Come tour Soapbox and enjoy a reading by Zinesters, Librarians, and the People Who Love them.
741 S 51st, West Philly
7-9 PM January 25, 2014
Going to ALA Midwinter?
Reply
Wanna host the next Zine Librarian (un)Conference?
Interested in hosting the next ZL(u)C* in 2014? The Deciderer Committee needs some more information to do the decidering. Although all of these areas are important, be aware that inexpensive housing, easy access from other cities, and collaboration are among our top priorities.
Please answer the following questions (below the fold) and email your answers to kellymce@gmail.com by January 30, February 9, 2014. We hope to announce the next host by mid-February.
*The  Zine Librarian (un)Conference. You can see the proceedings of previous ZL(u)Cs here.
Google Hangout Link for Tuesday 9/10’s meetup
Here is the link for the google hangout for Tuesday September 10th’s virtual meetup at  7 PM EDT / 6 PM CDT / 4 PM PDT
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/fe63f1c85dfb7fb43449f10b07aa2a533c6119ea
You might want to test your ability to connect before the meeting starts!
Stephanie
Zine Libraries Virtual Meetup set for Tues Sept 10 at 7 PM EDT / 6 PM CDT / 4 PM PDT
Zine Libraries Virtual Meetup set
for Tues Sept 10 at 7 PM EDT / 6 PM CDT / 4 PM PDT
Book mark the following link for information on how to connect to our meetup session.
Instructions and links about how to connect will be updated on this page:
http://zinelibraries.info/events/virtualmeetups
Our intention is to reach out to people that want to connect in-between unconferences. We are especially interested in connecting with people that work with homegrown zine libraries and aren’t necessarily able to make it out to our events.
Hope to see you soon!
Zine Creators- We need your input on interlibrary loan copy policies!
If you create zines, would you mind filling out this survey?
Barnard Zine Library is surveying zine makers to find out what their preferences are when it comes to making inter library loan copy requests of their own zines available to patrons.
The survey investigates the possibility of copying all or part of a zine to make available to a patron who can’t make it to the physical location of the library where the zine is located. This could be because the patron lives in another state or because the patron is a prisoner, for example.
The survey also asks some questions specific to how to handle inter library loan copy requests for prisoners. If zines are photocopied for prisoners, Â should some of the contact information of the zine creator be blocked out? Or should it remain?
Librarians need help understanding how to handle inter-library loan copy requests in a way that respects the zine makers!
Thanks for your time! These results could help all zine librarians get a sense of what zine makers want when it comes to inter library loan copy policies.
Thanks to Barnard Zine Library for putting this survey together!
You have until August 28th to fill out the survey. Please spread the word and share with other zine creators!
Join us for a Virtual Meetup for Barefoot Zine Librarians
This is a photo of the zine collection in my living room that will soon turn into a pop up zine library experiment in Kansas City, MO.
During the 2013 Zine Librarian’s Unconference, I became aware of a desire to connect more with the zine librarians group. I wanted more opportunities to share support, resources, and solidarity with other people who are making zine libraries happen. I also knew I might not be able to attend the next conference in person, and this made me desire more online possibilities for sharing and support.
Milo also took interest in this idea, and he contacted me about arranging our first zine librarian’s virtual meetup.
The result is that we will attempt to use google hangout to host a virtual meetup for barefoot zine librarians. “Barefoot” libraries and librarians are ones that are usually autonomous and not affiliated with public or academic libraries. Infoshops, Community Centers, zine libraries in your garage – they are all relevant!
Right now we are choosing the dates. You can help by passing the word onto other barefoot zine librarians and marking your availability on the doodle poll.
http://doodle.com/x6gqwp8b7dtnc7h5
Hope to see you at the meeting!
Stephanie
Consent Zines
Here’s a selective, annotated list, alphabetically by author:
- Break the Silence Northwest
Consent is My Operating System
This zine features sample conversations to help people learn how to ask for and get consent. Free for download at http://nwbreakthesilence.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/consent-workshop2.pdf
- Crabb, Cindy Ed.
Learning Good Consent
This is an edited and updated version of the Learning Good Consent zine. Among other topics, it has articles on consent for queer people, an outline for a consent workshop, and a resource list. Held at Brooklyn College, Barnard, Sarah Lawrence, Indiana University, West Bend Community Memorial Library, Schlesinger Library at Harvard, Plymouth Regional High School Zine Library, Rainbow Resource Center Library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Sallie Bingham Center at Duke.
- Crabb, Cindy Ed.
Support
This zine contains helpful information for victims of sexual abuse and their allies on topics from active listening to safe sex. Held at Bowling Green University, Swarthmore College, Michigan State University Libraries, New York University, Brooklyn College, Barnard Library, FAQ Library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland Women’s Center, Sallie Bingham Center at Duke.
- Crabb, Cindy Ed.
See No Speak No Hear No: Articles and Questions about Sexual Assault
 Various pieces from survivors’ and accused peoples’ perspectives. Held at Barnard Library, Indiana University Libraries, Multnomah County Library, University of Maryland Women’s Center, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
- Jamie
Thoughts About Community Support Around Intimate Violence
This is a guide for learning how communities can support both perpetrators and survivors to work through instances of sexual assault. Held at Wisconsin Historical Society, Multnomah County Library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, University of Maryland Women’s Center, National Library of Scotland.
- Molasses
My Feminist Manifesta: A Call-Out to Men
“I don’t want to see my friends raped and murdered, sexually assaulted and sexually harassed, afraid to travel and scared to walk home alone at night. I want to see change. Radical change. I want to see it in my lifetime, however long or short it may be. I hope this zine is a start…” Held at National Library of Australia,
- Neckmonster, Cheyenne
Ask First
“this zine is a guide to assisting others with their issues, and confronting our own. Hopefully you can take the information in here and use it as inspiration to work towards the liberation of all people – abused or not.†Held at Gustavus Adolphus College, Cowley Library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
8, 9, 10. Thunder Collective
What Do We Do When? A Zine About Community Response to Sexual Assault #s 1, 2 and 3
These zines, which are collections of stories, articles, interviews and other types of writing, were designed to be companions to workshops presented by Australian Thunder Collective as a resource for people thinking about how assault affects communities and thinking about how to respond. Held at Barnard College, National Library of Australia, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
+++ Note on holdings: I searched WorldCat and LibraryThing. Let me know in the comments if you have these items and weren’t listed as such.
Librarians getting jazzy at the end of Iowa City ZLuC
Standing: Joshua, Matthew, Marya, Honor, Jude, Chris, Lisa, Stephanie
Seated: Jenna, Colleen, Kelly, Elissah, Kalmia, Milo
Photo by Matthew at the Iowa City Zine Librarians unConference. Read the ICZLuC session notes linked from the schedule grids.
Unreproductive: Zines on Herbal Abortion and Menstrual Extraction
Here are some zines that discuss or even detail ways to end a pregnancy. Please be careful with how you carry out instructions found in a zine, or really any information resource. Neither I nor anyone from the zine librarians group is taking responsibility for the content found in the zines. Zines do not go through a peer review process and most zine makers do not have significant medical training. That doesn’t mean they don’t have valid knowledge about their own bodies and yours, but, just, don’t be reckless.
Image from Women’s Health in Women’s Hands
So here is a selective, annotated list, alphabetically by title:
- Doris #23 by Cindy Crabb, published in 2006.
An explanation of menstrual extraction is just one part of this issue Cindy Crabb’s rightfully celebrated personal zine. In addition to ME, you’ll also read about Cindy’s grandma, outdoor adventures and the lasting effects of childhood sexual abuse. The zine is illustrated with stick figure comics and drawings in Cindy’s inimitable style. Cindy and Doris are hard not to love.
Held at: Bako Zine Library, Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Denver Zine Library, Multnomah County Library, Nadine Vorhoff Library/Tulane University, Pierce County Library System, Timberland Regional Library. You can also buy it from Cindy and from a bunch of distros (which you can look up on your own). - Fertility Awareness for Non-Invasive Birth Control, by the Arthouse Coalition, Portland OR
I’m a sucker for a DIY zine that includes a bibliography and glossary, which this one does. As the title suggests, this zine is more about knowing your body and preventing pregnancy than it is about abortion, but it does contain information about herbal emmenagogues. And if you want to know a lot about cervical fluid, this is the zine for you!
Held at: Bingham Center/Duke University, Firefly Zine collection/University of Miami, Internet Archive (options for viewing and download), Papercut Zine Library, Schlesinger Library/Harvard, ZineLibrary.info (pdf) - Free to Choose: a Women’s Guide to Reproductive Freedom, by Esther Eberhardt. (Note the Eberhardt Press catalog title leave’s out the word “Women’s,” hence some irregularity in library catalogs.
In addition to being pretty this pamphletty zine provides history and context (stories from the “bad old days,” The Abortion Handbook, Jane), as well as information about menstrual extraction tools and procedures. It includes a short list of bibliographical references and is anti-copyright.
Held at: AnarchaLibrary (link to pdf), Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, Birds Nest Zine Library, Brooklyn College,  Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Cleveland Health Science Library, Eberhardt Press (pdf), Evergreen State College Womyn’s Resource Center, Hampshire College, Mount Royal University, Schlesinger Libary/Harvard, Timberland Regional Library, University of Oregon, Vancouver Public Library - Hot Pantz: Do It Yourself Gynecology, by Isabelle Gauthier and Lisa Vinebaum, 1995
This is a classic women’s repro health DIY guide, originally published in French. Includes emmenagogues and advice for what to do to prevent pregnancy after a risky sexual encounter.
Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, BitchMedia Community Lending Library, Bowling Green State University, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Cleveland Health Science Library, Duke University/Bingham Center, Multnomah County Library, Firefly Zine Collection/University of Miami, No Borders Radical Lending Library (link to pdf that isn’t working for me), Roberts Street Social Centre, Timberland Regional Library, University of Oregon - Mine: an Anthology of Women’s Choices, edited by Meredith Stern, 2002.
You won’t necessarily get the recipe for an herbal abortion or instructions for performing menstrual extraction. What this compilation zine will provide is other women’s stories about medical and surgical abortions, herbal abortifacients, menstrual extractions and the women’s thought processes behind their decisions.
Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, Labadie Collection/University of Michigan, Schlesinger Library/Harvard University, Wisconsin Historical Society - Radical Menstruation, 2004.
Here’s the Barnard zine abstract:Â This political zine gives alternative ways to view and deal with menstruation, focusing on herbal and DIY remedies. It also critiques of the “culture of shame and ignorance” surrounding menstruation, provides a bibliography, and provides instructions on how to make a cloth pad or perform a menstrual extraction.
Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bowling Green State University - Red Alert #3, by the Blood Sisters collective, early 2000s?
Contains an emmenagogue recipe.
Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, OPIRG Infoshop - She’s So Very, by Melissa Ann, 2008?
Mostly a personal zine, about a lot of topics, this zine also includes an emmenagogue recipe–and interviews with Le Tigre band members about feminism, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Held at Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Brooklyn College - What Is This Thing Called M.E.? 2006 or later?
Personal, DIY, cut and paste goodness–how have I never heard of this zine before?
Held at: Papercut Zine Library (spreadsheet of holdings), pdf from unidentified source (RAM sucking download that might freeze your browser for a while) - Wive’s Tales by Britton, 1993
Here’s the Barnard abstract to another classic zine that still shows up at books fairs, zine fests and in distros, 20 years after it was published):Â This political DIY zine gives alternatives routes to female reproductive health. Included are guides to self-examination and forms of birth control, emmenagogues, and childbirth, as well as descriptions of diseases and tips for radical menstruation. There are illustrations and a bibliography.
Held at: Barnard Zine Library/Columbia University, Bingham Center/Duke University, DePaul University (Kim Nolan collection), Forgotten Zine Archive, Internet Archive (options for viewing and download), Smith College, Tamiment Library/NYU, University of Iowa
Note, re: library holdings. I searched WorldCat and did an internet search. I have surely missed other libraries, whose catalogs are not online or whose holdings are not otherwise represented on the open web or for whatever reason don’t show up very high on a results list. Librarians should feel encouraged to add their holdings in this post or in the comments for me to integrate as I am able.
XD Tribute to Zine Librarians
In Xerography Debt #33, editor Davida Gypsy Breier says nice things about us:
“As a zinemaker, I often go about my business of making zines because I still believe in tangible artifacts. Or, as Jeff Somers says in his column in this issue, they have discreteness. I forget that with print runs frequently fewer than 500, or even 100 copies, zines are often ephemeral. I knew that zine collections at libraries exist, and have contributed to several, but it wasn’t until after the [Caxton Club zine] symposium that it really sunk in that these librarians and archivists are unsung heroes of zine culture. They are saving and preserving documentation on events and subcultures that would otherwise go unrepresented or be grossly misrepresented. They are also working to make zines discoverable to new readers.
“So I would like to dedicate this issue to the zine librarians and archivists out there who are working to support and protect zines. Thank you!”
Aw, shucks, Davida! It’s our pleasure. 🙂
ZINECORE zine
Here’s a zine that I put together about xZINECOREx. Please print a copy and share with folks who are interested.
(flats updated to include correct © info for the cover artist)
Zine Invoice Form
You can adapt this form for your institution. I bring it to zinefests and the like, fill out titles and prices of zines as I buy them. I then bring the form back to work and trade it for a petty cash reimbursement.
Timberland Regional LIbrary zine invoice
This is the invoice that I created with the assistance of one of our business office staff. (kelsey)
Show & Tell
Purpose: Show & share documentation/documents for collects & maybe even upload them to the site.
Jenna: Donor Agreement
Trying to think about permissions & provenance. Part of the form: whether name or gender has changed.
Getting reimbursed for purchases made in person & with cash (zine fests, etc). As much info as possible about the event (fill it out ahead of time). Buying in person – use own cash and get cash back from the school.
Reciepts: zinesters can fill them out at zinefests.
Legal council on these documents??
Barnard used documents already in existence and modified them.
Getting a credit card from yr library/institution.
QZAP makes a manifesta of the donation. Also using Bento software to catalog which synchs with computers & iPads as a barefoot way to catalog.
QZAP asks for permission to digitize and if they don’t get an answer they put it up but will take it down if they are asked. Have a section on fair us on the site.
U of Iowa: Some zines are digitized. “Memorandum of Understanding”
ZAPP: catalogingandpreservation.pbworks.com
FAIL at Flywheel: Going to have a cataloging party – maybe use librarything. (Soapbox & Jude use librarything). Fail advice??
ABC No Rio: filemaker pro database. Crappy but still in use. (Lesson: Whatever you start to use you will probably continue to use even if it sucks).
Build the database in an online environment s it can be browsed & edited simultaneously and is not on-site. Always backup. Multiple backups in multiple places.
Bento: Can you lock records?
Celina: catalogs in excel (removable fields for when patrons browse). Excel isn’t very searchable. Librarians end up pulling things for patrons.
Celina: Had a successful zine night. Had people make zines. There was a complaint about some of the content. Now they can’t really distribute the zine.
Kelly: Zine machine which has free zines available. Disruptive Technology event (mostly IT & faculty tech event). Made a zine for the event. Factulty have reached out about using zines in the collection.
Alana: has a zine workspace in the library & has open lab hours. Helps to suss out last minute logistics.
Jill: has a zine they made when their blog went down. Completely propaganda. Wanted to make a zine on work time w/work $$$.
Zine as annual report – anticipates making 1 per semester. Â Since most folks are not solely zine librarians they play up their zine work in annual reports.
Alana: Sometimes  zines b/c they are “cute” and not technologically advanced get devalued. Craft vs. art.
Celina: Value judgement of zines. “weeding out bad zines”. Bad zines don’t exists. Values for collection dev. Only weeded out zines that were overproduced.
In the “Memorandum of Understanding” who owns the zines???
Barnard Fail: Jenna wanted to include collection dev. that included trans zines said women (cis & trans) and ended up questioning if that was the right language.
Final Schedule
| Time/Location | Classroom A | Teen Meeting Room | Large Print Room | Apse Conf Room | |
| 60 people | 20 | 20 | 16 | ||
| Friday, July 27th | |||||
| 10-11am | Â X | ||||
| 11am-12pm | Â Zine Lib Day | Â Zine Talking | Â X | ||
| 12-1 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | |
| 1-2 | Â X | Â X | Â Zinelibraries.info | ||
| 2-3 | Â X | Â X | Â Hit by a bus | ||
| 3-4 | Â X | Â X | Â Zine Librarians Identity | ||
| Saturday, July 28th | |||||
| 10-11am | Â Show & tell | Â X | |||
| 11-12 | Union catalog | Â X | |||
| 12-1 | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Â Lunch | |
| 1-2 | Â union catalog timeline | Â X | |||
| 2-3 | Â zinewiki editing & free form discussion | Â X | |||
| 3-4 | Â world’s largest zine | Â X |
Update on zinelibraries.info / also zine librarian identity
Zinelibraries.info discussion
Overview:
MKE last year, session abt zine librarians’ documentation so that all info doesn’t live in the archives of the zinelibrarians’ listserv
At the end of the session, discussed reviving zinelibraries.info
Wordpress site — not currently pleased with theme or appearance
Maintainers have identified headings that need to exist, need for a new theme
It’s not really clear what the mission is for the site
What would help this session:
Clarify mission going forward
Divide up the work
Q: Should UnConference sites be separate from the site, or folded into it?
Agenda/What we want to accomplish:
Mission
Identifying audience & how it will be used
CMS – Are we talking about scrapping WordPress?
This session, talk in broad terms, additional session to discuss tech details
Audiences:
Zine librarians
Librarians & others generally curious about the intersection of zines & librarianship, zine collections
Librarians who work in cataloging, tech services (& other more conventional areas of librarianship)
How the site relates to the We Make Zines zine librarian group?
People who use the WMZ site tend not to be zine librarians
We would like to see it be a document repository
Documentation to help us not reinvent the wheel
Moving 5 yrs of different wikis into a single space
Member directory
[Identity/branding for zine librarians as a whole]
Programming ideas/documentation
Place where people can give themselves shout-outs, report on the cool stuff they’re doing — showcase or show and tell
Centralized repository or aggregator so we’re not just posting to disparate sites like FB
You have to opt-in to be on a listserv, but anyone can go to the website — listserv can be helpful for asking questions (though this happens on the Rad Ref website, too)
Value of the listserv is the delivery of content into your inbox
Keep the email list
Q: Any more input about the site?
Links to other resources – We don’t need to duplicate Jerianne’s Zine World site – directory of zine librarians
FAQ
Work process this year
Collectively-shared website – maintainers were hesitant to change it on their own/independently
Not sure about next steps, after discovering flaws
We could leave it in WordPress, try to make it do what we want to do, and if it can’t then consider switching platforms
What if the work team got bigger? Shared responsibility?
Would help to parse out – someone would be responsible for look & feel, someone could be responsible for content, someone could be responsible for adding members & welcoming them
Delineating what we need volunteers for:
Figuring out WordPress theme
Banner art
Managing users
Having some instructional material about how to use WordPress
UnConference sites — Mediawiki install & use that in addition to the WordPress site?
Organizing the stuff that’s already on the site/or is related and exists elsewhere
Determining headers, architecture
Volunteers for categories:
Wordpress theme – Celina & Mackenzie* – Elvis & Milo should be included
Banner art – Elvis* & Milo
Managing users – Violet* & Jenna
How-to-use-the-site documentation – table this until site is done / Erica?
Incorporating old content – this can happen later
Architecture – Celina* & Jude & Erica
Honor is willing to give added assistance later
Jude will get programming content ready
Alycia, Kelly & Nicki should be in on all of the conversations happening in the groups
*will send the first email to get things rolling
Notes by Alana