Book Description

Featuring contributions from leaders in the intersection between zines and libraries, including Katrin Abel, Jeremy Brett, Ann (A'misa) Matsushima Chiu, Marta Chudolinska, Jenna Freedman, Joan Jocson-Singh, Mica Johnson, Lauren Kehoe, Joshua Lupkin, Meg Metcalf, and Ziba Perez, this book presents an in-depth look at adding these unique materials successfully to a library collection. Their homegrown and esoteric aesthetic make zines important cultural and historical objects. Including them in library collections is a perfect way to amplify underrepresented voices. But the road from acquisition to cataloging these underground, self-published, and often fragile items can be difficult. This resource smooths the path forward, offering top-to-bottom guidance for collection development and acquisitions staff, administrators, catalogers, and access services librarians in understanding and processing zines for library collections. Readers will learn why these collections are valuable, and how libraries can start a collection of their own; targeted advice on zine collection development and management, including policy, selection, cataloging, and promotion; how to navigate the challenges of obtaining zines from small independent vendors, zinefests, distros, third-party donors, and art collectives; ways to work with zine creators to develop a respectful preservation program; insights from a case study exploring genre, context, and purpose in contemporary Latin American fanzines; where zines can fit in at school libraries or in one-shot instruction; and a look at the future of zines, from online zines to zine communities that are increasingly accessible, inclusive, and diverse.