Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Libraries eager to serve the underserved teen-to-twenty-year-old market can make the library a cool place to hang out. All it takes are zines, according to the author, young adult librarian Julie Bartel. Zines and alternative press materials provide a unique bridge to appeal to disenfranchised youth, alienated by current collections.

For librarians unfamiliar with the territory, or anxious to broaden their collection, veteran zinester Bartel establishes the context, history, and philosophy of zines, then ushers readers through an easy, do-it-yourself guide to creating a zine collection, including both print and electronic zines. While zines have their unique culture, they are also important within broader discussions of intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights.

Teen and young adult librarians, high school media specialists, and academic, reference, and adult services librarians will uncover answers to questions aboutthis new and growing literary genre:

What is a zine and how does a library zine collection work? What are the pros and cons of having a zine collection in the library? When promoting zines, what appeals to patrons and non-library users alike? What is the best way to catalog and display? Where can libraries get zines and how much do they cost?

Bartel shares these lessons and more from a major urban library zine collection, as well as a comprehensive directory of zine resources in this one-stop, one-of-a-kind guide.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Bartel, a YA specialist at the Salt Lake City Public Library, effectively uses her passion for and experience with zines-small self-produced and distributed "alternative" print publications-to guide librarians in establishing their own collections. She covers zine history in detail, discusses how and why to collect zines, and even explains how to catalog, shelve, and promote them. In her witty, conversational style, Bartel uses the Library Bill of Rights and Freedom To Read statement to make a rousing case for the inclusion of "alternative" literature in libraries. Her description of the process by which she and her colleagues cataloged her library's extensive zine collection serves as an invigorating elucidation of the philosophical exercise of classifying information. While Bartel outlines the many obstacles encountered in building such an ephemeral offering, it is hard to imagine any reader who won't be inspired to explore this unusual genre, especially for its ability to draw in disenfranchised teens and other library nonusers. Highly recommended not only as an excellent introduction but also because it represents the best in the professional literature.-Rachel Q. Davis, Thomas Memorial Lib., Cape Elizabeth, ME (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal Review

This unique and comprehensive guide is a must-have for any librarian thinking about starting a zine collection. Bartel uses her experiences creating the Salt Lake City Library zine collection, currently the largest public library collection in the country, as the basis for the book. Her purpose is to inspire librarians to delve into the world of the alternative press-and inspire she does. She shares not only her experiences putting the collection together, but also of dealing with the diverse membership of the zine community, giving novices insight into its world through her own commentary and through quotations from zinesters themselves. The advice is invaluable. Beginning with a short history of zines and the culture that surrounds them, Bartel presents a compelling argument as to why public libraries should include these materials in their holdings. She embraces their controversial nature, addressing potential problems and suggesting solutions. Readers are taken step by step through the process of collection development, cataloging, and even display and publicity. Black-and-white photographs are few but are helpful in illustrating how her library's collection is organized. An outstanding effort.-Michele Capozzella, Chappaqua Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.