By Nadia Halim

Among book collectors, zines are what’s known as ephemera — written matter meant to circulate and serve a purpose, but not to last. They tend to wind up in recycling bins instead of libraries, and so there’s a danger that the entire history of zine-making over the last two or three decades could simply vanish. A few avid collectors have formed the Toronto Zine Library — collected hundreds of zines, and organized them by subject and title — you can browse the catalogue online. Or you can drop by the Tranzac, get a pint at the bar, sit down with a box of the Library’s stash, and start reading.
Better yet, you can attend either of these two upcoming zine-making workshops:

• Head over to the Tranzac on Sunday, February 4 at 1:00 for a free “Make A Zine” workshop. Members of the Library collective will talk about the history and future of zines, as well as offering a hands-on introduction to “varieties of approach, genre, construction and distribution.” If you’d like to help keep zines alive, this would be a great way to get started. – NADIA HALIM
• Allow Cheryl Dobinson, creator, editor, and publisher of The Fence, enlighten you with her recipe for a well-done zine. She will lead a four-week zine making course at This Ain’t the Rosedale Library starting February 6, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Expect to learn about zine creation, design, assembly, printing, and distribution. Participants should bring ideas and feel free to use the supplies provided (though we don’t know what “supplies” one would need besides writing instruments, paper, and scissors), as they will each create his or her own DIY mini mag or dezine in a group. Access to Dobinson’s zinetastic mind is on the pricey side: $60 for students, the underemployed, and the 65+, and $80 for the rest of ‘em. Call the bookstore at 416-929-9912 to register for the workshops in advance. – JENELLE RUPCHAND

Photo by snebtor on Flickr.