops with campers at Girls Rock NC summer camp for about a decade. One big challenge is finding zines that are appropriate for ages as young as 7-8 through high school. Kids are always eager to point out any “bad” words they find, and can be a tough crowd! I eventually started making my own mini-zines about women musicians since I had a hard time finding things I could share. I am always on the lookout for all-audience zines, and over the past few years other folks have asked about these as well.
What does “kid friendly” mean? Think about G-rated movies, and if in doubt, err on the side of caution. No bad language–and be liberal (or is that conservative?) with what might be “bad.” No naked pictures or sexual content beyond hugs and (chaste) kisses. Keep it to topics kids can understand or relate to– some of the science zines are fine content-wise, but are they about insects or particle physics? (Not that 2nd graders aren’t into physics, but you know what I mean.)
Kid-friendly zines that are free to download or cheap to buy: 
Tips for finding or making your own kid-friendly zines:
Please add any other suggestions to the comments!
Thanks to everyone who made ZLuC 2016 Boston happen, including the staff and students at Simmons Library, the volunteers of Papercut Zine Library, and especially our gracious host Dawn!!
You can find notes from many of our discussions on the schedule page of the ZLuC 2016 wiki.
The Zine Librarians unConference (ZLuC) is coming up quickly! This year it’s taking place Friday July 29-Saturday July 30th at Simmons College in Boston. Registration is free, so if you’re near Boston and want to sign up for what has lovingly been described as “nerd summer camp,” [coughMilocough] please join us. Registration and a preliminary schedule can be found at http://zinelibraries.info/wiki/zluc-2016-bos/
This is an unconference, so we’ll finalize the topics when we arrive Friday morning, but if you have ideas for what might be worthwhile topics to talk about, add them to the list here:Â http://zinelibraries.info/wiki/zluc-2016-bos/workshops/
If you need a login (or a reset password) to this website, just contact Violet (violetfox [at] gmail [dot] com) or Jenna (jfreedma [at] barnard [dot] edu).
There will be a few zine librarian-related events at ALA Annual 2016 in Orlando, June 23-28—if you’ll be at #alaac16, please stop by the Zine Pavilion or join us for the special events planned.
The Zine Pavilion will be celebrating its fifth anniversary! It will be at booth 751 in the exhibit hall (in the West Concourse, Level 2). There will be tablers from near and far, lots of supplies to help make a page for our collaborative zine, and a raffle where library workers can win a starter zine collection! Events include:
Please share the word about the Zine Pavilion on Tumblr and Twitter using #ZinePavilion.
When this was published in November 2015 we neglected to put up the web version, so here it is. Please see this entry for printable versions.
Zine Librarians Code of Ethics
Zine Librarians Interest Group, October 2015
This document is emerging from years of challenging and joyous conversations about the work we do with zines. As caretakers of these materials, in our roles as librarians and archivists—independent, public and academic alike—we believe in a set of core values that inform and guide our work. We disseminate those values here in order to communicate openly and build trust.
This document aims to support you in asking questions, rather than to provide definitive answers. Guidelines may not apply uniformly to every situation, but include discussion of disputed points. This gives zine librarians and archivists ideas of what has been challenging in the past and how other zine custodians have dealt with those issues. These points can guide conversations with users, institutions, authors, donors, and communities, including other zine librarians and archivists.
Preamble
Acquisition & Collection Development
Access
Preservation
Use
Organization
Conclusion
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.
\_("/)_/”Please add yours, either right in the post, or in the comments.
For the fourth year, zine librarians, archivists, & their friends are subsidizing a librarian of color’s (including aspiring ones) participation in the 2016 Zine Librarians (un)Conference in Boston, Massachusetts on July 29th and 30th at Simmons College.
We recognize an underrepresentation of people of color (POC) in previous Zine Librarians (un)Conferences, and it is because we value the contributions, leadership, and presence of POCs at the conference that we offer this travel grant. Grant winners may spend the money however they see fit, e.g., airfare, childcare, food, etc. (Registration is free for everyone.)Â
To apply for the travel fund, please fill out this form.
To donate to the travel fund, send money via PayPal to diannelaguerta at gmail dot com (or just click the Paypal donate button in the sidebar). Thank you for your support!
As part of LIS Mental Health Week, the Zine Librarians listserv crowdsourced a list of zines related to mental health that we love.
zines with personal narratives of mental health/illness
April Fools Day, by Kathleen Hanna
Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of riot grrrl band Bikini Kill, writes about her struggle with alcoholism and its effect on her life in this personal zine. Also included are non-destructive ways to get high, things that are better when sober, and a conversation about addiction with Brian Starhawk of Fitz of Depression. Read it in a library.
Clark 8, by Megan Gendell
A college student documents her stay in a mental health ward. Read it in a library.
Collide: on physical and mental health, edited by JC Parker
This compilation zine put together by JC presents personal essays from people living with physical disabilities and some form of mental illness including debilitating migraines, PTSD, suicidal ideation, brain injury, chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, seizures, deafness and anxiety. Try out this CBD lotion or any of these products that have helped many patients with these conditions.
Many of the contributors, including one who is genderqueer, have a family history of alcoholism and/or have their own issues with addiction. Contributors include Maranda Elizabeth, Kerri Radley and Sara Bear. There are also photographs, illustrations and recommended resources. Read it in a library, or buy from Stranger Danger Distro.
Doll Hospital, by Bethany Lamont
“It’s an art and literature mental health journal which encourages an intersectional focus. Rooted in self-advocacy, it centres the voices of those who are largely unheard in the mainstream narrative of mental health. It aims to be an alternative and does an excellent job of it. It takes submission from anyone who has experienced mental health illness firsthand and wants to talk about it in their own words and on their own terms.” (Quoted from this interview with the creator.) Buy from their website.
Filling the Void: Interviews about quitting drinking and using, edited by Cindy and Caty Crabb
A collection of interviews with people who have quit drinking or using drugs, about why they quit, the process, and their experiences.
Buy from Doris Zine Distro.
Functionally Ill (multiple issues) by Laura-Marie
In this zine, subtitled “Adventures with Mental Health” and “becoming bipolar”, Laura-Marie discusses what depression and mania feel like for her and describes her voices. Read in a library, or buy from the author.
Get a grip: travels through my mental health by Sarah Tea-Rex
Subjects: Sexual consent, Adult child sexual abuse victims. Download the pdf from the author.
Pathologize this!: a zine about mental health, edited by Sarah Tea-Rex, Rachel and Iris E.
Pathologize This! shares people’s mostly autobiographical stories of their experiences with mental illness. Issue 1 chronicles life with obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, alcoholism, chronic pain, depression, anxiety disorders, and as a sexual abuse survivor. There is also an essay about Elliott Smith and how many people use music to cope with illness. Issue 2 features writings on Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, manic depression, unnecessarily prescribed medications, suicide attempts, and the story of an artist turning their an anxiety disorder into a project. Download issue 1 and issue 2 from the authors.
Srviv 1-3, edited by Jonas
Some of the world’s best zine writers answer the question “Why I get out of bed every morning.” The results are beautiful, challenging, and inspiring. Buy from Antiquated Future distro or others.
Think About the Bubbles (multiple issues) by Joyce Hatton
“#8 A illustrated zine about my breast cancer journey, getting sober, depression, my suicide attempt, homelessness, and how breast cancer ended up making my life really awesome. #9 I went on the POC Zine Project Race Riot Tour. I learned a lot about racism, internalized racism, and how living my life in North and South Dakota has affected me. #11 A story about my lifelong BFF named Anxiety, and our destructive relationship. Lots of illustrations. #13 Mental health things, my relationship with my mother, purse-clutching, and birds. Also cancer, the Simpsons, and videogames. #14 A short comic about mental illness and isolation. Contains surreal and potentially disturbing imagery.” Read in a library or buy from the author.
“Unhealthy” : on coping with pain in socially inappropriate ways by Mika
Mika, a childhood sexual abuse survivor, challenges the recommended compulsory positivity approach to coping with personal and external (e.g., massive earthquake in Japan) trauma and instead argues that there is no “healthy” or “unhealthy” way to cope. She outlines her personal, albeit controversial, strategies, including lowering her expectations, thinking about her own irrelevance in the world, pondering the practicality of suicide after her own failed attempt, and affiliating with Buddhism. This zine is issued with a trigger-warning.
Wax and Feathers, by members of The Icarus Project
“In expressing our feelings, insights, and ideas about madness and the world around us we hope to inform and inspire others. The stories told by the psychiatric establishment, pharmaceutical industry, and the mainstream media all to often overshadow our own. By sharing our stories with others we can reclaim the right to define ourselves and our experiences. We choose to honor our uniqueness and complexity by letting our voices be heard.” Download from the Icarus Project.
self-care zines
The bad day book by LB Lee
“Made to be folded up and put in your wallet, this is a little pocket zine intended for general mental health crisis situations–dissociative episodes, psychotic episodes, suicidality, stuff like that. Obviously, this is not a replacement for a thorough crisis plan, just a quick and dirty resource for when you’re not thinking clearly.” Buy from the author.
Ease your mind: herbs for mental health, by Janet Kent
This zine serves as “a primer on the use of medicinal herbs to support mental health.” Arranged by symptom rather than by plant, each entry includes the plant’s common and Latin name, and a description of what kinds of symptoms or emotional states they are best suited to address, including anxiety, depression, grief, and insomnia. Includes a section on dosage and contraindications, a glossary, bibliography, and a brief overview of how to make teas, decoctions, and tinctures. Read in a library, or buy from the author.
Eat this sandwich by LB Lee
“Made to be folded up and put in your wallet, this is a little pocket zine intended to fight restriction urges–the psychological compulsion not to eat. Obviously, this is not a replacement for a thorough treatment plan, just a quick and dirty resource for when you’re having trouble getting food into your face. Methods true and tested!” Buy from the author.
Feeling worthless? by LB Lee
“Made to be folded up and put in your wallet, this is a tiny little pocket zine intended to help deal with… well, feelings of worthlessness.” Read in a library, or buy from the author.
The worth of water: a compzine about self-care, edited by Sarah Rose
This compzine provides articles on stress relief activities and self-care. Contributors in their 20s and 30s talk about their love for John Waters films, making films, activist burnout coping techniques, and overcoming addiction. Contributors include Sage Adderly (Tattooed Memoirs), Sarah Arr! (Tazewell’s Favorite Eccentric), Laura-Marie (Functionally Ill), JC (Tributaries), and others. The zine also includes recipes, illustrations and a list of resources. Read in a library.
Other fantastic lists of mental health zines available at: https://bitchmedia.org/article/cut-paste-zines-about-mental-health-and-self-care AND http://www.soularbliss.com/2012/07/31/radical-self-care-and-community-care-zine-resources/
UPDATE JAN. 6: EVENT CANCELLED: Â We’ve had to cancel this event at Papercut Zine Library, apologies for the late notice!
There will be a zinester / librarian zine reading at Papercut Zine Library on the evening of Saturday January 9th (during ALA Midwinter). We’re looking for folks who would like to read from their zine (or someone else’s), so please get in touch if you’d like to participate (violetfox at the gmails or @violetbfox).
Details: Saturday January 9th 2016 at 6 pm
Papercut Zine Library, 10 Ward St, Somerville MA
Facebook event:Â https://www.facebook.com/events/509940182511594/
For those who are in the Boston area or will be attending the American Library Association’s Midwinter conference, consider joining us for a brainstorming forum on the Zine Union Catalog project on Wednesday January 13th during the Mashcat event at Simmons College. We’ll be discussing what we’ve accomplished so far and entertaining ideas about how we can move forward most effectively.
Mashcat, in their words, “is a loose group of metadata specialists, cataloguers, developers and anyone else with an interest in how metadata in and around libraries can be created, manipulated, used and re-used by computers and software.” The full schedule for the day-long event is available here:Â http://www.mashcat.info/2016-event/Â Registration for the day is full, but if you’d like to attend our session (from 3:30-4:15), get in touch.
The November 2015 edition is now available in beautiful zine format for printing (pdf) or as a boring Word document. (The pdf version above is slightly revised, with contact information and a Creative Commons license.)
Thanks to Kelly Wooten for the lovely work creating the zine formatted version. And thanks again to everyone who’s contributed–if you contributed and your name isn’t on the list, please let us know by emailing zinepavilion at gmail.
A buncha zine librarians and non-zine/librarians have been working on a Zine Librarian Code of Ethics. Earlier we posted parts of the Code for your review and comments. Here is the Code in one document for your (hopeful) final review. There are questions that came out of this round of edits, and I seek the advice of the group. Please comment if you wish. And thank so much for your time!
xoxo
Rhonda
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MiGC903tZhBuNBqVWQSDWkm8pxRB-yjHvDaC115hYtI/edit?usp=sharing
Multiple groups of zine librarians are developing a codes of ethic (name might change) and want feedback from zine creators, zine readers, zine librarians, zine scholars and whoever all else wants to give their input.
REVISIONS for REVIEW
Code of ethics revision – Access (saving it as a G document to see if that will better facilitate collaboration)
Code of ethics revision – Use
Code of ethics revision – Acquisitions (Heidy’s updates at the bottom, still in progress)
FIRST DRAFTS
Code of ethics draft preamble
Code of ethics draft – Access
Code of ethics draft- Privacy
Code of Ethics Draft: Use
Code of Ethics – Acquisitions
Code of Ethics Draft – Subject Analysis
Please provide your feedback in the comments for each separate page. If that’s burdensome, share feedback some other way! You can email Jenna Freedman if you want. The due date is February 14th at midnight your time. Thanks!