Staff Writer Mary Cook attended the Zine Library’s “How To and Lab Time” event and learned about how zine making really can be for everyone. 

On Tuesday night, Zine librarians Zoe Foshee (BC ’27) and Jenna Freedman hosted an introduction to zine making event that highlighted the multitude of forms zines can take on. As a non-zinester, I was a bit intimidated by zines when I was first introduced to them. But Foshee and Freedman reminded the group that zines can provide a variety of messages, from liberation to humor to just random topics that strike you. Zines historically center on topics of identity and alternative subcultures and have the power to inform, relieve, and inspire the reader. 

The group that gathered on Tuesday was a welcoming bunch that came with a mix of purposes. One zinester aimed to create an informational zine for a class that would highlight reproductive justice, another came to learn the process of zine making so he could teach his students. Other zinesters, like me, came with no purpose other than to flick through the endless materials and collage with what struck us most in the moment. 

Foshee and Freedman taught the group how to make a one-page folding zine, the most simple and common form. After four hamburger-style folds and one small cut, I had formed the blank page into my very first zine! I was a bit overwhelmed by the possibilities of what my zine could be, but that is what made the experience so joyful. I had unlimited freedom, and plenty of inspiration around me. The group was presented with a variety of materials–most notably, ancient Barnard yearbooks, outdated women’s magazines, and grocery store catalogs with disturbing images of discounted meat on the cover. I decided to follow Freedman’s proposed theme, “my happy place,” in order to give me some more direction. Although I still haven’t fully finished my creation, here is one page of my zine. A sneak peek into one of the many beloved corners of my dorm room, the mini fridge: 

In the non-judgmental, free space that is the zine library, I felt a rush of nostalgia and creativity that brought me back to elementary school art class. The zine library and its librarians have a special way of making everyone feel warmly included. The act of cutting out images from magazines and using materials at my leisure was a lovely, meditative break from the draining school week before Thanksgiving break. And I can definitely see myself making more zines in the future. The best part is, you can probably find all the materials you need at home! And if not, the library has zine kits which you can check out at the information desk! 

I highly recommend making a visit to the zine library. It is a quiet, inviting space with shelves of materials and wonderfully creative and inspirational zines, most of which were made by fellow Barnard students! And If you are inspired by zine making as much as I am, I recommend trying some of the prompts in a zine made by Freedman: 

The zine library also hosts drop-in hours for those looking for zine-related support. The next one is this Friday, November 22 from 12 to 3pm. Happy zine-ing! And remember: the possibilities are truly endless.

All Images via Author