Dear Friends,
I wanted to draw attention to our new Zine Exhibition upstairs across from our DVD collection. What is a zine? Critical question, I’m glad you asked. A zine (pronounced zeen) is a small, do-it-yourself booklet or pamphlet often reproduced on a copier that allows the artist total freedom of ideas and expression. The origin of zines is generally held to date back to the 1930s, and took some of its original cues from artistic movements like Dada and Surrealism. In the 40s and 50s, the format was adopted by fans of science fiction to trade and discuss stories and comics. Then, in the 1960s and 70s, zines came into their own as copy shops and copy machines were more readily accessible. Activists, artists, and fans suddenly could make and distribute their work at low costs, and that punk ethos has defined zines ever since.
Our zines were created by the Grade 10 Honors English students at Lincoln Academy, in Newcastle, Maine, with the guidance of their teacher, Bridget F. Wright.
The students were charged with reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953), Newton Minow’s Vast Wasteland speech (May 9, 1961, Federal Communications Commission), and selected readings on banner books, technology, and society. The students were then assigned to explore one of three questions using the zine format. The questions were as follows:
- How does technology affect human relationships and society?
- Can censorship, regardless of form, be justified?
- What is the importance of literacy to a society?
I encourage you to come and explore what the students had to say in answer to these questions. It is fascinating to read their thoughts, especially in this novel format.
Please feel free to sit on the on the drop cloth with the zines and read them, reflect on them, rearrange them, and consider how you might answer these questions.
Also, don’t forget that on Saturday, June 27th Skidompha will be hosting its Pride: Tea and Thee get-together. Join us and Lincoln County Unity & Community Pride for tea and noshes to celebrate connection and coming together during Pride month.
Be well,
Matthew
Matthew Graff
Executive Director
Skidompha Public Library