Five Fonts Inspired by Lesbian Hand Lettering: A Type Specimen and History Zine by Erin Moore
NOTE: This project was conducted as part of the CIS 668 (Social Justice and Inclusion Advocacy) class during fall 2023. This analysis and event planning in collaboration with Magik Press of New London, CT focuses on working class artists and zinesters. For more information, please explore the menu. On this page, I present similar studio and zine projects to show range in the community.
The Soapbox
City-based community print shop and zine library, https://www.phillysoapbox.org/
The Soapbox Community Print Shop & Zine Library is a nonprofit which also hosts a book and zine making center. It is based in West Philadelphia and began in 2011. They host workshops, private lessons and studio memberships. They have over 3500 items in the zine library, which they are in the process of cataloging. Speaking to social justice specifically, their mission statement reads: “The Soapbox values art-making, word-smithing, and skillsharing towards a vision of social justice wherein all people have access to the means of production, and learn to produce materials that are accessible to the many rather than the few.” Memberships come in four tiers for different income levels, also considering who can additionally offer working hours for membership in exchange for a lower fee. The Soapbox also organizes events, including Philly Zine Fest. The studio advertises itself as the only full letterpress and papermaking community studio in Philadelphia. Besides volunteering hours as a member for the studio, people can also volunteer to catalog at the library or help with events. Unfortunately, their occasional internships are unpaid. Testimonies on the front page of the website describe the studio’s maintenance, communication, and available hours. As of their most recent update to their “Support Us” page, The Soapbox has 35 studio members.
Queer Zine Library
DIY queer community zine library, https://www.queerzinelibrary.com/
Queer Zine Library (QZL) is a mobile operation rather than a set physical space. Traveling around the UK, this method lends itself to bringing a curated selection of titles from the collection based on the interests of those who request a visit. Their home page describes the genesis of this project after inspiration from the Queer Reads Library in Hong Kong, which led to collecting in 2017 and an official beginning in 2019. Their homepage also shares their collection development manifesto, collection scope, priorities, access, deaccessioning, and information about their donation-led process. An important part of their manifesto is the following: “Queer Zine Library is political. In times of fascism we want zines to be viewed as vital living breathing tools for self preservation, activism, and a rejection of capitalist mainstream publishing, rather than just as art objects which Look Nice.” Lack of traditional reading room or physical space expectations are balanced by an express desire for community input for collection creation and description. Their online catalog has an accompanying catalog manual breaking down how to interpret metadata, their standards, and the pros and cons of their current systems. They are another zine library utilizing xZINECOREx and referencing the Zine Librarian Code of Ethics. QZL is a DIY volunteer-run collective, so additional volunteers from across the UK are desired. While they do not digitize zines, they do link to any that have a digital version.