Zines and Four Walls

by Alden Scott Crow

Three things come to my mind when I think about zines and space/shelter/four walls:

• The recent success of the Santa Barbara Zine Fest -- organized by Ruel Gaviola of Amusing Yourself to Death and Lynne of Java Turtle -- is a reminder that zinesters should get together more often. Zine publishers often attend events like small-press fairs to meet other zinesters, share ideas, talk shop and make connections

Wouldn't it be cool to have regular fairs/fests happening all over the U.S. with readings, sales/trades, and general fun? We could have them at coffeehouses, community buildings, (aren't libraries supposed to be available to ALL community groups?) and parks. The specifics of the space may not be as important as the fact that zine publishers are getting together.

European zinesters know this. They get together more often. Not coincidentally, European zine publishers tend to be better connected. We could learn from them.

• Zine libraries are a great idea. While there are currently several scattered across the country, there is no large, central clearinghouse. Perhaps that is appropriate for the zine world: anarchic, chaotic, and spread out all over the place. It would be great to have a huge space where all zines are cataloged and stored, but that may not be realistic knowing the flaky nature of zine publishers.

• Zines go outside four walls, and that is a good thing. As time goes by, we need to preserve our zines through a kind of oral history, in addition to storing them within a building. There are so many people publishing zines now that the flood of paper can be overwhelming. It is good to step back and tell stories -- without publishing them. Not publishing stories is revolutionary, as it sidesteps the Big Brother censors eagerly on the lookout for 'subversive' publications.

Ironically, through readings and storytelling at fairs and fests, buildings can become places where stories go beyond four walls. Within the walls of a building, stories are told, then passed outside the building by the people who heard the stories.

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