# Get to Know the Zine Collection
You might not have known it but if you’ve ever been to the Main Library in downtown Jacksonville, you probably walked by one of Jacksonville Public Library’s most unique features: the Zine Collection.
This collection was started in 2009 by the first Library Zine Committee, composed of Andrew Coulon, Josh Jubinsky, Matthew Moyer, and Jessica Whittington. In the years since, the collection has grown to include over 2,000 zines from authors all over the country, from Jacksonville to Portland!
# What’s a zine?
A zine (pronounced ZEEN, as in “magazine”) is difficult to define—and that’s on purpose. Zines are made by people who feel strongly enough about something to write, draw, compile, print, and distribute their thoughts about it, and that’s the only requirement! They usually take the form of a small pamphlet, but they can be any size, any length, and about any topic.
What ties them all together is the passion of their creators and their do-it-yourself (DIY) beliefs. Zines are a labor of love, not profit, and they are as varied as their creators!
# Zine Collection Staff Picks
Here are just a few examples of zines that show the variety of our collection:
Shotgun Seamstress, Vol. 2 – Alongside science fiction fandom, punk culture is one of the foundational sources of zine culture (for more on the history of zines, check out Notes from Underground: Zines and the Politics of Alternative Culture by Stephen Duncombe, which is also in the Zine Collection). This zine, created by Black queer punk Osa Atoe, contains essays on punk culture, a “scene report” of concerts and events in Portland, Oregon, and interviews with other Black punks.
shortandqueer, Vol. 4: the coming out issue – Many zines tell the personal stories of their creators (these are known as “perzines,” short for “personal zines”). This zine tells the story of how Kelly came out as transgender to his friends and family. The zine includes Kelly’s personal thoughts, emails between him and his mother as they discussed his transition, and a tongue-in-cheek flyer created by Kelly and his friend to give tips and tricks on how not to misgender them!
What Do You Know about the Higher Education Censorship Bill (SB266)? - Zines often draw attention to current and local events, like this zine made by local University of North Florida students to highlight Florida Senate Bill 266. The creators of the zine asked UNF students to give their thoughts on the bill, and the results were compiled to create the zine—a format that successfully brings attention to the issue without violating the terms of the bill itself!
Robin & Cat, Vol. 1 – This is a great example of the comic/sequential art zine, in which artists can publish their work independently. Just like graphic novels, comic zines can be about any and all subjects. This zine tells the story of Robin, “a shy, video-game-loving nerd” and Cat, “a cool monster-loving punk,” who will “face rude comic book guys, overprotective roommates, and their own insecurities so they can be together” (summary from the back cover).
Zine World, Vol. 30 – Zine World is focused on the zine community itself (the zine’s tagline is “A Reader’s Guide to the Underground Press”). It provides reviews of zines, letters to the editor, and opinion columns about people and events within the zine scene. This particular volume includes reviews of zines that are also in our Zine Collection—see if you can find them!
# How can you support the zine collection?
There are two ways you can support our incredible collection. The first way is also the easiest: just check out zines! Increasing the checkout numbers for zines is a great way to show the library how much the community values them. You can visit the collection in person on the ground floor of the Main Library, located at 303 North Laura Street.
If that’s too far away, no worries—click here to browse our zine catalog online. You can put zines on hold just like other library materials, and they will be sent to your preferred branch!
# Add Your Voice to the Collection
If you’d like to support the collection in a more advanced way, why not donate a zine yourself? You can bring your donation to any library branch in person or mail it to the following address:
Main Library c/o Zine Collection
303 N. Laura St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
If you donate a zine, please include the following information to help us correctly describe it in our catalog:
- Name of Author(s)/Artist(s)
- Volume number(s), if any
- Year of publication
- Your email address
- A short (1-3 sentence) summary of your zine (optional)
# Upcoming Events and Activities
If you’d like to learn more about the Zine Collection, drop by the Main Library for Zinester Meetup the first Wednesday of every month from 6 - 8:30 p.m. (during Art Walk) to talk, create, and hang with folks who are passionate about independent publishing. If you’ve never made a zine/comic but have an interest, this is a great place to start! Or just browse through the collection yourself. You never know what you’ll find!
Learn Zine-Making 101 with Lindsay Anderson, a prolific zine maker and self-publisher based in Jacksonville, FL. Using non-digital methods, you'll make a quick one-page zine and discover different layouts and content from Lindsay’s personal zine library. Join us on Saturday, June 8, from 1-3 p.m. at South Mandarin Library. The workshop is FREE and all resources will be provided.
Since 2013, Lindsay Anderson has developed a long-running zine project, she has helped to organize the annual Duval Comic and Zine Fest (DCAZ) and recently launched a new quarterly zine Mischief on the River. She's passionate about creating from existing resources and making space for others to develop and showcase their own works.
The Main Library will also host the third annual Duval Comic and Zine Fest on Saturday, June 15, from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. A celebration of local, independent publishers, the event will feature over 50 zine and comic creators, a risograph printing activity, a Writer's Lab workshop, and a Lit Chat with award-winning cartoonist Nate Powell. The event and all programs are free to attend!
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