What’s a zine?

Zines are (usually) a not-for-profit self-published work with a limited print run. They are part of the non-mainstream DIY (do it yourself) culture and are often created by people from marginalised communities to share experiences, thoughts, feelings and knowledge with others. For more information check out the wonderful zinelibraries.info introduction to zines.

Why are zines important?

The zines that people create can be seen as a statement of self love, capturing something of yourself and sharing it with others can be a big step for many, especially if it involves a personal and difficult journey. Zines are a format available to most people, all that is needed is a piece of paper, something to make a mark with and a photocopier. There can be a great sense of pride in creating and sharing something, sharing stories, connecting with others, sharing things you love! They also tend to represent people, ideas and concepts that are often in the margins of the mainstream.

What is Forest of Zine?

Forest of Zine is a bicycle-based mobile zine library that travels to forests (and at other events) to enable people to engage with the collection and encourage them to make their own zines informed by nature and/or their own experiences. 

What is the aim of Forest of Zine?

Forest of Zine aims to encourage people to connect with nature and other people’s experience of nature and their journeys through the world as well as enabling them to express their own journeys (stories, feelings, knowledge) and connection with nature by enabling them to make their own zine.  

What type of zines does Forest of Zine hold?

Forest of Zine holds a collection of zines that are nature-based and/or capture journeys through the world, whether that be physically, emotionally or metaphysically (being, knowing, identity, time, and space). There will also be a selection of informational zines that are there to try to help people with these many journeys. All zines aim be non-discriminatory and a wide range of topics is hoped to be covered, which will grow as the collection does. 

How does Forest of Zine acquire zines?

Forest of Zine grows through acquisition of zines that fit the collection criteria, primarily this is done by buying copies of zines from their creator/author or publisher, at zine fairs and other events. Please do get in touch if you know of any zines you think might be suitable. Zines are also purchased through zine distributors (distros). Forest of Zine also showcases some of the works made or inspired by visits to the collection. Forest of Zine will endeavour to gain permission for each of the zines to be included in its collection so as to give the creator an option to not have their zine held.  

How will people interact with Forest of Zine?

The main way that people interact with Forest of Zine is when it’s in situ in a forest (or other green space). People who visit the library will be able to look at the zine collection on site, hopefully taking inspiration from them to create their own zines. The Zine Librarian will be available to discuss ideas, provide input and provide gentle encouragement, the interaction is envisaged to be more of a dialogue than a workshop. The default idea for a zine would be people’s experience of the forest that day, suggesting that they create a map and add their experiences to it as they explore. They will be encouraged to do this by being given ‘keen to zine’ resoruces to borrow whilst they are in the forest and information about how they can submit their zine to the library once it’s completed.

Who is involved in Forest of Zine and how did it come about?

At the moment the only person involved in creating the Forest of Zine is Katy/Katharine (depending on what context I’m in), although many others have contributed zines, provided useful information and pointed me in the right direction. I have been slightly obsessed by zines after finding out about the zine collection in the UWE Creative Arts Library at Bower Ashton, making them initially to celebrate events and now I tend to focus on journeys. I’m mainly a craftographer (Craftography is a combination of the words ‘craft’ -an activity involving making things by hand- and ‘cartography’ -study and practice of making and using maps-), with much of the material I create being map-based, in a variety of media. This work is all captured under the umbrella of mossy margins. I work in the Arts of Social Science Library at the University of Bristol and also help people organise their belongings through Gentle Sorting. I have joked for some time that my ideal job would be to run a zine library in a forest, so this is the first step of making that a reality!

Where can Forest of Zine be found?

Forest of Zine can be found in various forests at pre-arranged times that will be available on the website and potentially advertised via collaborations, where relevant. Forest of Zine will also be appearing at various events, festivals etc… so people can find out about the project, look at some of the collection and contribution to a collaborative zine at each event.  

Where did the name for Forest of Zine come from?

I’m dyslexic and often miss write/say words, especially when tired. I was writing a to-do list (a regular task for me) and accidentally wrote ‘Forest of Zine’, rather than ‘Forest of Dean’ (1.2.23). I instantly knew this was the name of my zine library. The zine library having a name and researching about cataloguing my zines (from early Feb) has come together to help make this a reality. More information about cataloguing to come… when I work out how I’m going to do this.

When did Forest of Zine launch?

Forest of Zine launched on Sunday 23rd July 2023, as close to international zine library day (21st July) as I could manage! The very first Forest of Zine pop-up library appeared in Ashton Hill Plantation, just outside Bristol.