Challenges of Cataloging a Zine Collection

The other day, I flipped through a copy of Zine Librarian Zine #3. In it, there's a great article, written by Amanda Stevens, on cataloging a zine collection. This ties in quite nicely with what I'm currently learning in library school.

Image from http://library.mediabus.org

In class, we're learning about metadata. Simply put, metadata is "data about data" - or information about a source of information, like a book. So for the book Little Women, the metadata would include its author (Louisa May Alcott), its format (print or electronic), its genre (fiction), and its subject matter (Sisters-fiction; Family life-New England-fiction). When writing metadata, it's common practice to use Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) for the purpose of maintaining a uniform, standard language. Metadata is essential if you're a librarian or archivist who is organizing an online collection. It's also useful if you're a patron of a library or archive who is typing in search terms to find items in an online collection.

One thing that's tricky about organizing an online collection is deciding on search terms that adequately describe what's in the collection and that make sense to those searching the collection. Amanda Stevens touches on that in her article, "Adventures in Zine Subject Cataloging," published in Zine Librarian Zine #3.

On the shelves of the Anchor Archive Zine Library in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image from bilateral/Flickr.

Stevens volunteered to catalog the zine collection at the Anchor Archive Zine Library in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Canada. In her article, she said, "The biggest challenge has been to create a catalogue that is easy to use, makes sense to Anchor Archive patrons, and fits the DIY ethic of zines, yet incorporates enough library standards to function as an effective tool for searching and managing content." That's quite a task! She admitted "one of the most difficult aspects" of this task pertained to subject terms. And she was loathe to use Library of Congress Subject Headings.

"When you decide to use subject terms, you also have to decide if you're going to use a controlled vocabulary (a predefined set of terms) or natural language," said Stevens. "If you decide to use a controlled vocabulary, you have to decide which one to use. Unfortunately, there aren't many to choose from. Most libraries use Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), but I ruled these out right away because many [of the terms] are outdated and problematic...and I don't think hierarchical subject terms (e.g. 'travel-Arizona') are necessary" for the zine library's electronic catalog.

When cataloging a zine collection, there are no hard-and-fast rules to follow. Much does depend on the collection itself - the medium, size, location, space constraints, etc. - and those who would use it. There are also the personal politics and professional training (or lack of) of those who are organizing the collection. Ultimately, it's best to organize a collection in a way that facilitates the easiest and most efficient access to it for the users of that collection.

To read Amanda Stevens' very interesting article in its entirety, go to THIS LINK.

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.

A Look at Zine Librarianship

If you were a teenager in the 1980s or '90s, then you've likely heard of zines: homemade publications focused on a subject of great personal interest to the producers of the publications. Zines typically come in booklet or magazine form, and traditionally they're produced through the cutting and pasting of articles and graphics, and then photocopied to make final copies for distribution, often at the local or community level.

The Zine Library at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) in Canada.
Photo: http://blog.ocad.ca/wordpress/learningzone/about/?doing_wp_cron=1341353240

In recent years, academic libraries and public libraries have incorporated zines into their collections. Seeing their value as archival items that give unique insight into often-overlooked segments of society, these institutions have cultivated zine libraries within the larger library with the help of young staff members who already had an interest in zines, whether as makers of zines or as fans of this alternative form of print media.

Curating zines as a zine librarian has never crossed the minds of many library school students. But it's considered one of the "Emerging Careers in Librarianship" by Hack Library School (HLS). In a recent post titled "Zines (Yes, zines!)," HLS explains what zines are, describes how you can become a zine librarian, and interviews two zine librarians: Kelly McElroy, Undergraduate Services Librarian at the University of Iowa, and Jenna Freedman, Director of Research and Instruction at Barnard College.

Barnard College has received press attention for its excellent zine library. So has New York University: it notably augmented its Fales Library holdings with the Riot Grrrl Collection, featuring zines that came out of the punk feminist movement that was most prominent in the early-to-mid 90s. And the zine library at Brooklyn College will soon make its debut. "It's important to be at an institution where you can make the case for zines," said Freedman, who pitched the idea of a zine collection to Barnard.

As one panelist said at ALA 2012 in Anaheim: "Both zines and libraries are reflections and creations of their communities." Bringing the two together as a zine librarian is a career worth looking into.

Barnard Zine Library Is Searchable Online

Since it began in the summer of 2003, the Barnard Zine Library has amassed more than 4,000 individual issues of zines, do-it-yourself publications traditionally produced cut-and-paste style on paper and then photocopied for distribution. The zine library is housed within Barnard Library, located at 3009 Broadway on the campus of Barnard College in New York City. But you don't have to actually show up at this address in order to search the zine library's impressive collection.

The Barnard Zine Library bookshelf.

photo source: library.barnard.edu

In 2004, the Barnard Zine Library's collection became one of the first zine collections in the United States to be catalogued in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), making it accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. You can also look for items within the zine library by searching through Barnard Library's online catalog. On its website (http://zines.barnard.edu), in a section titled "Collection Access and Circulation," the Barnard Zine Library clearly illustrates how you can do just that.

Barnard Zine Library * 2011

Collection Access and Circulation

How can I search for zines through Barnard Library's online catalog?

1. Access Columbia Libraries Online Catalog (CLIO).

2. Enter the name of a specific zine, omitting the initial article (a, an, the, el, la, etc...) or conduct a general search by using other keywords.

3. Click on the Title to see the zine's record.

I am looking for a particular zine. Will it be in the catalog?

Many of the zines available are currently in CLIO, but some others have yet to be processed. When in doubt, you can always ask the Zine Librarian.

Keyword search tips:

You can also do a keyword search, combining one of these terms:

"art zine"

"catalog zine"
"compilation zine"
"DIY zine"
fanzines
"literary zines"
mamazines
minicomics
"personal zines"
"political zines"
"school zines"
"split zines"

or just (the question mark is for truncation--it will yield results with the word "zine" or "zines" in the citation or abstract)

For example, and your topic, e.g. "body image," "privilege," "race," "recipes," "riot grrrl" will yield results that are zines of those topics.

Many zines are not yet cataloged, so if you are looking for a particular title or topic that is not in CLIO, please ask for help, or look through our FAQ here.