Local libraries encourage readers to hop on a retro trend: zines

Zines are having a moment.

Zines (short for 'magazine') are a type of small circulation, self-published booklet, replicated by a regular ol' photocopier for distribution. Zines have long been a staple of DIY and counter-culture movements through history, with deep roots in underground music scenes like punk. Today, zines are having a renaissance of sorts, with more DIY-ers returning to the medium. Zines are traditionally circulated physically and can be made anonymously, making them an untraceable alternative to the internet for spreading art and ideas.

Zines can be a way for marginalized communities to communicate with one another. For example, the Riot Grrrl feminist punk movement of the 1990s used zines to spread materials covering mental health, racism, sexual and domestic violence and reproductive rights. Zines today are similar in their mission. Many contain resources difficult to find in mainstream literature. Some contain ideas or political opinions that are more subject to censorship. That's one reason the Boston Public Library decided to launched an official zine collection back in 2023.

The Common recently visited the BPL's Jamaica Plain branch to check out the zines available for loan with children's librarian and local punk drummer, Chris Strunk.

For the month of April, public libraries across the Boston Area are encouraging patrons to dive into zines with their 2025 Zine Library Crawl. Explore these Boston-area zine libraries to participate, or explore on your own any time.