Zines 101

The Library of Congress has a growing collection of zines. The Zine Web Archive was created to supplement the physical zine collection. In general, zines are: self-published, self-created, self-distributed, and non-commercial. The independent nature of these publications allows for an unprecedented freedom of expression, and as such, these materials are incredibly valuable primary source materials. Collection priorities include zines by people of color, women, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ and transgender and gender non-conforming individuals and organizations. Subjects and perspectives which have been traditionally underrepresented in mainstream media (and therefore libraries) are also a high priority for collection.
Collection Period: November 2018 to present (this is an ongoing archive).

The Queer Zine Archive Project (QZAP) was first launched in November 2003 in an effort to preserve queer zines and make them available to other queers, researchers, historians, punks, and anyone else who has an interest DIY publishing and underground queer communities.
“The mission of the Queer Zine Archive Project (QZAP) is to establish a “living history” archive of past and present queer zines and to encourage current and emerging zine publishers to continue to create. In curating such a unique aspect of culture, we value a collectivist approach that respects the diversity of experiences that fall under the heading “queer.”
The primary function of QZAP is to provide a free on-line searchable database of the collection with links allowing users to download electronic copies of zines. By providing access to the historical canon of queer zines we hope to make them more accessible to diverse communities and reach wider audiences.”

Sprout Distro is an anarchist zine distro. We feature 100s of zines on topics ranging from direct action to theory. Our main focus is sharing practical skills with an eye towards anarchy.

The Sherwood Forest Zine Library is a fully functioning independent media library focusing on zines and DIY culture.
Our library is a membership based space and runs like a regular library. Membership is free and members are allowed to check out zines or hang out during library hours to browse through the collection, read, or work on their own zines.
The majority of our collection has been donated via collectors or the zine artists themselves. Occasionally, we purchase specific zines through various distros. We host a variety of independent media from self published books and magazines to small run or independent publishings and newspapers.

Wasted Ink Zine Distro(WIZD) is a zine store and community space in Phoenix Arizona that uplifts Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+, disabled and chronically ill, neurodivergent, and AZ creators by distributing their work locally and internationally, and by hosting community events like the Phx Zine Fest, art shows, and workshops. Originally founded in 2015, WIZD is now part of a community space called Nurture House which includes Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, Wasted Ink Zine Distro, Pachanga Press, and Abalone Mountain Press.

I started making handmade mini zines during the pandemic. This page links to them all, including featured zines with downloadable PDFs, video tutorials, and an archive.

The Night Drawer is a collaborative art zine, which means anyone can submit a page. If you would like to be involved come to Le Voyeur at 7pm on Sundays or send an email to TheNightDrawer@ydhwm.com . You can find back issues of The Night Drawer at the Olympia Timberland Library in the Zine Library section. Also there is an Instagram. @thenightdrawerofficial

This is a collection of zines that can be found on the Archive. Zines are self-published, non-commercial publications with typically small circulations. They cover a wide range of topics with many focused on politics, art, creative writing, and personal theory.

ZineWiki catalogs the independent press, zinesters, authors, artists, and distros and aspires to become the most complete online zine database, useful for zine libraries, archivists, readers, and writers looking to catalog their work. Best of all, ZineWiki is open to everyone. You can start contributing and editing ZineWiki right now!

The wonderful Zine Co-op collective have created an online collection of Palestine related zines to print and share.

The Olympia Timberland Library has a collection of over 1,700 zines and the Lacey Timberland Library also has a small collection of 400+ zines.
You can search for zines in the catalog and request them to be sent to any Timberland library for you to check out.

Launched in 2013, Canva is an online design and publishing tool with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere. See Zine templates at https://www.canva.com/templates/?query=zine

Create, share and embed online page flip catalogs, transforming your PDFs into online flipping books. Make a flip book online using our advanced flip book maker. It's free to try!

The Electric Zine Maker is a printshop and art tool for easily making and printing zines!
This is a playful tool meant to make zine creation simple. It's great for beginners.
The Zine Maker is built with collaboration in mind. Art made in it can easily be imported and edited in other art applications.

The Beat Movement broadsides and posters in this collection document the poetic and aesthetic revolution in literature and arts in the 1950s, challenging the repressive and even censorial nature of U.S. society. Diverse in size, quality, and quantity – from mimeographs to fine letterpress print – broadsides have been important vehicles for political, social, and cultural commentary on a profusion of subjects including such diverse topics as politics, free love, the anti-war movement, environmental consciousness, civil rights, and free speech. The broadsides in this collection are critical primary research materials, artfully revealing the dynamic social movements of the 1950s and 1960s.