My name is Lainie, aka Lainie! the oyster, aka drucilla b. blood. I have been involved in the zine movement since the mid 80s as a producer, fan, and purveyor. Punk rock saved my life when I was in high school. As a bored outcast, punk rock helped me discover a world of other lonely outcasts and find ways to express my creativity in a variety of do-it-yourself activities. Zinesters were the original Makers, and we avidly traded and reviewed each others’ materials, creating a subculture that was both a macro and micro version of today’s social networking.
Zines are unique historical documents in a number of ways. First, by virtue of their material they are ephemeral. A collection that isn’t cared for will disintegrate, leaving dust where a culture once stood. Many of the zines in my collection are one-of-a-kind publications that probably don’t exist in printed form anywhere else.
My collection consists of well over 5,000 individual publications that I have carried with me, protected, preserved, and coveted throughout most of my life. It has always been my hope to one day create a space where I can not only share my collection with other people, but also inspire conversation, community, and creativity among small-press enthusiasts and other independent creators.
The Crustacean Zine Library has existed in various conceptual phases over the past 5 years or so. I have been slowly cataloging and organizing the zines in my collection, and have occasionally opened up my home to allow people to peruse the collection. I have participated in zine seminars and led zine workshops, and I feel that now is the time for me to create a permanent space in my home for this collection and offer visiting hours for people to use the space as a reading room, meeting room, makerspace, and salon right here in lovely Winslow, Maine.
Crustacean Zine Library 