Founded in 2014, the New Paltz Zine Library collects and celebrates zine materials that are underground, independent, and hand-made, reflecting the campus values of creativity, critical social inquiry, and interdisciplinary research through the promotion of student expression on social and political issues.

Goals

  • Engaged zine readers who become active zine makers
  • Zines integrated into the campus culture in classroom instruction and utilized by student clubs
  • Low barrier to access and a collection that fully integrates community-produced zines as it grows

Vision Statement

As part of the institutional holdings of the Sojourner Truth Library, the New Paltz Zine Library celebrates zines first and foremost that represent the SUNY New Paltz student body and the larger Hudson Valley zine community. We envision zines making, zine reading, and zine events to be inclusive spaces open to all, and where discussion of intersectional politics is supported and given space for reflection and practice. Our collections strengths include the intersections of identity (race, class, gender, sexuality, ability and more), along with zines that have a fine art focus, how-to zines, and zines with a focus on sustainability. Programming highlights include zine making workshops, readings, design seminars, and inclusion of zines among classroom instruction materials.

Our vision for the New Paltz campus is a community of empowered zine makers who express their social and political interests in hand-made, independently-produced materials that are accessible to anyone who visits the Sojourner Truth Library.

STL + New Paltz Zine Library Values

  • Communication – We regularly publicize zine-making services and zine resources regularly to the college community and share zine information with library colleagues.
  • Approachability – We carry out our responsibilities with a welcoming attitude to all.
  • Organization – We organize and maintain the zine collection so that zines are discoverable in the library systems to ensure ease of access.
  • Cooperation – We build and maintain cooperative working relationships with the college community and with one another to achieve zine library’s mission and goals.
  • Respect – We treat all library users and one another with respect.
  • Excellence – We strive to provide the best information services and resources for all users.
Edited May 2023.