a place for zinesters - writers and readers

Zine Libraries (sharing information and ideas)

I love libraries (or any kind of collection, really) so naturally, i love zine libraries.

For me, zines are about sharing information and ideas within a community (if not a global community), and there is no better community for sharing information and ideas than a library. And better yet, I think the thing i I love most about libraries is that it goes with the principal that people are naturally good, and will return the books, so they're free for anyone to use.

Zines are a way of giving anyone and everyone a voice and the opportunity for anyone and everyone to hear it.

One of the things i really appreciate about some zine libraries (though theres only a few i've encountered) is that if you donate a zine, they'll send you a photocopy of something from their collection. Now, I know that some people might be like, "hey, they're giving (my?) zines away for free!" but I think its a good way to share things that are no longer around, to an interested and most likely, like-minded person. The original zines are tucked away in shoeboxes under our beds or on library shelfs, forever our treasures, but the information and the ideas continue on in the black and white office paper copies. Its like the libary itself, the collection as a whole, is speaking through the zines and saying "i'll tell you what i have to say and you tell me what you have to say, and we can tell all these people".

I'd really like to donate to every zine library I could, but for night now, thats just not possible. I always try to send 2 copies when I donate to libraries. Once copy is for reading and one is for photocopying, just on the chance that the other zine goes missing.

I'd really like to know about more zine libraries in Canada.

Zine Libraries I've Donated To:

Robert Social Street Zine Library - Candada

The Flying Brick Library - USA

Red and Black Cafe Zine Library - USA

Dry River Collective Zine Library - USA

Las Vegas Zine Library - USA

Salford Zine Library - UK

Jacksonville Public Library - USA

Olympia Timerland Library - USA

Octapod Zine Library - Australia

Wellington Zine Library - NZ