Organizing a Fanzine Lounge

From "Across the Fandomension" website, last updated September 1, 2026

NOTE: I am always looking for corrections, additions and updates; if you spot errors and omissions below, please contact me at [email protected] so that I can update this page. – G.S.

Compiled by Garth Spencer, July/August 2026

From suggestions by Lloyd Penney, Jerry Kaufman, and Chris Garcia

Before the convention:

Solicit fanzines

Choose some of your own fanzines, and ask faneditors/collectors directly for fanzines, and generally put the word out that you’re looking for contributions.

Note: You may do more than display fanzines, or distribute current fanzines freely. In that case, distinguish between display fanzines, free fanzines, fanzines to sell for the faneditors, or (quite likely) fanzines donated for auction to benefit fan funds. Ask faneditors how much they want to sell their zines for, keep track of issues sold and auction funds raised, and the amounts raised.

You should then get packets mailed to you, and boxloads brought to the convention.

Confirm room space, security, furnishings and refreshments

Some things depend on where the fanzine lounge is set up. You may receive a dedicated room/lounge (which is vastly preferable), or just some unprotected tables in the same hall as the artists’ or dealers’ room.

Lloyd Penney writes,

"Have some measure of Security at hand in case someone decides to trash the zines, or give them away, especially those for sale.

"You will get an area to set up, and ask for maybe five tables, a dozen chairs, and if it is available, comfortable couches and chairs to curl up in. … Ask for some measure of hospitality to offer there, like coffee and water services, and food if it is possible."

As Chris Garcia puts it,

"[At] the last Montreal WorldCon it was in the Party hotel, had a lot of great zines, some beverages and was open pretty much all night, as I recall."

Jerry Kaufman notes:

"We added tables for displays and fanzines to be given away. We also included small tables for people to chat at, and comfy chairs & sofas for the same purpose. … We got three fanzine covers enlarged and made into banners to hang at the back of our tables."

At the convention:

Con newsletter: The convention may display a Daily Newsletter in an area of the fanzine lounge, among other places.

Remember FANAC scanning! Joe Siclari and Edie Stern often appear at conventions to scan fanzines electronically into their fanhistory website. Jerry Kaufman adds: “We had FANAC.org set up their scanning table as part of our area.” (Email links below)

At Worldcons:

W.O.O.F. / World Order of Fan Editors (an annual Amateur Publication Association collated before/at Worldcon):

"The extra tables would service not only for extra fanzines, but also for a work surface to assemble and staple the issues." (Lloyd Penney)

After the convention:

Send monies owed to faneditors/collectors, and to fan fund delegates.

Contacts

FANAC.org - Joe Siclari and Edie Stern - FANAC

W.O.O.F. / World Order of Fan Editors - the Official Editor changes every year.

Credits

Lloyd Penney, by email, July 19, 2026

Jerry Kaufman, by email, July 23, 2026

Chris Garcia, by email, July 23, 2026

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