zine libraries/zine reuse

[rachel]

Are there any zine libraries out there that aren't defunct or on indefinite hold? I have a bunch of zines I would prefer to donate to a zine library but I can't find any that seem definitely functional (well, in the US anyways). I suppose I could send them off as grab bags to people in exchange for shipping costs. Or maybe I should start some sort of public zine exchange bin where people could freely give/take zines....?
Any other ideas on ways to pass zines along? There are only so many boxes of zines I can store in my closet.

[Serah-Marie]

I know it's in Canada and not the US, but Toronto Zine Library is very organized and has been running a long time - I donate every title I make to them, plus more when I'm cleaning out my zine stash. Honestly shipping from the US to Canada is not that much more - sometimes its even less than to another state depending on where you live. (Sadly not the same going the other way...)

[Dan C]

Check the zine donation group for a bunch of current people and places, including zine libraries, that want your zine donations: http://wemakezines.ning.com/group/zinedonation

[Milo]

Hey Rachel,
There are lots of libraries that are still active and accepting zines. If they're queer (LGBTQI) QZAP would love to have them. There are collections of feminist/womynist zines at Barnard College in NYC and Duke University in North Carolina. I've also been maintainting (sort of... when I have time) a map of libraries or zine libraries in North America
http://platial.com/map/North-American-Zine-Libraries/10371

I think ZAPP in Seattle still takes zines, as does the IPRC in Portland, OR.

Some libraries have "strict" collection policies, meaning that they have a more narrow focus on the type of zines they want for their collections... and there's always infoshops....

[Jenna Freedman]

I think the best list of zine libraries is on the Zine World site http://www.undergroundpress.org/zine-resources/infoshops-zine-libra.... I wrote a little piece that they picked up about where to donate your stuff, and that's also on their site, but it's a little outdated. http://www.undergroundpress.org/how-to-pick-what-zine-library-to-do...

What kind of zines do you have? What kind of library do you want them to go in? Is your priority access or preservation? Tell it to the zine library yenta! Since I'm so behind on cataloging right now I'm not taking any new donations unless they're within a very narrow scope (early 90s riot grrrl and women of color), so don't think that's why I want to stick my nose in.