Zines are easily created, distributed, and often reflect the marginalized voices of the local community which they serve. Zines are not a new-age idea and have been circulating in underground communities since the early 20th century. One of the first known circulating alternative zines/small prints in the U.S. was Vice Versa (1945) created by California resident, Edythe Eyde, under the penname "Lisa Ben" (anagram for "Lesbian"). With this predecessor, zine culture flourished underground and become a beacon for the Queer-Punk movements of the 80's and 90's. Its format-less structure and cheap distribution methods turned zine-making into a culture of its own, while maintaining the original goal of uplifting communities hidden in the shadows.
In present day, zines are increasingly created, collected, and catalogued as tools for public library patrons and students alike. Their free-form nature allow for the discussion of useful topics such as local community resources, student-activist groups, and other similar topics. Zines in the library help to promote programming for students and patrons that encourage zine-making as outlets for creative and personal expression. Creating and maintaining a zine collection promotes diverse storytelling and integrates unique, small-press publications that can be enjoyed by library patrons of all ages, races, physical abilities, and gender identities.
Barnard Library Zine Collection. 2020, Barnard College, New York City. zines.barnard.edu/news/new-us-zines-may-27-2020.
As per the American Library Association's Bill of rights, libraries and Librarians have a duty to source library collection material beyond books, which includes any resource helpful to the library community. This idea validates the role of zines in the library, as zines are often overlooked for their lack of peer review (Freedman 52). Zines are often catalogued as "DIY" or Do-It-Yourself. This characteristic, alongside the purpose of zines to act as an underground, limitless form of publication, adds to the aforementioned critique.