Zine Libraries and Collections
Libraries holding zine collections provide valuable resources through title lists, online catalogue entries and links to other zine resources.
*Public *Academic *Volunteer/Infoshops *Online*
Public Libraries
Baltimore County Public Library Zines. Cockeysville Branch. Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MA
BPL's zine collection is a circulating collection of over 300 titles. Titles are fully catalogued in the library's OPAC, searchable by title or by their call number. Subject search ZINES for a full title list. Listen to WYPR interview about zines and this collection (2005).
Kansas City Public Library. Kansas City, MO
This collection includes zines, mini-comics, and mail art created by local Kansas Citizens dating back to 1999. A collection inventory list includes brief synopsis.
Minneapolis Public Library Zine Collection. Walker Branch. Minneapolis, MN
The zine collection is currently being housed in the Walker Branch until the completion of the Central Library. Search the online catalogue (subject search FANZINES) for a list of nearly 200 titles.
Multnomah County Library Zines. Multnomah County, OR
Multnomah County consists of a Central Library and 16 branches. This public library has formed a Zine Library Group (6 librarians with an interest in zines) and created a small zine collection that can be found in Library's teen lounges, zine programming and a library zine website with links to local zine resources including those that can be found in the library (such as clip art books.)
New York Public Library Zine Collection. DeWitt Wallace Periodical Room, Humanities & Social Sciences Library. New York City, NY
This collection focuses on NYC publications, librarian/library science zines, and literary zines. Zines are catalogued as serials within the Library's online catalogue. Use the search term ZINES to obtain a zine list.
Salt Lake City Public Library. City Library Zine Collection. Salt Lake City, UT
Julie Bartel and Brooke Young started this zine collection 1997. This collection consists of approximately 6,000 zines, 15 of which are subscriptions. It is currently a browsing collection, however, the teen zine collections (located at the Main Library and each of the five branches) may be borrowed. Julie Bartel has authored the book 'From A to Zine: Building a Winning Zine Collection in Your Library.' Photos of the collection.
San Francisco Public Library. Little Maga/Zine Collection. Marjorie G. & Carl W. Stern Book Arts & Special Collections Center. Main Library, Civic Center. San Francisco, CA
This is a reference collection numbering over 1,200 titles and focusing on the 'San Francisco experience'. The collection originated in the 1960's followed by a donation in 1997 of 240 zines from Seth Friedman of the Factsheet Five. One may access titles through the Little Maga/Zine Collection Title List or through the Library catalogue. (Title or keyword search LITTLE MAGAZINE COLLECTION.) SFPL has also helped create a teen zine (Hot Secret Files, (PDF) the SFPL's Teen Advisory Council's zine).
Toronto Public Library Zine Collection. Periodicals and Newspapers Centre, Toronto Reference Library. Toronto, ON
Originally compiled from donations from Broken Pencil, the TPL collection numbers over 700 titles focusing primarily on the local material.
Academic Libraries
Barnard Library Zines. Barnard College, New York City, NY
The Barnard zine collection holds approximately 1300 titles with a focus on feminist material. Search the collection through the online catalogue (Subject search ZINES for a full title list). Full MARC records include detailed summaries. The zine website includes thorough links to resources useful to other zine librarys such as articles and postings concerning zine librarianship. View the collection's MySpace profile. Read the The New York Times article about the collection (2006).
Bowling Green State University. Browne Popular Culture Library. William T. Jerome Library. Bowling Green, OH
The Browne Popular Culture Library includes a comics, radical literature, film and television and Fanzine collection. Search the online catalogue for a title list of over 2,700 items. Subject search FANZINES.
Colorado College Zine Collection. Tutt Library. Colorado Springs, CO
This collection was began in 2005 and focuses on zines created in the mid to southwest states. Their website includes a short title list (title, author and publisher) as well as a statement concerning their zine collection policy.
Cornell University. Alternatives Library: Anne Carry Durland Memorial. Anabel Taylor Hall, Cornell University, Ithica, NY
"Since 1974 this collection has been providing resources on contemporary issues and ideas as well as philosophical and spiritual studies usually unavailable in research and public libraries."
Duke University. Bingham Center Zine Collection. The Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture, Rare Book, Manuscript and Special Collections Library, Duke University, Durham, NC
The Bingham Center's zine collection was created when Sarah Dyer gave her collection of over 1,000 zines in the year 2000. Dyer collected zines from women and girls for her Action Girl Newsletter, a networking publication for women’s comics and zines. Since Dyer’s initial donation, many more authors and collectors have given their zines, expanding the collection to over 3,500 zines, with a majority dating from 1985-2005. The Bingham Center collects zines primarily by women, girls, and women-identified people.
The Campaign for Duke article reviews the collection. Read Kelly Wooten's paper, Women's Zines in the Sarah Dyer Zine Collection.
Michigan State University. Special Collections. 100 Library, East Lansing, MI
Specialized collections include: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Materials, Popular Culture, Comics, American Radicalism and Cookery Collections. Most items have been catalogued with LCSH. Search the online catalogue(Subject search FANZINES). Read the Collection Policy Statements.
Minneapolis Community & Technical College Library Zine Collection. Minneapolis, MN
The Zine Collection has their own specialized online catalogue (keyword, title, author and subject searches) and zine subject thesaurus (PDF). The collection was founded upon a donation of 1,000 zines from Chris Dodge, (\"Street Librarian\" columnist for the Utne Reader and former editor of the MSRRT newsletter, Library Alternatives). Read the Chronicle of Higher Education article on the collection (2004).
New York State Library. Cultural Education Center, Empire State Plaza. Albany, NY
This archival collection was created from a donation of over 10,000 zines from Mike Gunderloy, editor of Factsheet Five. Items can be searched within the online catalogue. Keyword or Phrase search FACTSHEET FIVE COLLECTION for a title list of over 4,000 items.
Pacific NW College of Art Zine Collection. Portland, OR
The PNCA zine collection is located in the New Books section of the library. Titles are catalogued in the online catalogue. Subject search ZINES for a list of over 400 titles.
Pratt Institute Zine Collection. Brooklyn, NY
Zine collection has been created for interest as well as to support class curriculum that includes classes on zine study and production. A small number of zines can be found in their online catalogue, subject search ZINES.
San Diego State University. West Coast Zine Archive. Special Collections and University Archives, Malcolm A. Love Library. San Diego, CA
This reference collection is comprised of zines donated from 2002-present. Publication dates range from 1990 and cover gender topics, alternative and popular culture, politics and music. This collection is attempting to archive publications from west of the Mississippi and south of the U.S.-Mexico Border. A Title List can be found here.
Tulane University Zine Collection. Nadine Vorhoff Library & Newcomb Archives, Newcomb College Center for Research on Women. Caroline Richardson Hall. New Orleans, LA
This collection, began in 2004, focuses on alternative/indie/diy feminist zines published by southern women. Search the online database (over 170 titles) by title, author, keyword or category (the extensive subject list includes publishing date ranges).
University of Buffalo. The Poetry Collection. Capen Hall, University of Buffalo, Buffalo NY
Poetry Collection includes about 5,000 "little magazine" titles. A partial title list may be found searching by subject for LITTLE MAGAZINES in the online catalogue.
University of California Arts Library. Arts Library Special Collections. Charles E. Young Research Library. Los Angeles, CA
The Arts Library has two zine collections: The Darby Romeo Collection of Zines is the result of a donation from Ben is Dead editor, Deborah (Darby) Romeo. Zines in this collection date from 1987-. The Mark Rose Collection of Mail Art, Artists' Stamps, And Zines, 1985-1997 also includes a selection of zines. Search the Online Archive of California (OAC) Finding Aids for further information on the Darby Romeo collection. A Container/Title List of the Darby Romeo Collection may be found here.
University of Connecticut. Alternative Press Collections. Archives & Special Collections, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. Storrs, CT
The Alternative Press Collections contains a Fanzine Collection (primarily fantasy and science fiction zines from 1945-1985) and a Comix Collection (Over 70 titles dating from 1968-1984). Finding Aids with Title Lists have been created for both collections.
University of Maryland. Popular Culture Collections. Albin O. Kuhn Library, Special Collections. Baltimore County campus. Baltimore, MD
Collections include: the Coslet Collection of sci-fi fanzines (1937-1972). Search by keyword or browse by title in the Fanzine Database, the Comic Books Collection (1930-1990). Search the Comics Database by title, date, issue, or category (Main, Miscellaneous or Underground) and the Radical Literature Collection (late 19th to mid 20th century). Search the Radical Literature Database by author, title, publisher, year or subject or browse the author and subject lists.
University of Michigan. Labadie Collection. Special Collections Library, Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library, Ann Arbor, MI
This collection (created from a donation of anarchist material in 1911) includes an extensive collection of books, periodicals and ephemera on social protest material from the extreme left and right. Titles can be found in the online catalogue (subject search FANZINES).
University of Montana- Missoula. Small Press Collection. Archives & Special Collections, Mansfield Library.
Chris Mullin Mansfield Library Missoula, MT
This reference collection consists of over a 1,000 titles found in the Special Collections Pamphlet Files. Finding aids may be found within the Library.
University of Oregon Zine Collection. Special Collections, Knight Library, Eugene, OR
Search the online catalogue using the subject search term ZINES for a list of over 50 titles.
The Wisconsin Historical Society Library. University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, WI
This library is devoted to "collecting, preserving and providing access to the largest collection of published and unpublished material documenting the history of North America outside of the Library of Congress." Search the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries' online catalogue. For a title list, (over 300 items) use the subject search term FANZINES.
Volunteer Run Libraries/Infoshops
Check infoshop.org for further infoshop listings.
ABC No Rio Zine Library. New York, NY
Art and Activist collective founded in 1980. Facilities at the center include a print room, dark room, and computer center in addition to a zine library. The zine collection includes more than 7,000 titles primarily focusing on social and political activism. The collection began in 1998 with the Blackout Zine Library collection. Search the online database by title, category (42 subject terms) and/or keyword.
Arise! Bookstore & Resources Collective. Minneapolis, MN
This collective opened its doors in 1993 with the goal to provide material focused on liberation struggles. Includes a reference and lending library as well as bookstore.
Austin Zine Library. Austin TX
Formed in 2003, the collection numbers more than 2,000 titles. The collection cna be found in the Rhizome Collective. The zine library has a blog (in process). Follow Josh Medsker through 5 articles in the Austin Chronicle as he attempts to start up the library. Rhizome Collective and Austin Zine Library have photos on Flickr.
Bottles on the Sill. West Bend, WI
Zine maker and collector, Jessica Bublitz' began this distro and lending zine library in 2004. A small annual membership allows members to borrow 5 zines for up to 2 months. Download the library catalogue/title list for over 600 titles (doc format) or view the distro catalogue title list online. Bublitz reviews zines on her review blog, posts new zines on her livejournal site and has her own website.
Bread & Roses Library/Infoshop. St. Louis, MO
Operates out of the Community Arts and Media Project (CAMP). The collection contains 300-500 zines of international scope.
Brian MacKenzie Infoshop. Washington DC
This non-profit, cooperatively run space serves in part to distribute and sell radical literature including zines. "The Brian MacKenzie Infoshop exists with the goals of encouraging the proliferation of radical ideas and to provide a haven and meeting/organizing space for independent thinkers in the D.C. area."
Brick House Lending Library. Louisville, KY
Formerly the BRYCC House (Bardstown Road Youth Cultural Center), the new Brick House now encompasses all ages. Includes a lending library of zines and other independent publications as well as a free store, bike and tool shop, event space and radio station. Check the Brick House News and Information blog. Further information: Louisville Cardinal Online, LEO Beat.
Cascadia Rising Infoshop. Portland, OR
This infoshop includes Internet access, bike shop, event space and lending library.
The Catalyst Infoshop. Prescott AZ
Operating since 2003"The Catalyst is a resource base for activists and an alternative information center for Prescott. It includes a bookstore and alternative literature and zine library.
Che Cafe Collective Zine Library. Student Center B, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
The Che Cafe is a collectively run "community space, DIY venue, vegan cafe, resource center for radical grassroots activists." The Center includes a small zine library (100+ titles).
Chicago Underground Library. Chicago, IL
This recently formed grassroots organization co-founded by Emerson Dameron and Nell Taylor aims to create a digital archive of downloadable material. The library will focus on small press and self-published Chicago area literature (Fractal Edge Press has donated their catalogue to the venture). Read more: ChiTown Daily News and Lake Claremont Press (March 21, 2006 blog entry).
Civic Media Center Alternative Press Library and Reading Room. Gainesville FL
This non-profit organization hosts a library containing over 1,000 zine titles searchable in their online catalogue.
The Denver Zine Library. The Other Side Arts. Denver. CO
This zine lending library began with the donation of Double Entendre's, Breakdown Book Collective's and personal zine collections. The collection may be browsed in the online catalogue. Browse alphabetically by title, locally created subject headings or state of publication. Records are brief, attempting to provide title, publisher, release date, city of origin and keywords. Check the denverzinelibrary yahoo group.
The Department of Safety Zine Library. Anacortes, WA
The Department of Safety (2002-present) operates as an event space (music and art shows, workshops, weddings), recording studio and zine library (began 2003).
The Dry River Radical Resource Center. Tucson AZ
This collective has a zine collection.
The Firebrand Community Center. Nashville, TN
Currently in the funding phase, this center plans to house a zine library: "The library will house an extensive collection of radical literature from around the world, including the latest zines and progressive newspapers."
Flywheel. Easthampton, MA
Born out of the Valley Arts and Music Alliance (1998), this non-profit collective includes a cafe, event space and zine library.
Idle Kids Books & Records Zine Library. Detroit, MI
"Idle Kids is a collectively-run, community-oriented retail/info/d.i.y. space." Includes a retail store, resource room, events space and kitchen. Their Resource room includes a "Cut N Paste Room," a photocopier, Internet access and zine collection (originally created from a zine donation from VG Kids Space). Currently they are in the process of cataloguing the collection with plans to make it available online.
Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC). Portland, OR
The IPRC aims to facilitate the creation of independently published art and media. They provide workshops and outreach as well as a zine library that consists of over 5,000 titles. Search this lending library's online relational database by title, author, category or keyword.
Junto Library & Zine Distro. Emma Goldman Grassroots Centre. Old Market Autonomous Zone. Winnipeg, MB
A lending library run by an anarchist collective of volunteers.
JustabunchoKids Community Library. Calgary, AB
This community run collective for the 'all ages' music scene in Calgary also houses a small zine collection.
Long Haul Infoshop. Berkeley, CA
Long Haul has been operating since 1979 as an activist center. They offer an events space, a resource centre and publishes Slingshot (1988-present). The library includes a zine collection.
The Mad Hatters Tea Room. Danbury, CT
This collective's mission is to develop and maintain "a space for the exploration of free ideas, art, and alternatives to consumer culture." The library has an online catalogue that will eventually include their zine collection.
Madison InfoShop. Madison, WI
This volunteer collective of radical groups (such as the Family Farm Defenders, Madison Free Speech TV Campaign) operates a resource center that includes a non-circulating zine collection in their lending library. A title list is available in HTML and Excel Spreadsheet. They also host the annual releases.htm|Madison Zine Fest and offer zine workshops.
May Day Books & Infoshop. New York, NY
Resource center provides material and organizes events of interest and relating to the struggles of working class people. Library includes a zine collection.
The Mr. Roboto Project. Wilkinsburg, PA
Operating since 1999 as a co-operatively run show space, art gallery and zine library. Hosts their blog on Livejournal.
Olympia Zine Library. Olympia, WA
This browsing library of over 1,000 zines and 'zine creation station' is housed in Last Word Books. Their collection is online at zinelibrary.net. Their blog provides zine reviews and news.
Papercut Zine Library. Cambridge, MA
this collectively run, free lending zine library opened in 2005. The collection now holds nearly 6,000 titles. They offer zine making workshops including one to be held at the local Belmont Public Library. Photos can be found on Flickr.
Pond Zine Library. San Francisco, CA
Non-profit organization founded in 2001 with the goal of "providing a forum through which experimental artists may share ideas and foster a mutually beneficial relationship with the larger community." Pond houses a zine library.
Queer Zine Archive Project. Milwaukee, WI
The Queer Zine Archive Project (QZAP) aims to "establish a 'living history' archive of past and present queer zines and to encourage current and emerging zine publishers to continue to create." The collection is available for downloading (PDF) and re-distributing.
The Richard Hugo House Zine Archive & Publishing Project. Seattle, WA
ZAPP (1996-present) is a non-profit, self-publishing resource center with the purpose to "promote and preserve independently published media and art." The browsing collection currently houses over 15,000 titles dating back to 1960. Capital Hill Times article.
Root Cellar Zine Library. McVicker. Bard College. Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
The Root Cellar is a student-run volunteer coffee shop and zine library. The collection includes over 1,000 titles.
Stonewall Library & Archives. Ft. Lauderdale FL
The Stonewall Library & Archives formed in 1990 through the merging of Stonewall Library (circa 1973) and the Southern Gay Archives. Stonewall aims to collect and preserve GLBT related materials with an emphasis on the southeast. Materials include books, periodicals, ephemera and zines dating back to the 1950's. The serials catalogue may be downloaded and may include zines.
Sweet Candy Zine Library & Alternative Arts Center. Philadelphia, PA
Sweet Candy Distro owner and zine publisher, Sage Adderley, operates this zine library from her home. Collection includes over 400 zines with online title lists (organized into 7 broad categories).
Toronto Zine Library. Toronto, ON
Collective creating a zine library. Title list can be found here.
Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center Library & Archives. Urbana, IL
The U-C IMC began in 2000, and is a non-profit volunteer collective. The library aims to support "the information needs of the IMC media creators and the community at large. The library attempts to collect material that gives voice to those not portrayed in the mainstream/corporate media outlets." The collection includes books, periodicals, zines, videos and a vertical file. Search the online catalogue by title, author, date, keyword or browse from a selection of 9 zine subjects. The library's collection policy is available in PDF. Listen to Mediageek interview with Adam Davis, zine librarian at U-C IMC (2004).
Welland Zine Library. Youth Innovations youth centre, Seaway Mall. Welland, ON
Zine maker, Jen Pilles began this zine library in 2002 in the Youth Innovations youth centre in Seaway Mall. The collection currently houses over 5,000 zines. Read the Brock Press article.
Online Downloadable Zine Libraries