A Visit to the Zine Library at VCU

If you love zines and ever find yourself in Richmond, Virginia, you should really swing by Virginia Commonwealth University. The university's James Branch Cabell Library, at 901 Park Avenue, houses a wealth of local and national zines.

VCU's zine library is part of the Special Collections and Archives at Cabell Library.

Photo via Matt Carman on Flickr

Just prior to the Richmond Zine Fest, held earlier this month, the people behind the Brooklyn Zine Fest decided to visit VCU to check out these zines. The zine collection is part of VCU's Special Collections and Archives, located on the fourth floor of Cabell Library. Two smiley librarians, Leila Prasertwaitaya and Celina Williams (who also helped organize the Richmond Zine Fest), gave the people of the Brooklyn Zine Fest a grand tour of the Special Collections and Archives, which, in addition to zines, also includes comics, artist books, and even a sword(!).

Librarians Leila Prasertwaitaya (at left) and Celina Williams are happy to help.
Photo via Matt Carman on Flickr

The zine library at VCU currently encompasses more than 700 zines, which tend to focus on feminist and socio-political issues, art and punk rock topics, and personal/autobiographical matters. Many are also of the mini comic variety. The collection also contains resource materials on the history of underground publishing and ephemera from past Richmond Zine Fests.

Gotta keep things organized! Zine files at Cabell Library's Special Collections and Archives.
Photo via Matt Carman on Flickr

Coinciding with this year's Richmond Zine Fest is an exhibit of the work of Aijung Kim. The creative output of the Richmond-based artist and zine collector will be on display on the fourth floor of Cabell Library until November 2012. 

You can see the zine collection and the Aijung Kim exhibit at Cabell Library Monday through Friday, 9AM to 5PM or by appointment. If you'd like more information on either, you can reach someone at the Special Collections and Archives by email, at libjbcsca@vcu.edu, or by phone, at (804) 828-1108. I'm sure they would love to assist you...and appreciate donations to the zine library!

Representatives from VCU's zine library man a table at this year's Richmond Zine Fest.
Photo via Matt Carman on Flickr

Also look out for zine nights at VCU's Special Collections and Archives. These collaborative workshops on zine making are free and open to the general public.