Zines are a fantastic outreach opportunity for libraries of all sizes! We’ve compiled resources with ideas for workshops involving creating and using zines. Check out the Teaching with Zines page as well for related information about building learning objectives into activities.

The Lesson Plans page on the Barnard Library website includes three lesson plans aimed at grades 7 through undergraduate students, as well as a variety of resources including articles and books. Lessons are oriented towards the history of protest and dissent and how zines represent underrepresented voices.

In “Student clubs and making zines,” Hailley Fargo at Pennsylvania State University shares information about a virtual zine workshop held with students clubs, including providing zine prompts to get ideas flowing.

San Diego County Library librarian Laura Mendez discusses a zine workshop held during the library’s art festival: read all about it at “Zine Machine: A DIY Magazine Primer.” Check out the ‘workshop program model‘ and Laura’s slideshow seminar on “Teen Zines: Unleashing Creativity.”

“Library Zine Night” is a monthly event where participants can collaborate or work individually on projects like making zines or comics. Kristy Bowen of Columbia College Chicago Library describes what kind of planning ensures a great event.

The State Library Victoria has some excellent “Ideas & inspiration for zine-making,” including incorporating collage, photos, and blackout poetry into zines.

For a young adult audience, this 2014 article includes information about a six-week/six-session workshop which describes a collaborative creative writing project which results in a compilation zine: “Make Write – A Zine Workshop How-to” by Mark Black and Melanie Grant.

“Zine-in-a-Hurry” is a one-hour collaborative, collage-based zine making workshop used by zinester and zine librarian A’misa Chiu, where the participants complete a zine from start to finish. Check out the article, Using Zines in Library Instruction and Outreach, that explains this and other zine projects that A’misa has been apart of.

If your location doesn’t have a zine fest or other small press event, consider starting one yourself! Find tips and tricks from zine librarians at Starting a New Zine Fest.