Zines, taking their name from magazines or fanzines, are small-circulation, self-published works of alternative literature covering a full spectrum of topics. Resisting typical modes of production and bucking the traditional publishing establishment, they are usually made with borrowed images and/or text and reproduced via copy machine. Zines are typically created by an individual or sometimes by a small, collaborative group.
Zines, in general, are:
- Self-published and self-distributed. Zines are a truly democratic medium: anyone can make, print, and distribute a zine!
- Cheaply made or low-budget. Zines are normally made with DIY- style, using techniques like collage and hand-lettering, although some also incorporate more professional graphic design methods. They're also normally printed on a regular photocopier.
- Non-commercial. Zinesters aren't doing this for profit - it's about communicating a message creatively.
- Sometimes connected to activities, lifestyles, subcultures. Zines can be informative and educational. Some zines aim to teach folks about sustainable gardening, sewing and crafting, mental or sexual health, social issues, meditation, and much more.
- A channel for under-represented voices to distribute content outside of mainstream media channels. Zines often communicate the personal stories of folks who are marginalized in mainstream narratives. They feature topics such as identity, politics, community, and resistance.
Common Types of Zines
- Art zines
- Compilation zines
- DIY zines
- Fanzines
- Literary zines
- Mini comics
- Personal zines ("perzines")
- Political zines
- Barnard Zine Library: Zine BasicsBarnard College's Zine Library is an amazing resource. Use this link to find out more about what zines are, how to make zines, and to read some scholarly research on zines.
Zines can come in a variety of colors, art or text styles, and sizes! They're just as diverse as the topics they cover and the artists and writers who create them.
Historical & Cultural Databases
Use the library's article databases to find our more about the cultural and historical context of zines. The more you know about the history within which a zine was created, the more easier you'll be able to interpret and understand the zine.
- America: History & Life This link opens in a new windowEBSCO - leading scholarly index to journal literature of history and culture in U.S. and Canada. Covers some journals back to 1910. Indexes 1,700 journals.
- The Inclusive Historian HandbookA living digital project comprised of entries examining all facets of public history work in the lens of these core values.
- Gender Studies (OneFile) This link opens in a new windowGALE - Access to complete, up-to-date content from leading journals and reference sources on gender studies, family and marital issues, and more.
- Contemporary Women's Issues (OneFile) This link opens in a new windowGALE - Access to complete, up-to-date full text and pertinent backfile content from leading journals and reference sources on topics relevant to women around the world, including civil rights, health, education, professional development, and entrepreneurship.
- Diversity Studies (OneFile) This link opens in a new windowGALE- Access to complete, up-to-date content from leading journals and reference sources that explore cultural differences, contributions, and influences in the global community.
- Access World News This link opens in a new windowNewsBank - Find global information on topics related to business and economics, careers, education, the environment, global issues, health, international studies, literature, performing and fine arts, politics and government, science, social issues, sports, STEM, technology and more from a variety of news media featuring newspapers, videos and web-only content.
- Black Life in America This link opens in a new windowBlack Life in America covers the experiences and impact of African Americans from 1976-current day, as recorded by the news media. Users can search full text using topical/keyword terms. There is a “Suggested Searches” functionality that guides users to important events, themes, and stories across the spectrum of African American history.
- Pop Culture Studies (OneFile) This link opens in a new windowGALE - Access to complete, up-to-date content from leading journals and reference sources that both analyze and contribute to popular culture. The database offers useful information for researchers in social science, history, art or liberal arts courses.
Zines on YouTube
This short video (zine style!) by Christian Harrop concisely explains what a zine is, how they got started, and why they're experiencing a revival. There are many great videos and documentaries about zines available for free on YouTube - just do a keyword search, like "zines" or "zines" + "history".
Books and eBooks on Zines
These books and eBooks from our catalog will give you a better understanding of the origins and history of zines and zine culture.
Alternative Media by ISBN: 0761967702Pub. date: 2001-12-19What are "alternative media"? Are they the same as underground, radical or oppositional media? In this book, Chris Atton offers a fresh introduction to alternative media: one which is not limited to 'radical' media, but can also account for newer cultural forms such as zines, fanzines, and personal websites. Alternative Media: Examines how and why people produce and use alternative media - to make meaning, to interpret, and to change the world in which they live Encompasses a wide range of alternative media and draws on examples from both the United States and United Kingdom Locates contemporary alternative media in their cultural, historical and political contexts Alternative Media provides a timely corrective to media theorizing which focuses almost exclusively on the output of the media conglomerates. As such it will be an essential purchase for all students and researchers with an interest in the true nature of the contemporary media environment.
Girl Zines by Call Number: PN4836 .P54 2009ISBN: 9780814767511Pub. date: 2009-11-18The first book-length exploration of the quirky feminist booklets With names like The East Village Inky, Mend My Dress, Dear Stepdad, and I'm So Fucking Beautiful, zines created by girls and women over the past two decades make feminism's third wave visible. These messy, photocopied do-it-yourself documents cover every imaginable subject matter and are loaded with handwriting, collage art, stickers, and glitter. Though they all reflect the personal style of the creators, they are also sites for constructing narratives, identities, and communities. Girl Zines is the first book-length exploration of this exciting movement. Alison Piepmeier argues that these quirky, personalized booklets are tangible examples of the ways that girls and women 'do' feminism today. The idiosyncratic, surprising, and savvy arguments and issues showcased in the forty-six images reproduced in the book provide a complex window into feminism's future, where zinesters persistently and stubbornly carve out new spaces for what it means to be a revolutionary and a girl. Girl Zines takes zines seriously, asking what they can tell us about the inner lives of girls and women over the last twenty years.
Make Your Own History: Documenting Feminist & Queer Activism in the 21st Century by ISBN: 1936117959Pub. date: 2012-06-01Make Your Own History: Documenting Feminist & Queer Activism in the 21st Century, edited by Lyz Bly and Kelly Wooten, features essays by archivists, librarians, and activists that explore collecting, preserving, and providing access to materials produced by contemporary feminist and queer activist movements.
Stolen Sharpie Revolution by Call Number: PN4836 .W74 2020ISBN: 9781945509452Pub. date: 2020-03-02Since 2002, Stolen Sharpie Revolution: a DIY Resource for Zines and Zine Culture has been the go-to guide for all things zine-related. This little red book is stuffed with information about zines. Things you may know, stuff you don't know and even stuff you didn't know you didn't know! Stolen Sharpie Revolution contains a cornucopia of information about zines and zine culture for everyone from the zine newbie to the experienced zinester to the academic researcher.
Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? by Call Number: Z286.Z54 T63 2006ISBN: 9780618563159Pub. date: 2006-06-26A zine is a handmade magazine or mini-comic about anything you can imagine: favorite bands, personal stories, subcultures, or collections. They contain diary entries, rants, interviews, and stories. They can be by one person or many, found in stores, traded at comic conventions, exchanged with friends, or given away for free. Zines are not a new idea: they've been around for years under various names (chapbooks, flyers, pamphlets). People with independent ideas have been getting theirword out since before there were printing presses. This book is for anyone who wants to create their own zine. It's for learning tips and tricks from contributors who have been at the fore front of the zine movement. It's for getting inspired to put thoughts and ideas down on paper. It's for learning how to design and print your own zine so you can put it in others' hands. Whatcha Mean, What's a Zine? is for anyone who has something to say.
Writing a Riot: Riot Grrrl Zines and Feminist Rhetorics by Call Number: PN4836 .B83 2018ISBN: 9781433150777Pub. date: 2018-02-19Riot grrrls, punk feminists best known for their girl power activism and message, used punk ideologies and the literacy practice of zine-ing to create radical feminist sites of resistance. In what ways did zines document feminism and activism of the 1990s? How did riot grrrls use punk ideologies to participate in DIY sites? In Writing a Riot: Riot Grrl Zines and Feminist Rhetorics, Buchanan argues that zines are a form of literacy participation used to document personal, social, and political values within punk. She examines zine studies as an academic field, how riot grrrls used zines to promote punk feminism, and the ways riot grrrl zines dealt with social justice issues of rape and race. Writing a Riot is the first full-length book that examines riot grrrl zines and their role in documenting feminist history.
