BCPL Zines main page.
Skip Navigation
Graphics Version
The navigation path to this page is: Home >
Books and More > Zines.
| Check our Blog
for upcoming zine events and amazing new titles! The BCPL Zines Blog can be found at http://bcplzines.blogspot.com/ |
Image of Zines Blog |
BCPL Zine Collection
|
BCPL Zine Collection FAQ
|
Other Zine Libraries
Zine Review Sites
| Where to Purchase Zines
|
Zine Events and Conferences
Resources for Librarians
Photograph of zine author Anna reading at a BCPL zine event.
Caption:
Anna (With Heart in Mouth) graciously traveled from D.C. to
Baltimore County to read at our April 18, 2006 event
|
BCPL Zine Collection FAQ:
Q: What
is a zine and how do you say that word?
A: Zines (pronounced "zeen," like "bean") are self-published magazines
usually (though not always) written by one person or a few individuals. They
come in all shapes and sizes, usually only cost a few dollars, and are made by
all kinds of people. Zines can be informative, obsessive, hilarious, sad,
rude, inspirational, hand-scrawled, or neatly typed. They can be on any topic
at all, but often represent points of view missed by mainstream
media/publishing houses.
-Adapted from "A to Zine; How to Build a Winning Zine Collection at Your
Library" by Julie Bartel and a statement by Sean Stewart writing on
www.newpages.com
Q: Where can I find BCPL's zines?
A: Zines are currently located only at BCPL's
Cockeysville Library.
If you are not near the Cockeysville branch, you can get any Zine title sent to
the branch of your choice at no charge. You can do this yourself by using the
"Place Hold" option in either of the BCPL online catalogs, by calling any
branch and asking a librarian to place a hold for you, or visit any branch and
ask at the Information Desk. It will take about three business days for your
zines to arrive. You will be notified (by phone or email) when your zine
arrivals at your branch and you will then have seven days from the day you are
notified to pick up your items. If you do not pick up your items there will be
a $1.00 fee for non-pick up attached to your library account.
Q: Can I return my zines to another branch?
A: Yes, zines can be returned to any BCPL branch.
Photograph of the Baltimore Authors section of BCPL's zine collection.
(Caption:)
The Baltimore Authors" section of our collection.
Q: Can I suggest a zine for the library to
buy?
A: Yes, we take suggestions. E-mail your title requests (up to 5) to
bcplzines@gmail.com.
Q: Does the library accept zine donations?
A: Yes! The zines will be evaluated, and any zines not added to our
collection will be sold to benefit the library at zine events. Please e-mail
bcplzines@gmail.com before making a
donation.
Q: What if I can not find a zine I want in the BCPL catalog?
A: Zines are searchable by title, author or by their call number, ZINE.
If a title search did not work, try searching for the author or the call
number. Here are some hints to help you search by call number. The letter after the call number will be the first letter of the title,
excluding "A" or "The". For example, the zine "The East Village Inky" has
the call number "ZINE E". So if you want "The East Village Inky", try a call
number search using "ZINE E". Many zine authors use pseudonyms, first names only
or they work on many different zines. Therefore, it makes more sense to catalog
our zines
according to their title. Again, the words "A" and "The" are disregarded
by the catalog if they are the first word in the title.
Q: I don't live in Baltimore County. Can I
get zines sent to another library?
A: Yes! Zines are available for
Direct Loan
to Anne Arundel, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford County and Baltimore
City public libraries. Just call us and we will send them to your local
branch. If you live elsewhere in the country and your library offers
Interlibrary Loan service zines can be ordered by asking your librarian.
Q: Can I reserve a zine that is checked out
right now?
A: Yes! Holds can
be placed on zines that are checked out of the library, just as they would be
placed on other material.
Q: How long can I keep them?
A: Zines have the same loan period as most other library materials, 21 days.
You may also renew them one time online or by phone through our Shelf Help line at 410-494-9063.
Photograph of books
available at BCPL by zines authors.
(Caption:) Some of our books by zines authors.
Q: How do I find them on the shelf?
A: Like the CDs or New Fiction, they are a browsing collection, meaning that
they are not strictly alphabetized. All the A’s are together, then all the B’s, but order within each letter is
looser. The zines are in order by title, rather than by author. Also, you can
always ask a librarian to help you find any library materials!
Q: Do you have a mailing list for programs,
events, workshops and other zine stuff?
Why, yes! Just email bcplzines@gmail.com
with “mailing list” in the header to be added to our list.
Q: Why does BCPL have a zine
collection?
A: BCPL is always looking at new formats and trying to reach underserved
populations. Zines hold appeal for many library users (or potential library
users) in their twenties and thirties. Zines may attract this set of users to
the library. The small-press voice represents the counterculture and offers
greater diversity in our materials. Also, there is high local interest in
zines, as is shown by the number of zines produced in Baltimore, local
bookstores carrying zines, and zine or independent comics fests held in the
region. There are also two independent zine libraries in the area.
Not every zine is for everyone. Zine content is decidedly offbeat and candid,
but the decision to create this collection is in keeping with BCPL's mission
statement which states:
Baltimore County residents will have access to innovative library services,
delivered in an efficient and effective manner, which will:
• Encourage a love of reading
• Address the learning needs of children and adults
• Offer a welcoming community environment.
Do any other libraries have zines?
A: Yes! All these libraries have collections, as do
several universities:
Photograph of zine author Dave reading at a BCPL
zine event
(Caption:)
Dave Cookson (Davezine) displays his wares at our April 18, 2006
reading.
Other Zine Libraries
ABC No Rio Zine Library
156 Rivington Street
212.254.3697 ext. 323
Contains over seven thousand items on subjects such as music, culture, politics,
personal experience and travel.
The Alternative Press Center Library
1443 Gorsuch Avenue
Baltimore, MD, 21218
A large archive of the alternative press in the U.S., the last five years are
available to browse. Call before visiting.
Barnard College Collection
Barnard College
3009 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
Barnard's zines are primarily in the area of women's studies, featuring personal
and political publications.
Charm City Art Space
1729 Maryland Ave
Baltimore, MD 21201
Community art space which includes a "nifty little zine library focusing mostly
on punk rock culture."
The Little Magazine Collection
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street, 6th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
One of the oldest zine libraries in the country!
Salt
Lake City Public Library
210 East 400 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Currently the collection has about 6,000 zines, 15 subscriptions, and a number
of reference books.
A thorough listing of zine libraries can be found here:
http://www.zinebook.com/resource/libes.html
Photograph of zine
author China Martens
(Caption:)
Radical mama China Martens (The Future Generation) reads at the
October, 13, 2005 opening.
Broken Pencil
Canadian Magazine of Zine Culture and Independent Arts"
The NewPages
Zine Rack
The zine portion of "Alternatives in Print and Media" website with reviews by
a Hampden zinester
Xerography Debt
Baltimore-based "Review zine with Perzine Tendencies" ( perzine = personal
zine)
Zine World
A Reader's Guide to the Underground Press
Photograph of zine author Patrick reading at a
BCPL zine event.
(Caption:) Patrick Tandy (Smile Hon, You're in
Baltimore, Eight Stone Press solo projects) reading about B-movies at
the opening.
Where to Purchase Zines
Atomic Books
1100 West 36th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211
Microcosm Publishing
5307 North Minnesota Ave.
Portland, OR 97217
Normal's Books and Records
425 E. 31st Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
Powell's Books
1005 W. Burnside
Portland, OR 97209
Quimby's
1854 W. North Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
Stickfigure Distro
P.O. Box 55462
Atlanta, GA 30308
Wooden Shoe Books
508 South Fifth Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Countless other distros and stores!
Photograph of zine author Davida reading at a BCPL zine event.
(Caption:)
The prolific Davida Gypsy Breier (Leeking Ink The Glovebox Chronicles,
Xerography Debt) reading at our opening.
Zine Events and Conferences
Allied Media Conference
Large annual event in Ohio.
Madison Zine Fest
Wisconsin's big zine event.
Portland Zine Symposium
A three day conference and zine social exploring underground publishing and DIY
culture in Portland, Oregon.
Small Press Expo
North America's premiere independent cartooning and comic arts festival. Annual
event in Bethesda.
Photograph of zine author Dan reading at a BCPL zine event.
(Caption:)
Dan Taylor (The Hungover Gourmet) read at our October, 13, 2005
opening, and again in April of 2006. His story of a chicken-wing eating
competition fascinates and disgusts us.
Library Card: The
Baltimore County Public Library Zine Collection [PDF]
Thinking of starting a zine collection? Want to find out how we started
ours? Read our zine!
Library Journal
As of March 2008, Library Journal has zine reviews!
Your Zine Tool Kit, A DIY Collection
Are you a librarian considering zines for your collection? Here's a helpful
"tool kit" from Jenna Freedman, Alycia Sellie and BCPL's Miriam DesHarnais.
The New Monastic Librarians
By Chris Dodge, Utne Magazine July/August 2005.
Photograph of Librarian Miriam DesHarnais with Cartoonist
Emily Flake at Indie Comics A-Go-Go.
(Caption): Librarian Miriam DesHarnais with Cartoonist
Emily Flake at Indie Comics A-Go-Go.
Podcasts:
What Is a Zine?
Select
this link to access a podcast about Zines.
Select
this link to access another zines podcast,
Some Favorite Zines.
Photograph of zine author Anna reading at a BCPL zine event.
(Caption:)
Anna (With Heart in Mouth) graciously traveled from D.C. to
Baltimore County to read at our April 18, 2006 event.
|
Tell us you love us… We are a pilot project, which means that how well the zines circulate affects our future. If you like the idea of having a zine and comics collection at your public library, please come see us, and tell your friends! Feedback on how the collection or our readings have been of use to you is another important way for us to gauge our success. E-mail us with any thoughts or suggestions at bcplzines@gmail.com or comment on our blog! |
BCPL Zine Collection Event Photos
|
Photograph of cartoonists together at the
April '07 Indie Comics A-Go-Go Program. |
Photograph of Cartoonist Mark
Burrier (Caption:) Cartoonist Mark Burrier at Indie Comics A-Go-Go program. |
|
Photograph of zine author Nadja reading at a BCPL zine event. |
Photograph of Cartoonist Brian Ralph |
This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
24 September 2008.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
24 September 2008.
You are welcome to provide feedback.
