Hello!

We are getting super excited about Wellington Zinefest 09 – and this year promises to be the most awesome one yet!

Zinefest will be held on the 21^st of November (that’s this Saturday) at Mighty Mighty (Level 1, 104 Cuba Street).

It will feature stalls by zine-makers from Wellington and around the country. And yes, we’ll be there again with our ever-growing collection of zines. Zinefest is a great opportunity to meet zine makers and peruse or buy a cheap-as-chips piece of photocopy art. There will also be talks, workshops and a Zine-of-the-Fest competition. Oh and Mighty Mighty does a lovely toasty pie!

Love to see you there!

Pencil Pal by Kylie 

This is a short but real sweet zine that we picked up at Auckland Zinefest last month by our very own ex zine librarian Kylie. It’s called ‘Pencil Pal’ after a peanuts strip where Charlie Brown wants to write to his pen pal but keeps getting ink all over the page, so he changes to pencil and calls his pen pal ‘pencil pal’ from then on. Cute huh? Well, along with tips on writing and replying to letters, there is also a list of reasons why you should get yourself a pen pal – my favourite is to have people to send cards to that you find in second hand shops. Tell me about it! I have a whole heap! What I found most interesting though was Kylie’s description of her pen pals past and present, including the 7 year old miss who sent back her letters with spelling corrected!

Stephanie

It’s for Cook, Volume 1.  by Emma Boyd 

E mate kai ana koe? Are you hungry?

To show my pleasure, I would have liked to get this little volume mucky on my counter, splodged with beetroot, carrot, and pineapple. It’s a small volume, cute sized and illuminated with photography.

Having only 9 recipes it could seem sparse, but this, it reads like a recipe book but looks like a menu, somewhat wholesome, but not in a yoga -every -day -only -organic- in- big -letters -self -help -self -righteous wholesome.

With much self-control I returned it to the library in the condition I borrowed it, with some cumin seed stuck between my teeth.

Kia mākona. Bon appétit. 

Anita

I Hate Mom’s Cat by Corinne Mucha

I Hate Mom’s Cat is a short comic in which Corinne Mucha does more or less what the title suggests – details how and why she hates her mother’s cat, Teddy. In simple, childlike drawings and sweetly funny text, she outlines Teddy’s many character flaws and compares them to her memories of the saint-like cats of her childhood – against which Teddy doesn’t stand a chance. This is one of six zines by Corinne Mucha that we hold, including the full length graphic novel, My Alaskan Summer.

Jeremy

Describe an average day:

First thing:  I get up at about 7 am and have some fruit for breakfast or leftovers, if it’s a weekend. Then I get dressed and either go to some school or other if I’m teaching, or attend university if I have classes.

Once I’ve made that choice, I do nerd stuff and talk about inclusive teaching and science for a few hours because I’m training to be a teacher (my two degrees are in Maori Studies, Environmental Studies and Chemistry). Once I’m done with learning I usually try to hang out with some of my friends, I often try and do this over dinner, because cooking is rad. People are my new thing and a great way of avoiding reclusiveness when one lives alone.

Notwithstanding marking and/or homework, I then work on my music or art and email people about their interviews or writing for my zines. Actually, that stuff usually happens after about one in the morning, if at all. I’m pretty busy at the moment.

How did you first get into zines?

My mum is most excellent and had heaps of small-press comics in the house when I was young, stuff like Tim Bollinger’s early strips and the original Pickle series by Dylan Horrocks. (more…)

Whew! Another zinefest already! Sadly we can’t make it to Christchurch’s inaugural zinefest, but it looks like it will be awesome. Organised by Christchurch City Libraries’ local zine expert Allison, check it out on Saturday, August 22 from 11am – 3pm at the Christchurch Central Library. And while you’re there, why not go see their brand spanking new Zine Collection? Yowsers, zines are taking over public libraries everywhere!

http://thepulse.org.nz/Read/Zines/Zinefest/

Well we took our zines on a trip to see Auckland Zinefest, and for Auckland Zinefest to see our zines. They seemed to like each other. Actually, our zines got quite clingy so we brought back some of their new Auckland zine-friends they made. So that’s nice. Tessa and Nick and the Cross St Studios clan did an amazing job putting it on, there were inspirational workshops with prominent ziney types (lots from Wellington) and delicious cookies. And so many amazing zines!

Check out  http://akzinefest.blogspot.com/ soon for photos of the event.

We also had the honour of co-judging the Zine of the Year award with international judge Mikel Krumins. It was heart-in-mouth stuff but we decided that Neighbour Cats took the cake with its lovely concept, exquisite presentation and super cute drawings.

The second issue of Neighbour Cats is now in our collection, along with about 40 other exciting new editions acquired in Ak, so come in and grab them while they are hot!

We are taking the WCL Zine Collection on holiday this weekend to visit Auckland Zinefest. It’s on Saturday the 15th of August at Cross Street Studios (one street behind K Road). If you are in Auckland, come along and say hello!

http://akzinefest.blogspot.com/

Hurrah! Wellington City Libraries’  Zine Collection has a BRAND NEW PAGE! It is a shiny new place for us to let you know what is going on in our ziney world. Check back often to find out when we have new zines out, read reviews, interviews with zinesters from around the world, and all other things zine related.

As always, we want you to be involved so if you have any feedback about the collection or the new page, have a favourite zine you want to review or anything else ziney you want to discuss, email us.

For more info about the collection and zines in general go to www.wcl.govt.nz/popular/zines.html

We have another international subject to probe in our series of interviews with zinesters. Serah-Marie McMahon is the editor and creator of Worn, a Montreal-based fashion zine/mag that offers an alternative perspective to the norm. We love Worn, and when we emailed Serah-Marie about the interview, she very generously donated all the back issues of Worn that we didn’t already have. Check them out at the Zine Collection on the first floor of the Central Library!

Describe an average day:

Get up around 10, make breakfast and check my morning emails. The living room in my apartment has been converted in the Worn office, and volunteers start showing up at about noon to work until 5 or 6. We work on the upcoming issue, the website, circulation or one of our upcoming events. After that my husband gets home from work and we make dinner together. Most nights I go back to the computer from 9pm to 2 or 3am and try to get more work done.

How did you first get into zines?

I worked at a record store that sold zines, and I really started getting into them.  All the employees got together and decided to make our own publication, all taking different sections. Needless to say that never came to be, but it got my mind turning.

Describe your work:

I edit an independent fashion publication, falling somewhere between a zine and a magazine.  Instead of reporting on trends and selling products, we talk about the ideas and concepts of fashion from a historical, environmental, political and personal point of view.

What do you like about zines?

Zines are the great equalizer – you don’t have to have money or an education for your voice to be heard.  All you have to do is have an idea and follow through!

Is there anything you don’t like about zines as a medium?

They are really hard to store, always different sizes and no spines. But what can you do?

How do you get inspiration?

Well, luckily WORN is a group effort. We meet once a month and come up with ideas and report on our progress. I look for inspiration everywhere: blogs, exhibits, books, classes, old magazines, things I loved when I was a kid, anything that I wonder about can be an article. I keep a little sketchbook in my purse so I can jot down ideas when I’m in transit.

Tell us about some of your favourite zines:

Thrift Score is out of print now, but was a huge influence on Worn. Al Hoff is a brilliant woman and I hope I get to meet her one day. Re-Search is not exactly a zine, but they have two issues dedicated to zines. When I decided to start my own publication I ordered them direct from V.Vale and she included an awesome encouraging note I still have. CROQ is an awesome comp zine about the business of crafting, but really it’s useful for anyone running their own thing.
www.wornjournal.com
thehouseofworn.etsy.com

Check out www.wcl.govt.nz/popular/zines.html for more info about the zine collection.

There are loads of new zines in the Zine Collection, here are some highlights:

Make Your Place: Affordable Sustainable Nesting Skills
Written and illustrated by Raleigh Briggs
This little book has all the intimacy and charm of a hand-written letter. Born out of a series of workshops in Seattle, Washington and previous zines on the subject, it contains all sorts of interesting information on the use of non-toxic materials for First Aid, cleaning, body care, gardening and composting. Many recipes for products are given; the author believing that making these is a spiritual and life-enhancing act, as well as the most basic step we can take to save our planet.
The style is very vernacular, the author addressing the reader as a friend and fellow traveller. The many pen and ink drawings are simple but nicely executed. This is a pleasant and worthwhile publication and one which serves a very useful purpose.
- Reviewed by Sue

Papercutter – issue 10
This issue of Papercutter features the work of Damien Jay, Jesse Reklaw and Minty Lewis. All three have completely different drawing styles and it’s a real treat to have them together in one zine. I especially liked Damien Jay’s comic about a corpse named Willy who won’t rest and won’t let anyone else rest either! It’s melancholy rather than scary, and simply but beautifully drawn.
- Reviewed by Steph

Cardboard Box, issue three
Cardboard box is a breath of fresh air on the NZ zine scene. Now with three issues under their belt it looks as though the Box isn’t going anywhere too soon, and it’s a good thing too. This issue includes a feature on Squam Art Retreat (I really want to go now, who cares that it’s in the States…), a thought provoking article on the NZ news media, and a DIY cleaning chemistry recipe page; who knew cleaning could be so fun?

All this goodness comes along with interviews with hot shot musicians and artists, great illustrations, poetry and blog and music reviews…so much quality packed into a zine-shaped cardboard box.
- Reviewed by Carmel

For more info about the WCL Zine Collection, please visit www.wcl.govt.nz/zines

For the sixth in our interview series with zinesters from around the globe, we have Melbourne-based Justine Telfer, mastermind behind the incredibly popular Mixtape zine…

Describe an average day:

Have breakfast with the family, check emails and try and answer as many as possible, check my fav blogs, try and get some sewing done, all this while raising a 4 yo! (more…)