Park(ing) Day 2010:



What this city needs is more zine libraries. I know Anno Domini has one, but it's buried deep in their storage and only comes out once a year or so. We have punks; we have DIYers; we have zine parties and publishing workshops galore; we don't have any place to read what's out there. Alameda Archives used to have one, i think, but they're years dead. Requiem im pace.

So I brought my zines, a dozen donuts, and two rickety tables out to S. 1st St. and put my zine collection out to benefit the public. I've got a small but high-quality zine library, about 3/4 a shortbox worth, featuring SJ locals as well as international artists, covering subjects ranging from gutterpunk drug addiction (Somebody Please Stop Me) to anarchist cooking from the UK (Morgenmuffel) to gender reassignment (Just So You Know,) works of fiction (Papercutter,) and neopaganism (Razing the Stakes.) I put some change in a parking meter and set stuff up in the parking space.

It was really chill. The only tense moment went like this:
GUY IN OFFICIAL-LOOKING VEST: Is someone parking here?
ME: yup!
GUY IN OFFICIAL-LOOKING VEST: Who?
ME: me!
GUY IN OFFICIAL-LOOKING VEST: Are you taking up the whole space?
ME: ...pretty much.
And then he found somewhere else for workmen to park, so not that tense. I hollered at people to come read zines, and some people smiled, and two ladies stopped by to tell me about Art Publishing Now, and ask if i would spread the word about it. It seemed like i'd have to move everything a couple streets over to make way for zero1, but an organizer said that my project was in the spirit of zero1 and i should stay put until someone told me to move. that was nice.

After a little, my friend Major Flower came and set up stuff to do cyanotypes. We started a couple for demonstration purposes (and to test the exposure time needed in the light conditions. That was fun, and a little more attractive to people. Marcus Young did one. He is magic! Matthew Siegel did a couple. Then it was time for me to go.

What I have learned: SJ does not need a zine library that badly. Nobody in the world wanted to read my zines, except one guy who thought they might be free. I told people over various internets and in person, but no one wanted to check it out. You know who needs a zine library? Me! Happily i have one.

Park(ing) day was fun. Next year i'll plan something more interactive and flashy. Also I will bring clear boundary markers with a high profile. there were a couple times when it was clear that, for drivers, the difference between an empty parking space and a zine library is minimal.