Río Hondo College Library’s Zine Outreach Project

Librarian Claudia Rivas is one of only 25 individuals selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Radical Librarianship Institute at UCLA California Rare Book School (CRBS). According to CRBS, “[t]he Radical Librarian Institute is the most extensive library continuing education program focused on supporting library professionals to push for widespread systemic change that is centered on social and racial equality, collective action, community strengthening, and public participation.” Along with attendance at the institute, Claudia was awarded $10,000 through UCLA and the Mellon Foundation to fund her upcoming Zine Outreach Project which will promote the institute’s mission through a 2-day Zine Fest in October 2023 with related zine workshops to follow.

Río Hondo College Library’s Zine Outreach Project is intended to target the Río Hondo College campus and Whittier area communities, and especially teen and young adult populations, in encouraging and inspiring them to tell their unique stories by learning about and creating self-made zines. Participants will also have the opportunity to contribute their zines to Río Hondo College’s recently inaugurated zine collection. The project consists of a two-day mini zine fest where “zinesters”—i.e., zine creators and enthusiasts—will present and serve as educators and sources of inspiration by sharing their zines and respective foci. This event will be followed by a series of workshops over the course of a few weeks in which materials and assistance for the hands-on creation of a zine will be provided; participants will also learn how to digitize and catalog their zine. Finally, all workshop participants will have the opportunity to contribute their zine to be included in a printed publication of Río Hondo College Library zines.