My Subject: Special Collections: Zines

The MDX Zine Collection

Mark Perry, Sniffin' Glue 7, February 1977, courtesy of The Mott Collection.

An exciting collection of zines is available to browse in the Materials Room. These range from some of the earliest punk titles like Sniffin' Glue and Vague (a play on mainstream Vogue) to lots of new examples in many shapes and sizes and covering a huge array of subjects, ideas, and perspectives. We also have many contemporary zines, including titles produced here at Middlesex by art and design students.

For more information please come down to the Materials Room (Sheppard Library Basement).

A list of zines we hold is available from the link below.

List of Zines

Zine Resources

Use this list as a starting point for research on zines and as an introduction to major zine collections. It will help you locate zines and materials about creating them in other libraries and online databases.

Barnard Zine Library Barnard's zines are created by women (cis- and transgender) with an emphasis on zines by women of color.
BathMagg BathMagg is an online poetry magazine that offers a platform for both established and emerging writers. They publish three times a year, and are regularly open for unsolicited submissions.
Buffalo Zine Buffalo Zine’s design and format change with each issue – with an overarching theme of satire. Previous editions have focused on gender roles, art, friendship groups, memes and life on social media.
Cornwall Zine Library Zine Library based in Falmouth, Cornwall, and established in 2017.
Edinburgh Zine Library Many zine covers available.
Fashion Zines
Feminist Zines Feminist zines from Chapman University, US.
Glasgow Zine Library Growing collection of zines covering a whole range of subjects and interests, many show covers only.
Independent Publishing Resource Center The Independent Publishing Resource Center seeks to help provide individual access to tools and resources for creating independently published media and artwork. Based in Portland, OR.
Internet Archive: Zines Thousands of zines from the internet archive, US based. [Some may contain offensive material!]
ISSUU Blog Inspiration about zines including examples
It’s Freezing in LA! IFLA! is an independent magazine that focuses on science and activism, inviting writers and illustrators from a variety of fields to share their views on the effects of climate change. They also hold events on ways to combat its effects in London, most of which are free to attend.
LCC Zines Collection London College of Communication created this site to provide some access to their substantial zine collection during the lockdown.
London Housing Struggles Archive The London Housing Struggles Archive is a collection of documents related to housing campaigns, squatting and rent strikes.
Louche Louche is all about drag and queer performance art, with an aim to create an archive bank of what drag performances look like in the present day – whilst equally engaging with the influence of drag history.
Mushpit Magazine Mushpit Magazine was founded to counteract the concept of photoshopped magazines with ads and the associated lack of creative control. Inspired by magazines of the late 90s and early 2000s, it specialises in humorous and sarcastic takes on life as a woman in London, and covers themes ranging from relationships to mental health.
Offlicence Magazine Playfully taking their name from the British cultural landmark – the corner shop also known as the off licence (or offie) – this Brighton-based publication spans underground music, photography and culture. It offers plenty of great interviews with musicians and artists alike.
Oof Magazine Founded on the belief that football and art have more in common than one might think – namely, the power to make people collectively feel – this independent magazine is an extension of the Oof gallery in London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and combines the two activities in a bi-annual publication.
OOMK Zine (One of My Kind) OOMK Zine (One of My Kind) is a collaborative publishing practice who advocate inclusion of women from diverse ethnic backgrounds in creative spaces. Their work is highly visual, using techniques such as risograph printing – and they regularly hold open-access workshops, so you can kick start your very own zine-making project.
Polyester Zine Featuring articles and interviews that engage with pop culture, music and the internet, Polyester Zine is a self-published, intersectional feminist arts and culture magazine that bridges the gap between cyber and IRL feminism. They also host regular talks and events.
Quaranzine! A zine about isolation, connectedness & survival in dark times, edited by Mad Covid [2020].
The Queer Zine Archive Project The Queer Zine Archive Project is an online archive, based in Milwaukee and run by a group of six anonymous people since 2003, collecting queer zines from the last three decades and making them available online for free. Their website is a lesson in queer history, full of rare zines, including all the issues of J.D.s, the legendary queercore zine by G.B. Jones and Bruce LaBruce from the late 80s and early 90s.
Sabat Sabat explores the notion of contemporary witchcraft by engaging largely with its appearance in Tumblr and Instagram culture. The zine publishes interviews, essays, articles and visuals, examining the perceptions of the occult especially through aesthetic expression.
Season Zine Somewhere between a football fanzine and a fashion mag, Season Zine tells stories surrounding football and fashion, spotlighting female fans and marginalised communities within the sphere. With a commitment to authentic storytelling, the zine seeks to counteract the traditional white and male-dominated culture of the sport.
Small Science Collective A whole range of science subjects produced by artists, illustrators, students.
So Young So Young focuses on a close-up view of the alternative music scene. Having made a name for themselves as a key player in the lo-fi aesthetics music zine space, they have expanded their output to starting their own record label, hosting live shows and developing their own line of merch.
SpamZine Spamzine aims to import experimental culture and glitchy computer aesthetics into a literary zine format. They accept poetry and essay submissions that engage with meme culture, irony, sincerity, cyberspace and beyond. The zine also puts on events, readings and workshops.
Stolen Sharpie Revolution Stolen Sharpie Revolution is a "useful tool in the creation of zines and the celebration of the ever changing zine community." New, events and resources all about zines.
Sweet-thang Zine Sweet-thang is an independent print zine and arts platform featuring work by Black artists of marginalised genders. They foster a creative space for women, femmes, gender non-conforming and non-binary people.
Tendencies Bulletin A left-wing zine focusing on poetry, art, football, fashion, politics and people, Tendencies Bulletin hosts regular readings of their printed pieces on independent radio stations, and organises regular gatherings for their readers. They also sell classic zine merch including neckerchiefs and pins.
Twos Mag Twos Mag was launched to combat what founder Morgan Allan sees as the commericalisation of youth culture mags. The magazine publishes a wide range of themes, interviews, fake advertisements and has recently launched a series of Central London cheap eats maps.
Typical Girls Typical Girls is an intersectional print publication platforming a diverse look at womanhood. Themes include everything from exploring the female form and looking at our connection to the earth, to championing upcoming music creators.
UK & Ireland Zine Libraries Directory A directory of zine libraries giving details of holdings.
Weird Walk Zine Weird Walk zine was created by three friends who had spent extended periods of time together roaming the British countryside, and felt compelled to capture the stories of folklore, foraging and history that they came across amongst the landscape.
The Wellcome Collection - Zines Zines in the Wellcome Collection
We Make Zines Online community for zine makers and readers.
Zine Archive and Publishing Project ZAPP offers classes on all aspects of zines and zine-making, from the history of zines and teaching with zines to workshops on binding methods and creating stamps.
Zines - Internet Archive Digitised collection of zines that can be found on the Internet Archive. Register using your email address, log in, and click Borrow.
Zines at the Library of Congress The Library of Congress is a research library in Washington, D.C., that serves as the library of the U.S. Congress and the de facto national library of the United States. The Library of Congress has a growing collection of zines.
Zine Web Archive The Library of Congress has a growing collection of zines. The Zine Web Archive was created to supplement the physical zine collection.
ZineWiki ZineWiki is an open-source encyclopedia devoted to zines and independent media. It covers the history, production, distribution and culture of the small press.
Zine World Published from 1996 to 2012, Zine World offered reviews and information about zines, comics, self-published books, chapbooks, and other DIY stuff.

What are Zines?

Zines are a way individuals or small groups can share their particular interests or obsessions. Created against the flow of mainstream publishing, the zine is an opportunity for self-expression, especially for alternative ideas and lifestyles.

In the past, content included subcultural fashion and music, political ideas or club football news. The term fanzine (sometimes used) originally combined the concepts of fan club and magazine.

The zine is a self-published, non-commercial, cheaply produced, low circulation magazine. Content may be typed, handwritten, drawn, photographed – often printed on a photocopier, stapled, folded or bound with simple stitches.

Books on Zines

Doris by Cindy Crabb
Shelved at: : 070.593 CRA
ISBN: 9780972696784
Publication Date: 2004
The Factsheet Five Zine Reader by R.Seth Friedman
Shelved at: : 070.593 FAC
ISBN: 9780609800010
Publication Date: 1997
Girl Zines by Alison Piepmeier; Andi Zeisler (Foreword by)
Shelved at: : 070.593 PIE
ISBN: 9780814767528
Publication Date: 2009
Mend My Dress by Neely Chestnut; Colleen Borst (Editor)
Shelved at: : 070.593 CHE
ISBN: 9780985013103
Publication Date: 2012
Queer Zines
Shelved at: : 070.593 QUE
ISBN: 9780894390685
Publication Date: 2013
Under the Radar by Annette Gilbert (Editor); Jan-Frederik Bandel (Editor); Tania Prill (Editor)
Shelved at: : 011.5605 UND
ISBN: 9783959051040
Publication Date: 2017
Zines by Liz Farrelly
Shelved at: : 741.652 ZIN
ISBN: 1861542240
Publication Date: 2001
Zines in Third Space by Adela C. Licona
Shelved at: : Available online
ISBN: 9781438443737
Publication Date: 2012

The Materials Room

The Materials Room is home to the MDX special collections related to art and design. The Room is normally open during term time, Monday-Friday, 12 - 3 PM - although there may be teaching in the room, especially in the Autumn term. You can find it in the Basement of the Sheppard Library, Hendon. Please contact us if you have any queries or would like to make an appointment for a time outsde the standard opening hours: ACILibrarian@mdx.ac.uk