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ZINE COLLECTION

A Project by Ariana Reid

Newcomb Senior Ariana Reid has worked for several years in the Nadine Vorhoff Library and Newcomb Archives at Newcomb College Center for Research on Women. In Summer 2004, supported by a grant from the Newcomb Foundation, Ariana evaluated the library’s and archives’ collections of alternative/indie/diy feminist media, sharpened the collection’s focus on the work of southern women, and made it much more accessible to casual browsers and serious researchers alike.

SEARCH THE ZINE DATABASE

What the Heck are Zines??

...is the question you all are probably asking right now. Unfortunately there is no simple answer, all I can give is generalities and a glimpse into the world of zines. Zines can be defined as small, self-produced semi-periodicals, ranging in a vast variety of subjects that interest the author.

The History of Zines

The history of zines is longer than one might think. In the 1930s the Science Fiction community created fanzines as a place to share stories, reviews and communicate with other sci-fi fans. By the 1970s another carnation of came about when fanzines were infused with the punk scene. This is where modern day zines have gleaned and retained much of their D.I.Y. (Do I Yourself) spirit. By the 1980s and the onset of the riot grrrl movement, the "fan" had been by and large dropped of the "zine". As zines are now, vast and varied in all their forms, they are hard to define. Stephen Duncombe in his book Notes from Underground: Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture tries to hammer out a few broad catagories.

Fanzines

Simply, fanzines are publications devoted to discussing the intricacies and nuances of a cultural genre. Within fanzines there are distinct subcategories

Personal Zines or Perzines
These are personal diaries open to the public; shared notes on the day-to-day life, thoughts and experiences of the writer.

Scene Zines

These contain news and views on the local music and underground cultural "scene" in the writers area.