Zines

The Andy Cornell Zine collection includes zines (noncommercial, often homemade publications covering specialized and unconventional subjects); catalogs of zines available through independent distributors (“distros”); and other related printed materials. The collection includes items produced mainly between the late 1980s and the early 2000s, with a few items produced as early as 1977 and as late as 2013. The definition of a zine is variable, and most zine-like items in Andy Cornell's collection have been included in Series I: Zines.

The zines were collected by Andy Cornell as a result of his personal involvement in the zine scene as a writer, distro manager, and educator. Most of the zines were produced in the continental United States, especially the Midwest where the Cornell was living during the period when he assembled this collection. The collection also includes works from countries outside of the United States, including the United Kingdom, the Philippines, and Canada.

These zines cover topics that range from personal experiences and underground music scene culture to anarchist, feminist, and anti-facist literature. There is a particular emphasis on anarchist content due to Andy Cornell’s involvement in that movement.