Fine Art and Illustration: Zines

In autumn 2022, the BA Illustration L4 students visited the library to consider and be curious about the power dynamics that can be found in libraries and published information. We looked at the ways in which library materials are described and arranged, and also considered which materials tend to be purchased for a library.  After a morning's work, we were all conscious of the gaps in libraries, the unheard voices, the untold stories. The students went away with a brief to propose a way in which a zine library could be introduced to FCH, arranged, displayed and promoted.

The new Zines@FCH collection will be the product of their creativity and suggestions.  Watch this space as the zines collection grows and develops.

See also the poster presentation which ACL Kim Hall took to the IFLA conference at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam: We make the library by being in it

Are you inspired by what you've seen?  Anyone can make a zine and tell a story through it.

You can start small with a mini-zine, made from a sheet of A4 paper.  Once you've folded your zine, if you're not sure where to start, try some collage.  Don't be afraid to make a mess!

What are zines?

"For me, zines represent stories being told by people in the way that they want to tell them." (Johnson, 2019)

"Zines instigate intimate, affectionate connections between their creators and readers, not just communities but embodied communities that are made possible by the materiality of the zine medium... zines are an inherently hopeful medium" (Piepmeier, 2008)

"Zines are a product of resistance; resistance to the establishment and the norm." (Wee, 2017)

"Zines are eccentric little publications that are expansive in their format and content." (Stoddart and Kiser, 2004)

I've spent quite a while looking for a quotation which sums up what zines* are, but it's very difficult to find one because everyone has a slightly different perspective.  These all seem to be important aspects, with thanks to the references and useful reading I've listed on this page:

• Zines are physical - handmade, DIY, material objects

• Zines are independent - self-published, not-for-profit

• Zines can be about anything - whatever the author wants to say 

• Zines can be made by anyone - a diversity of people worldwide.  That means you could make a zine

• Zines often provide a voice for marginalised people and communities

*pronounced like "magazine", without the "maga"

Referencing a zine using Harvard referencing

It may seem difficult to reference zines, as referencing definitely favours standard publication formats and zines may not contain all the information you would like to create a reference.  While you can search online for more information for your reference, please respect the privacy of the author and create a reference using the author details they provided on the zine itself, whether author name, pseudonym or no name at all.

(Zine references are based on standard book/website references - if you use a different referencing style you may be able to construct the reference yourself, or else consult your subject librarian)

Zines accessed in print format

• Author’s Family Name and Initial(s) or Pseudonym
• Date of creation (in brackets)
• Title of zine (in italics)
• Volume or issue number (if applicable)
• [zine] 
• Place of publication if known or Location of zine collection: name of zine collection (if appropriate)

Example references

Smith, R. (2021) BTW bisexual. [zine]. FCH Library: Zines@FCH

vintagenemoart (no date) My unfinished art projects. [zine]. FCH Library: Zines@FCH

Nancy (2021) Hair. [zine]. FCH Library: Zines@FCH

Example without a named author:

Different bodies, same soul [zine] (no date). FCH Library: Zines@FCH

Zines accessed online

• Author’s Family Name and Initial(s) or Pseudonym
• Date of creation (in brackets)
• Title of zine (in italics)
• Volume or issue number (if applicable)
• [zine] 
• Name of online collection (if applicable)
• Available at: web address
• (Accessed: Date)

Example reference:

noyekim (2020) Storytelling Sovereignty. [zine]. Printed Matter. Available at: https://www.printedmatter.org/catalog/tables/15810/56403 (Accessed: 24 July 2023)

Independent Voices is an open access digital collection of alternative press newspapers, magazines and journals. It is part of JSTOR - so the sources will appear if relevant in a general JSTOR search but you can search also search or browse the collection separately.

Search Independent Voices

Johnson, L.H. (2019) The importance of zines. Available at: https://bookriot.com/the-importance-of-zines/ (Accessed: 24 July 2023)

Piepmeier, A. (2008) 'Why Zines Matter: Materiality and the Creation of Embodied Community', American Periodicals, 18(2), pp. 213–238.

Stoddart, R. A., & Kiser, T. (2004). 'Zines and the library', Library Resources and Technical Services, 48, 191–198.

Wee, D. V. (2017) 'We Need to Talk About Zines: The Case for Collecting Alternative Publications in the Australian Academic University Library', Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 66(2), pp. 152–161.