The first annual Sacramento Zine Symposium delivered what it promised in the program: it breathed new life into the Sacto D.I.Y. & alternative press scene. A fluctuating 100 zinesters, collectors, authors, writers and people without titles gathered in the Brickhouse Gallery for a day of workshops, networking, and discussion. Tables lined the main room of the gallery and came alive with colorful displays of zines, literature, pamphlets and fliers. Event-goers perused the selection of alternative publications and, in most cases, were able to discuss their purchases with the authors. Outside, a D.J. spun live music all day. Adjacent was a food table that served free lunch and dinner. Event-

The term "zine" is not just a contraction of the word "magazine." Zines are homebrewed magazines, produced by individuals or small groups, typically in small numbers and with limited distribution. The world of zines was inspired by Soviet-era samizdat networks (illicit duplication of forbidden literature via photocopies) and the science fiction fanzines of the 1960s and 1970s (mimeographed or Xeroxed small-run magazines sent to small groups of dedicated SF fans.) The heyday of zines was the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. A typical zine was created on a typewriter or word-processor or even handwritten, with hand-drawn or clip art illustrations. Music zines were probably the most common,