Women's and Grrrls' Zine Collections

While several of the zine collections now established in libraries across the country (Chip Rowe's The Book of Zines website provides an excellent directory of zine libraries) contain significant holdings of women's zines, this listing is limited to those zine collections that collect only zines by women, girls, and women-identified people. Please note that the contents of archival collections do not circulate.

Collections at the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History and Culture

As in all special collections libraries, visitors wishing to access the Bingham Center's zine collections will need to register with the staff of the RBMSCL (a photo I.D. will be requested). The materials may only be read in the designated reading room (RBMSCL hours).

Ailecia Ruscin Zine Collection, 1994-2001 and n.d.

This southern, feminist, queer activist/scholar is the author of Alabama Grrrl and a major collector of activism-oriented zines. Ruscin continues to send additions to what is already a substantial archival collection (over 750 items). This collection currently lacks a finding aid.

Arielle Greenberg zines and correspondence, 1993-1998 and n.d.

The newest addition to the Bingham Center's zine holdings, this collection of over 600 items was assembled by the editor of the popular culture zine William Wants a Doll. This collection currently lacks a finding aid.

Bitch Records, 1996-2003 and n.d.

To date, this collection and its three additions contain materials pertaining to Bitch's publication from 1996-2003. The production records gathered here include editorial correspondence, article drafts, page layouts, and promotional materials, as well as a complete run of the magazine (through 2003). This collection's finding aid is available online.

Bust Records, 1993-2000 (bulk 1995-1999).

Beginning with the very first photocopied issue in 1993, this collection documents the behind-the-scenes activities of one of the few women's zines that has managed to make the jump from underground zine to well-known glossy magazine. In addition to the expected production materials, this collection contains a complete run of the magazine (through 2000) and a substantial amount of correspondence from fans. This collection, which is still being added to, currently lacks a finding aid.

Sarah Dyer Zine Collection, 1974-2000.

Created in 1992, Dyer's Action Girl Newsletter (and later Action Girl Guide) was the leading, if not the only, source for reviews of women's zines. Over the course of its publication, Dyer received over 1500 zines from young girls and women across the United States, as well as from Canada and the United Kingdom. In 2000, Dyer donated the majority of her collection to the Bingham Center. This collection's finding aid is available online.

Sarah Wood Zine Collection, 1990s.

Wood ran GERLL Press, a Chicago-based zine "distro" (distributor), in the early- to mid-1990s. Her collection of 100 items contains complete, or near-complete, runs of core women's and grrrls' zines. This collection currently lacks a finding aid.


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Barnard College Library Zine Collection. (website)

Established as a circulating collection, Barnard's collection focuses on zines produced by urban women and grrrls, particularly those in the New York City area. A portion of the collection was donated by Celia Perez, author of the influential zines Picaflor and I Dreamed I Was Assertive. Materials are not available electronically, but the website contains instructions on how to search the catalog for zine titles.

San Diego State University West Coast Zine Collection. Bulk 1985-present. (website)

This collection was established by Elke Sobl, one of the first scholars to study women's zines and the creator of the Grrrl Zine Network. The finding aid for this collection, which is open to donations, is available online.