“Something to be involved in”: Fostering intra-campus community through zine-making and the potentials of a zine library at Binghamton University

Authors: Autumn Jacobs, Jennifer Embree, Jillian Sandy

SUNY Campus: Binghamton University

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: Old Union Hall

Presentation #: 11

Timeslot: Session A 9:00-10:00 AM

Abstract: Zines encompass a wide variety of works broadly defined as self-published print works that are not made with profit in mind. They have long fostered community networks for marginalized groups and fringe interests. In recent years, they have increasingly been used in academic contexts, through class assignments, student organizations, and library programming. While there have been a number of zinemaking initiatives at Binghamton University, there has been little institutional support for this work and it has been incredibly fragmented. This project aims to bridge the gaps between zinemakers and administrative support through the creation of a campus zine library. During the Spring 2025 semester, I studied resources and articles that discussed what a zine library can provide to a university campus, interviewed faculty and student organizations already utilizing zines, and facilitated student zinemaking workshops to understand zinemaking at Binghamton as well as foster interest in zines. I will utilize these resources to create a proposal for the creation of a zine library at Binghamton University that can be used by library administration beyond this semester. By analyzing previous writing on zine libraries and zines in academic institutions and incorporating my own research with stakeholders at Binghamton University, this project contributes to the growing body of research on zines as tools for academic and social engagement as well as highlights the role that the Binghamton University Libraries have to foster creativity and engagement through a potential campus zine library.