Off the Shelf – Zine Making at the Library for Teens
By Angela Spatafore on September 23, 2026 from Off the Shelf
Teens are invited to come to the library to learn how to make their own zines. Join us on Tuesday, October 6 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for Off the Books, our bi-monthly event designed to develop skills teens will need as they enter adulthood.
In this event, not only will teens get a chance to stretch their creative muscles, but they will learn how to use Canva, an online design program used widely among organizations to create a variety of marketing materials.
So, what is a zine?
Zines are homemade magazines that can cover any topic you can imagine.
The medium is especially popular in fan communities around TV shows, musicians, comics, and other pop cultural icons, but zines are as diverse as their authors.
I have read tons of zines over the years that cover everything from cheese tasting, skateboard culture, gardening, and two sentence horror stories. Some are wordless and look like mini sketchbooks.
Even the binding methods can vary from zine to zine—you can make a zine out of one piece of printer paper, or you can intricately bind your zines with thread following any number of traditional book binding methods.
The fun part of zines is sharing them with others. In bigger cities, it is not uncommon for libraries to have a collection of locally written zines.
There are also zine festivals and markets, where you buy and trade zines with other zinesters!
Come to Off the Books, and you may just find yourself a new, fun hobby and a way to make friends.
If zine making is not your thing, Off the Books may cover something that is. Check out the fall topics we have scheduled:
• October 20: Freedom Bank will be here to show you the basics of banking, including the difference between checking and saving accounts.
• November 3: Learn how to apply for jobs and talk yourself up in interviews.
• November 17: Practice your people skills and learn how to navigate difficult conversations.
Registration for all fall sessions of Off the Books is open on our website: https://www.bplwv.org/events?term=off+the+books&r=range&start=2026-09-22&end=2026-11-30
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