You know you’re going to do it. Sometime in the next short while, you’ll end up in Denver. When you roll over the mountains and through the passes (possibly on your way to a Trader Joe’s), make a side stop to the Denver Zine Library.
Founded in 2003, the Denver Zine Library is a nonprofit showcase for DIY magazines. It is an entirely volunteer-run organization that stays afloat through rebel librarians and donations. In an era where censorship and alternative facts are becoming the norm, it’s more important than ever to show support to the free press. That free press can come in many forms, including that of handcrafted zines.
The Denver Zine Library has a collection of over 20,000 zines that cover topics as wide as punk rock, poetry, comics, fiction, feminism, and general politics. They lend up to five zines for three weeks to anyone who has visited the shop three or more times. They also regularly hold workshops and events promoting zine culture. (Including the Denver Zine Fest, usually held in June.)
If you’re gonna head to the library, they’re only open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and by appointment. For details on the Denver Zine Library, check out https://denverzinelibrary.org.
— Patty Templeton
