The following announcement was made by the Watertown Free Public Library:
On Saturday, October 19, the Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) will be a lively place during the 4th Annual Watertown ZINE Fest, a day-long celebration of zine-making and DIY creativity. Those who don’t know what a zine is are also welcome!
For beginners, here’s a quick introduction. Zines are small, self-published works that feature original or repurposed content, often reproduced on photocopiers or shared online. Their subjects are as varied and diverse as their creators, covering everything from art and music to politics and personal stories.
Zines cover such a wide range of fields that they are difficult to define. And they’ve been around a lot longer than you think.
One of the most popular early zines was Fire!! A literary magazine founded during the Harlem Renaissance by writers you may know, such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston. Throughout the 20th century, zines evolved through underground movements and the punk rock scene, with feminist elements added through the riot group movement.
“You can search for anything on Google, but you can’t search for something you don’t know,” says Claudia Basaldua, a member of the WFPL Zine team. “Zines offer a window into niche interests and hidden subcultures that you can’t find anywhere else.”
WFPL launched a rotating zine collection and annual zine fest in 2021 as a way to introduce our community to the powerful, accessible, and mind-expanding world of zines. What started as an experimental collection has grown to include over 700 titles. Now, four years later, Watertown Zin Fest has become one of the busiest days on the library’s calendar.
“In four years, Watertown Gin Fest has grown bigger than we ever imagined,” says Allie Fry of the WFPL Programming Library. “But I think that’s because zines and public libraries share an ethos. Zines encourage you to be creative, to express yourself, to find and connect with community. That’s why WFPL It is also an abbreviation of
At the 2024 Fest, more than 30 Zinesters from around the region will display, sell, and barter their wares in the Zine Marketplace. Repurposing the library teen room as a Zine Hive for all ages, library staff will provide tools, supplies, and prompts for participants to create their own zines.
Do you have a story to tell? Would you like to meet and learn from writers, artists, and creators working outside of the mainstream publishing industry? Stop by Watertown Zin Fest and be inspired. The fest will be held on Saturday, October 19th from 11am to 4pm and is free to all. For more information, visit the library’s website: watertownlib.org/zines
About WFPL
The Watertown Free Public Library provides access to a variety of popular materials, resources, services, and programs that meet the information, cultural, and recreational needs of Watertown and the surrounding area. Our library strives to create an environment that attracts and welcomes patrons of all ages and abilities. watertownlive.org
