Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine?[1]
Although zines hold many different meanings for many different people, Zines are homemade, self-published print booklets written on an endless variety of topics. The most popular type of zine is probably the “perzine,” a type of memoir or autobiography. Zines are often, but not always, written by people who feel marginalized in general--by the music they love, their hobbies and obsessions, or their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and issues. Some people just love to make a little booklet about whatever! parenting, photography, comics, gardening, movies, food, and more. Zines are made by people who feel passionate about expressing themselves. This could be you! They might be made to document a specific event or activity. For example, zines were made about the Black Lives Matter movement. The Barnard College Zine Library eloquently describes zines as “a rich and democratic form of self-expression that range from scholarly treatises on diverse issues to wildly creative artworks.”
Similar in appearance to miniature magazines, zines are published in many different sizes, most frequently on half sheets of 8x11” copier paper. Zines may take other sizes, shapes, and forms including posters, newspapers, miniatures, magazines, and books. Most zines are printed in black and white only (affordable and easy), but many recent zines include color pages or features and screen printed covers. While some zines are made using traditional cut and paste techniques, others are produced with computer software. Others are made utilizing both analog and digital tools. Most have a distinct visual appeal.
In many ways, a zine is the result of collaging together elements such as handwritten paragraphs, photographs, drawings, maps, and word-processed text. A zine may even include extra items such as stickers, buttons, or toys. An art or creative writing background is not necessary for making a zine. Here at LIU Brooklyn, some students have made zines as class assignments. Students researched their topics – finding articles, taking photographs, and interviewing people – and they even included a bibliography on the last page!
Generally reproduced on a photocopier, zines are frequently traded or sold for a modest fee at independent bookstores and zine festivals, or through craft websites such as Etsy.
[1] Todd, Mark, and Esther Watson. Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? The Art of Making Zines and Minicomics. Boston, Mass: Graphia, 2006. Print.
Zine, Chapbook, Pamphlet Collection Development Policy
The LIU Brooklyn Zine Collection reflects the zine community at large and is print only. Digital or e-zines are not in the scope of our collection. Our main interest is to make the collection useful for teaching and learning, so we'll build a collection that reflects the academics at LIU Brooklyn, plus reflects our student demographics and matches up with extracurricular activities. Certain areas may be expanded in response to interest by teaching faculty. Categories of zines and subjects to be collected include but are not limited to these:
The librarian try to collect zines that meet the criteria above. Such zines are cataloged and stored individually. The library also collects zines made in class by LIU Brooklyn students. Such zines will be stored by class.
You can search for zines, chapbooks, and pamphlets by using the library’s catalog (http://liucat.lib.liu.edu/) and then request them at the Ask a Librarian desk on the 3rd floor. Browsing the collection is possible by appointment with either Kate Angell (katelyn.angell@liu.edu), Susan Thomas (susan.thomas@liu.edu), or Rachel King (rachel.king@liu.edu). The collection is for library use only in order to extend the life of the zines, which otherwise may be damaged or lost. The collection is available for study and use by the LIU community as well as by students with an Academic Libraries of Brooklyn (ALB) or METRO card. Outside researchers may utilize the collection, as well, after making an appointment.
