Group: Fan Culture Preservation Project

If you have more questions about the FCPP, please contact the Open Doors committee.

The Fan Culture Preservation Project (FCPP) is the cooperative program that the Organization for Transformative Works, through Open Doors, has with the Special Collections department at the University of Iowa and other partner institutions to archive and preserve fanzines and other non-digital forms of fan culture. It is dedicated to preserving fan artifacts such as letterzines, fanzines, and other non-digital fanworks and memorabilia at partner libraries and other institutions.

No: both the FCPP and its partner institutions are interested in collecting materials from fans around the world, including materials that are not in English or do not come from English-speaking countries. However, as with U.S. donations, the ability to help with shipping will be dependent on available resources.

Yes. Open Doors is in the process of developing a formal Fannish Estate Plan for fans wishing to donate their collections after they pass, but in the meantime, we can help you with appropriate wording for a bequest. Please contact the Open Doors committee for assistance or further questions.

For questions about preserving your AO3 account in the event of your death or permanent incapacitation, please visit the Fannish Next-of-Kin FAQ on the AO3.

Each partner institution has its own policies on lending materials through interlibrary loan programs, though some places may be willing to share scans of fanzines if requested. Check an institution’s website or email them to find out more details. For information about each of our partner institutions, visit our Partner Directory.

Respecting fans’ rights and privacy is the first priority for both the University of Iowa and the OTW. However, each partner institution includes different information in their fanzine catalogs, which may include creators’ legal names. Prospective donors will need to discuss specific privacy concerns with an institution as part of the donation process.

Each partner institution has its own policies on digitizing fanzines and other fannish material. Check an institution’s website or email them to find out more details. For information about each of our partner institutions, visit our Partner Directory.

Additionally, Open Doors collaborates with Zinedom on the Fanzine Scan Hosting Project (FSHP), which is dedicated to the digital preservation of select physical fanzine works and other fannish artifacts, with permission from the creators and/or publishers. For more information about the project, visit the FSHP website.

Some institutions may be able to help pay for shipping qualified donations to their location and may be able to schedule pickups. Prospective donors will need to discuss specific shipping arrangements with an institution as part of the donation process.

If neither you nor the library who is receiving your collection can cover shipping, Open Doors may be able to help! Please contact Open Doors so we can discuss possibilities.

While Open Doors doesn’t collect physical zines ourselves, we maintain a directory of partner institutions who are actively collecting fannish materials. We encourage you to review the list and identify which institutions are the best fit for your materials.

When contacting an institution, please include “OTW FCPP Zine Donation” in the subject line. In the body of your message, include as many details about the collection as you can—for example, the fandoms included, the type of materials, the number of boxes or volumes, and even a complete list of titles if you have one. The more information you can include, the easier it will be for an institution to evaluate the collection.

Given constraints on space and time, an institution may not be able to accept your collection even if it seems like it would be in scope. Try not to be discouraged if you need to reach out to multiple institutions before you find one that can accept your collection.