July is creeping up on us, and you know what else? The 24 Hour Zine Thing!

Sign up at the website and then create a 24-page zine in 24 hours. When you're done, mail off a copy to the organizers for a goodie bag, complete with the 2009 24 hour zine and a button to keep, in return! The cover of your creation is put up on the website and some whole zines are entirely scanned to be featured on the website.

What are you waiting for? While away a muggy July day making a zine!

Did you produce a zine during the ‘90s? Are you female? Did it ever get lumped into the pile marked ‘riot grrrl’, whether you liked it or not? My name is Jane Graham. Between 1993 and 2000 I produced 8 issues of the zine Shag Stamp as well as the one-offs ‘Hickey’ and ‘Floozy’. Since then, like many of my peers, I’ve disappeared off the radar somewhat as my life has become dicated by the sleeping and pooping habits of babies, toddlers and young children.

I didn’t mix well at school; a reunion with that environment is something I have no interest in. The zine community, on the other hand, became my family over that decade I was part of it. I wrote as I evolved, and my readers came along on the ride. I wonder what became of us all, this talented, vitriolic, terribly idealistic and naive bunch of girls that we were.

So I’ve decided to compile an anthology. Tentatively titled ‘Now the Girls have Grown up: a Zine Reunion’, it will be a chance for us to reflect fondly on the movements of the ‘90s, youthful idealism and how it molded us into the people we are now. Back then we made unrealistic demands and ranted uncontrollably. We attacked things we were ‘supposed’ to be grateful for; we liked things which were supposed to demean us. We were hopelessly, delightfully self-obsessed. And it seemed nothing could stop us.

Time has lots of ways of stopping people, especially women. The need to earn a living, the reality of bringing up a family – but many of us
continued to strive, continuing to work within the independent media or moving into established circles of journalism, graphic art or painting. What I’m looking for are personal anecdotes from then and now. Memories, funny or poignant. What I don’t want are pseudo-theses, filled with academic quotes: these should be your accounts. If it makes a political point, all well and good, but it shouldn’t strive too hard to do so. In a roundabout kind of way, I want to know things like:

• What would you think of the girl you were then if you met her now? (and would she be disappointed in you)
• Has age mellowed you?
• Do you put any of the feminist/ d.i.y. practices of then into your life now?
• Can you remember what drove you then?

It would be really boring if all the submissions read the same, so a simple question and answer framework is definitely not the way to go.
Instead, choose the angle you’d like to pitch, and make it your own. I’m looking for passionate submissions: those who feel something about this project. Half-hearted writing is no fun! Graphic art, illustration and photography will also be considered, though it might be best to discuss this with me first.

Please note that this will be published in book format by a ‘proper’ publisher, and not all submissions will necessarily be accepted – aside
from content, consideration will be given to the overall anthology. This is an open invitation – feel free to pass on to any other ex-zinester women you know!

Please mail attachments to the following address: zinereunion@gmail.com. Closing date for submissions is 30 September 2009. Word length 1000-5000 words. There's also a Facebook group: Former zine girls of the 90s. We'd love to have you with us!

-Jane

This Saturday, Barnard Zines will be participating at the NYC Zine Fest '09 at the Brooklyn Lyceum! The zine library got a shout-out on cac.ophony.org and Hillary (the blogger) managed to find one of her old zines, Electric Mayhem, in our collection.

Hello,

I am the zines summer intern. I am working on a project to identify lesbian fiction titles for the Barnard Library.
To broaden my search, I am seeking your recommendation of some of your favorite lesbian fiction titles. Please note that we are looking for things on the more literary end of the spectrum (not bodice rippers or genre fiction). Your help enriching the lesbian fiction collection in Barnard Library will be highly appreciated!

Please feel free to post any book recommendations here in the comments or to email them to zines@barnard.edu.

Thanks!

Teresa

Graphic artist Dame Darcy comes to Butler library to give a lecture. Save the date! Wednesday June 10 at 5:30 pm in Butler 523!

I just got an email question about how one goes about distributing a zine. That seems like it might be a common question, so I'm reprinting my answer here:

This is the best list of zine distros I know of http://www.undergroundpress.org/zine-resources/stores-distros . If you want a distro to consider your zine for distribution, you generally have to send them a copy so they can determine if they want to carry it.

A lot of zine publishers sell the zines themselves via MySpace, We Make Zines, other social networks, or standalone sites/blogs. For those you'll probably need to set up a PayPal account. 

Another popular option is Etsy, a site that provides infrastructure to crafties who want to sell their stuff online.

For the first summer in a long time, I am not going to be here, instead pursuing vague plans in Europe and Boston that will hopefully involve me getting a job, the prospects of which are tenuous at best.  (The wonderous Lucy takes my place!)

This is just to say, so long, and also to provide a recap of all that was September-May at the Barnard Zine Library:

We got lots of new donations from incredible people!  (Megan Gendell, Celia Perez, Thad Harvey, Sharon Druck...)

We were mentioned in another college publication!

Our development policy changed to be more inclusive!

Zines circulated like crazy!

I turned 21!  (Okay, that's not technically Barnard Zine related news)

We blogged lots of recipes and fun facts and feminist news!

Jenna spoke at conferences and presented lots of different information about archives and women and zines! and there was a Zine Library (un)conference!

We had an incredible intern, who is smart and funny and amazing!

We made the cataloguing process more accessible to patrons by shelving zines before abstracting and archiving them!

I'll be back in September, and I hope everyone enjoys their summer.  Signing off for now, trusty zine readers, writers, and supporters.  Thanks for a great year!

This quote and image from Rebecca Gilbert's Verboslammed #7 reminded me of Jennie's series on pre-riot grrrl riot grrrls.




Printed with permission from the zine publisher.

When people ask me whether people are still making zines today, I often tell them about Katie Haegele's wonderful literary zines. The one that prompted me to write this post, Word Math, is a collection of found poems, created from thrifted manuals, spam, and craigslist personals. The last is what particularly slayed me. You can listen to Katie reading it.

In addition to poetry zines, Katie publishes prose works on word nerdery (The La-La Theory), rummage and church sale shopping (White Elephants), old family tales (This Was Before You Were Born), and whatever all else pops into her old-fashioned yet punk rock head. Katie's zines are available through her Etsy shop.

Katie's zines should appeal to people who like not only literary zines, but also fanzines, personal zines, and they're all so carefully made with typewriting and vintage graphics, art zine aficionado's should enjoy them just as much.

To the best of my knowledge it's been nine long years since there was a substantial zine gathering in New York, but now, at long last...


NYC Zine Fest '09
Saturday and Sunday June 27 and 28
Brooklyn Lyceum
227 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215

They're trying to keep costs down for tablers by having a fundraiser, so if you can, show up at the Brooklyn Lyceum on May 29. 8pm or so. $5-15 sliding scale: 

"Raffle, Zine Reading, Dance Party? All rolled into one?! Come to the Lyceum to support and sustain the NYC zine and self-publishing community and keep costs low for participants at the Fest. Meet like-minded DIY'ers, take part in our raffle, and dance!"

For more info, contact the organizers.

Thanks again Celia-- This was an incredible addition to our collection!

Also, if you understand the phenomenon that is twitter and know how to use it, add us!

This is ridiculous fun.  Now I know what I'm getting for my dad for Father's Day, for sure.

See below.

I grew up outside of Quincy, and participate in their wonderful Prison Book program, so this article was understandably a shock to me.  Librarians-- want to weigh in on this?  Is it really all that bad?

At my local library in Massachusetts, the librarians claim that the increases in circulation have been wonderful and that they've enjoyed all the new people they've met since the economic downturn, but I guess there's a flip side to everything.

Also would like to give a shoutout to Miranda of the Pleiades, who has switched to blogging with a vengeance.  Her blog is beautiful and well-written, as is her zine.

I don't usually like Jezebel, but this is totally spot on.  (If you follow the links, read all their coverage-- it's great.)

I'm not wearing tights today!
In honor of that, here's a recipe for tofu lettuce wraps-- yum!

Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
    1 head lettuce or Napa cabbage
    1 pkg extra firm tofu (drained)
    2 1/2 cups chopped shitake mushrooms
    3 tablespoons chopped garlic (fresh)
    2 tablespoons chopped ginger (fresh)
    red pepper flakes
    tamari or soy sauce or Braggs
    salt
    pepper
Directions:
Dice the tofu into small bite size squares.  Spread them out on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt , pepper, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce.  Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350.
When that is almost done, heat up wok or frying pan and throw in the chopped up garlic and ginger.  Fry for about 5-7 minutes until they are softer.  Throw in the shitakes.  At this time you can add more soy sauce , usually about 4 or 5 shakes. Also, if you’d like, some more salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.
Cook about another 10 -12 minutes, then add the tofu and finish up the cooking - about 2-5 minutes.
Wash and dry the lettuce/cabbage and pull off pieces about the size of your palm.
Spoon the mixture into the leafs and roll them up!!
--from VegWeb

In response to a question on the Zine Librarians list about zines by African-American women, I provided this list of zines held at Barnard:

• Angry Black White Girl by Nia King
• Confessions of a Former High School Cheerleader by Tasha Hairston
• Dred Head by Amanda Smith-Wellington
• Etidorhpa by Bloody Mary's Cool Sister
• Evolution of a Race Riot, edited by Mimi Thi Nguyen (has contributions by African-Americans)
• Finger on the Trigger by Adee Licious
• I have to ask... a novel-in-progress for half-castes and those who wish to know them by Anna Whitehead
• MXD zine, edited by Nia King (has contributions by African-Americans, including the editor)
• Nappy Bush by Dionne
• Negrita by Gloria Díaz (our mistake--we now believe Ms. Díaz to be strictly Latina, and not African-American as well)
• Ribald by Liv Blinko
• RiffRag, compilation (has contributions by African-Americans)
• Smear by Leslie Shelton
• There’s nothing with you sez the therapist, you’re just depressed : a brief mental self-history by Barbara Lee
• Travelzine : or every single trip... that ever mattered by Anna Whitehead
• Wasted Style by Jamillah
• With Heart in Mouth by Anna Whitehead

Another zine librarian suggested Shotgun Seamstress. I have recently acquired, but not yet read Race Revolt, a comp zine, which may or may not have contributions by African-Brits.

Got any more suggestions? 

I particularly love homemade sushi.  Here's a recipe for homemade tempeh sushi that you can add anything to!  

Spicy Tempeh Roll Submitted by  prep time: 30 minutes | cooking time: 10 minutes once rice is prepar | makes 4 rolls These rolls have a succulent meaty texture thanks to tempeh, which not only tastes awesome but is high in fiber and a complete protein! Use our sushi tips to ensure perfect rolls. Equipment: Bamboo sushi rolling mat Really sharp serrated knife Rice cooker or pot for rice Large preferabely glass bowl to cool rice down in Small saute pan Tongs, if you are going to be roasting the nori Ingredients For the rice 1 cup sushi rice made with 1 1/4 cup H20, prepared according to package directions About 2 Tbs Rice vinegar (do not use regular or any other kind!) 1 tsp sugar 4 sheets nori* For the filling 1/2 package tempeh (4 oz) 1/4 teaspoon sesame hot chili oil or to taste 1 1/2 Tablespoons vegan mayo 1 green scallion, white part removed, sliced lengthwise into narrow strips 1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds if put inside of roll, or 1/4 cup if used as coating for "inside-out" Directions For the rice Prepare rice according to package instructions. It should be something like 1 1/4 cup H20 to 1 cup rice. Cook till rice is tender but firm, even a little dry. Empty hot rice into a large glass bowl. Sprinkle with about rice vinegar and 1 tsp. sugar. Fold rice gently with a large spoon or rice paddle. Rice should be moist and have a mild vinegar flavor. Cover with plastic wrap. When rice is slightly warmer than room temperature it's ready to work with. Meanwhile prepare the filling Steam and cover tempeh in a small saute pan with enough water to cover it till tender & not bitter (about 10 minutes). Mash with mayo and sesame chili oil to taste. Layer with scallion, sprinkle with sesame, or make inside out roll if feeling Iron Chef tonight *If you like, use a pair of tongs to roast the nori sheets over the oven flame for 2-3 seconds.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for Zine Librarian Zine #3!

Deadline: February 20, 2009

The third issue of the zine made by and for zine librarians needs you to become a reality. What is the zine librarian zine? A space for zine librarians and the people who love them to share (spew) knowledge, experiences, frustrations and clip art about their zine collections.

Past issues have centered on introductions to zine collections at libraries and infoshops in the US and UK (ZLZ #1 "Welcome To My World")  and "advice for the young zine librarian" (ZLZ #2). See http://www.libr.org/juice/issues/vol5/LJ_5.11.html#15 for a helpful review.

We're hoping for this issue to include an even broader and more international representation of zine librarians, while continuing to include topics near and dear to us all.

Potential topics for Zine Librarian Zine #3:

• Zine cataloging
• Conservation and preservation/disaster preparedness (how/are you prepared for floods, fires or clumsy patrons?)
• Collection development (who are you collecting for? and will you know when they walk in?)
• Doing outreach for your collection
• Programming, including working with teachers and students
• Inspiring stories of triumph
• Heartbreaking tales of woe...

You know: all the things that other librarians, even other zinesters, just don't (can't) really understand.

We suggest your contribution be 1-2 half size pages (maybe 300-350 words per page, if there are no accompanying images, but we hope there will be accompanying images).
Images should be at least 300 dpi, and photographs don’t photocopy well, so....sorry, but we can’t use them.

Our first choice for submissions is in Word or rtf formats OR as a Google Doc, and choose to share it with zine.intern@gmail.com, but if you have something else...just email! (zine.intern@gmail.com)

Please note that copyleft is assumed for the contents of Zine Librarian Zine #3, as is permission to publish online.

about me: my name is rachel murphy (sometimes known as rooster), and i'm pleased and excited to be the intern at Barnard College’s zine collection, working with Jenna Freedman. Ditto for coordinating the creation ZLZ#3, along with Alycia Sellie and Jenna. send me questions, or just say 'hi': zine.intern@gmail.com.

PS In case anyone's wondering, we have Greig Means's permission and blessing

Should we be pleased or outraged to have been linked from the Impractical Labor in Service of the Speculative Arts (ILSSA). The Barnard Library zine collection is the zines link in the section that discusses ILSSA's interest in "obsolete technology." Zines--obsolete?!?

Since we're friends with Local 917 of this union, we're leaning towards being pleased.