What is a zine: Zines are small runs of self published books, magazines and pamphlets made by anyone about anything. Chances are you've seen one in an old record store or used book store. Most older zines have a particular photocopier aesthetic, maybe featuring typewritten or hand lettered text. They can be small often bold expressions of the author/artist/editor's observations, obsessions and opinions. Or they can be about nothing at all. 

The Chattanooga Zine Library: CZL is a joint project with the Chattanooga Public Library's 4th Floor and University of Tennessee Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Aggie Toppins. The zine library launched in the summer of 2014 and features the best newly published zines we could find from across the country and the UK, as well as many vintage and culturally significant zines including several volumes of the renowned Factsheet Five, with literally thousands of reviews of other self published indy rags. 

Chattanooga Zine Fest:  Each year the 4th Floor and the Society of Ink and Paper host an all-day zinefest at the public library. Participating artists and writers showing/selling and trading zines at zinefest donate a single copy of their current zine to the CZL. Local and regional creators have added  beautiful single and series editions to the collection showcasing a variety of genres, formats, and bindings.