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What are zines?: Zines in the classroom

Bring us to your class!

There are many different ways to use zines in your classes, and this page offers many resources to help you do this. You're also welcome to reach out to us to talk more, get help planning a lesson, arrange a tour of the zine library for your class, or have us come to your class! We are available to present on an introduction to zines, using zines in research, and zine making! If your class makes zines in your class, we'd love to add them to our collection! See the Donate a Zine page on the Zines at the Marist Library tab to see how to go about this, or just reach out!

Why use zines in the classroom?

Zines are:

  • primary sources
  • often written by marginalized voices that are commonly left out of mainstream media and academia
  • accessible and can allow students to more easily engage with materials 
  • allows students to engage more deeply with the material by comparing zines to scholarly works
  • allows students to be active participants in research by allowing them to create their own work
  • a way to introduce a variety of valuable topics, such as privilege, power, bias, censorship, & social justice
  • hand made projects students must create themselves without reliance on AI  

Teaching resources

While zines have many benefits, it is always important to consider pros & cons of introducing any new material to your classroom. In this article, Liana Velazquez explores the pros and cons of using zines in the classroom. 

How to use zines in the classroom

  • Assign zines to be read by your students 
  • Allow students to use zines in their research 
  • Have students create their own zines on a topic you're studying 
  • Allow students to submit zines as a way of showing what they've learned 
  • Invite a librarian in to present on zines
  • Bring your class to the library to explore the zine library

Zines cover all topics!

Public policy

Religion

Business

Science

Philosophy

 

Criminal Justice

Education

Social Work

History

English

Sociology

 

Examples of zines created & used in classrooms

Contact

James A. Cannavino Library

3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 575-3106

In the Library