Where to Find Zines
Start with a subject you care about, then follow makers, shops, libraries and events.
You do not need to know a long list of titles before looking for zines. Start with a subject: photography, local music, food, comics, personal writing or something more specific.
Then decide whether you want to buy a copy, browse without buying or meet people who make them. Each aim suggests a different place to look.
Start with makers and specialist sellers
If you find a zine you like, look for the maker's credited name and current website. Their own catalogue can lead you to related work or another issue.
Specialist shops bring several makers together. Quimby's in Chicago offers an online catalogue as well as a physical shop. Wasted Ink Zine Distro in Phoenix also lists zines online.
A distro is a distributor: someone who helps get work by multiple makers into readers' hands. It may operate online, at events or from a shop.
Try a library before buying widely
A zine library gives you a way to explore different formats and subjects without needing to own everything you read.
The Toronto Zine Library is one example. University collections, such as the Barnard Zine Library, offer another route, particularly for research.
Check access arrangements first. A collection may require an appointment, keep material in a reading room or allow borrowing only to particular users.
Look for a fair near you
Search for your city or region with “zine fair,” “zine fest” and “small press fair.”
Read the current organiser's page, rather than relying on an old poster. Confirm the year, venue and whether the event is open to visitors. An application deadline is for people seeking a table; it is not necessarily the date of the fair.
At the event, browse a few different tables before deciding what interests you.
Use one discovery to find the next
Look at the credits and recommendations inside an issue. A contributor may publish their own work. An editor may review other zines or name a shop that stocks them.
Keep a short note of titles and makers. If you cannot buy something immediately, you will still have enough information to look for it later.
Be specific when asking for help
“I like short personal stories and hand-drawn maps” gives a bookseller more to work with than “What is good?”
You can also say that you are new to zines and want to see a few different kinds. There is no required starting title.
These organisations were checked in September 2026. Use their own sites for current stock and visiting details.
Next: Where to Find Zines in Person.