The International Journal of Two-Fisted Library Studies is available now!

Yes! It's true! The new issue of your best (and only) source for hard-hitting library research is now available! You can purchase it (and every other issue of Two-Fisted Library Stories) from our Big Cartel store.

What's inside? Well, here's the table of contents!

You can find the data related to "An Analysis of Funko Pop Ownership Among Library Workers" here. It contains responses from 382 people, and the data about age and work place setup might actually be of use to real research.

And don't forget! The deadline for the next issue (Weird Library Science) is December 31st!

Here's a photo from when PHX Zine Fest, the first time Two-Fisted Studies was available!

Two-Fisted Library Stories #6 now available!

Two-Fisted Library Stories #6 is now available! It features:

• Automagic Notice by Devin Lagasse
• How to Steal a Book in 1930s Chicago Part 3 by Matthew Murray
• Better Read Than Dead by Colleen Frakes
• The Libearian by Taylor Kenkel
• A back cover by Dana Putnam

Plus! Six-Gun Librarian comic strips, letters pages, an interview with the creators of The NEW Library Legion, and more! Plus every copy comes with a trading card!

You an buy it (and the other issues) on our Etsy store.

Thanks to everyone that came to the launch party, and especially those who won prizes in the costume contest!

The winners!

 

(Costume contest judges)

Issue #6 Call for Submissions!

Hey all, its time for you to get out those typewriters, quill pens, and crayons (or whatever you create with) because Issue #6 of Two-Fisted Library Stories* is now accepting submissions!

What can you submit? Stories, comics, drawings, photographs, recipes, knitting patterns, phony letters, fake news items, bogus advertisements, made-up issue blurbs, and whatever else you can think of as long as it contains LIBRARY ACTION. Stories can be about librarians, library technicians, library cats, sentient libraries, etc. As long as your contribution is somewhat library focused and at least a little bit pulpy (mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romance, etc.) it's fine! (This TV tropes page on Two-Fisted Tales might help give you some direction.)

Plus, we need COVER ART! If you're interested in drawing the cover, please get in touch!

Deadline for issue #6 is September 30th!

We're aiming for a Halloween launch date for this issue, so if you have a scary, terrifying, or otherwise spooOOOOooooky idea, now's the time to work on it!

Send your submissions, questions, and general accolades to twofistedlibrarians@gmail.com.

*"Weren't you called Two-Fisted Librarians?"
Yes, but we changed the name to be more inclusive of all library workers.

Issue #5 now available!

Issue #5 of Two-Fisted Librarians launched this past weekend at VanCAF! It's also now available on our Etsy store.

It features a super rad cover by Colleen Frakes, a comic by Annie Gaines, and stories by Ian Richardson, and me.

This also means that issue #4 is now available on Issuu!

Issue #5 Cover and Call for Submissions!

I am so excited, because above you can see the cover of Two-Fisted Librarians #5! It features art by Colleen Frakes (who recently released her graphic novel memoir Prison Island)!

Of course, we need more than just a cover to publish an issue, so we're asking you to send in submissions of stories, comics, recipes, and whatever else you can think of as long as it contains LIBRARY ACTION. Stories can be about librarians, library technicians, library cats, sentient libraries, etc. As long as your contribution is at least a little bit pulpy (mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, etc.) it's fine! (This TV tropes page on Two-Fisted Tales might help give you some direction.)

Deadline for the next issue is March 30th!

But what if you don't have the time or inclination to create a full submission? Well, lucky for you there are still ways to contribute! We're looking for phony letters, fake news items, and made-up issue blurbs. Just remember to keep them pretty brief. You can see examples from issue #4 below.

A few instructions:

• Keep your letters and news items brief.
• Don't complain about any real stories that have appeared.
• Letters that are filled with complaints are probably funnier.
• Feel free to ask questions to which you don't know the answer.
• You don't need to write editorial responses to your own letters, we've got that covered.
• If you're not sure what to write about, you can use information from this list of made up characters, stories, and more that have been referenced in previous issues.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about (because not everybody spends their lives reading old comic books), I'll link to a few examples.

• Captain American Letter Column (Let's Rap With Cap)
• Weird War Tales Letter Column
• Marvel Bullpen Bulletins
• DC Direct Currents
• DC Daily Planet

You might also find the Wikipedia entries on letter columns, Marvel No-Prize, Bullpen Bulletins, and Daily Planet useful.

So get creating!

Two-Fisted Librarians #4 on Etsy!

We've added Two-Fisted Librarians #4 to Etsy, so now you can order it!

We've also updated the other listings, so it's easier for you to buy multiple issues. Check it out!

Two-Fisted Librarians #4

This past weekend I attended the Olympia Zine Fest in Olympia, Washington. It was lots of fun!

I had copies of issues 1-3 for sale, and people even bought some! Hurray! However, despite the presence of the poster in the above photo, I wasn't able to print issue #4 in time for the event.

But I did manage to print it for the Zine Librarian (un)Conference that happened on Monday! Hurray!

More details on where to find it soon.

Issue #3 on Etsy!

Amazing! Fantastic! Uncanny! Only a month after issue #3 made its debut at the ALA conference, you can now purchase your own copy on our Etsy store!

Let us know if you have any questions!

Two-Fisted Librarians #2 on Issuu!

So you might have heard that Two Fisted Librarians #3 was available at the ALA conference in San Francisco a few weeks ago. It was! However, if you want to get your own copy you'll have to wait just a little bit longer.

To tide you over until then I've put the second issue on Issuu!

Here's the list of contents:
Reports from the South Bay Post by Adena Brons
The Informinatrix vs. The Book Thief by Irina Jevlakova
Submersion by Ean Henninger
How to Steal a Book in 1930s Chicago by Matthew Murray

Two Fisted Librarians #3

Yes! It's finally here!

Featuring work by Colleen Frakes, Adena Brons, Robert Perret, and Annie Gaines!

Two Fisted Librarians #3 will be available later this week at the Zine Pavilion at the ALA Conference in San Francisco, and other places soon after that.

We're always accepting submissions, so email me if you want something in issue #4!

Two Fisted Librarians #3

Two Fisted Librarians #3! Out soon! (Hopefully...)

Original cover art by Nick Cardy from "From Beyond the Unknown #23".

Zine launch photos!

On Friday we had the launch party for Two Fisted Librarians at Lucky's Comics! It was a successful event and lots of people came (thank you!). Also, much to my amusement, it turned out that the employee working there that evening is getting their MLIS from SLAIS. I had no idea!

People crowded into the shop!

 

Ean Henninger drove up from Washington state to read an excerpt from his piece from issue two!

Anna Ferri read an excerpt from her story in issue one!

 

Adena Brons read an excerpt from her story in issue one! (Though she also has a story in the second issue.)

And if you look in the background of the photos of people reading you can see two comic pages in the window. These are a submission for the third issue of Two Fisted Librarians! If you want to be included you should start writing now!

Two Fisted Librarians #2 on Etsy

You can now order Two Fisted Librarians issue #2 (and issue #1) on Etsy!

We'll have updated info on physical locations where you can buy TFL soon!

Plus, we're hard at work on issue 3 (we already have an awesome submission from Colleen Frakes! If you want to submit something please email us.

We were at the Portland Zine Symposium and had an awesome time!

Issue #2 is available now!

Two Fisted Librarians issue 2 is out now! Copies were going like hot cakes at least week's CLA conference, and it'll be available around Vancouver (just email me), at the ALA conference in Las Vegas later this month, and more places soon!

Stories include:
Reports from the South Bay Post by Adena Brons
The Informinatrix vs. The Book Thief by Irina Jevlakova
Submersion By Ean Henninger
How to Steal a Book in 1930s Chicago by Matthew Murray

Zine Launch Party!

When: Friday, September 6th, 6pm
Where: SLAIS Lounge, Irving K Barber Learning Centre, UBC
What: Finally! The Vancouver launch of Two Fisted Librarians!

Yes, finally people in the city where this zine was born can get their hands on copies of Two Fisted Librarians. We're crashing the LASSA potluck to bring you all the best in steampunk, crime noir, and horror stories about librarians.

PLUS! You'll be able to get your very own Two Fisted Librarian button. How awesome!

Here's the Facebook event.

Two Fisted Librarians at the Pittsburgh pop up zine stall

I mentioned a few weeks ago that Two Fisted Librarians would be available at the The Small Press Pittsburgh pop up zine stall. Well now I have proof!

Top left hand corner underneath Bad Habits!

Left hand side, around the middle.

Small Press Pittsburgh is also offering a kind of cool thing on their etsy. It's called Small Press Roulette, and you choose a genre and price point, and then you get a mystery zine sent to you! If you look at the photos for some of the prices you might be able to catch a glimpse of Two Fisted Librarians!

Two Fisted Librarians at the Portland Zine Symposium!

I'll be tabling (and helping to run a discussion about zine libraries) this weekend (August 10th and 11th) at the Portland Zine Symposium! I can't wait. I'll see you there!

Review in Roctober!

Check it out! We got reviewed in Roctober.

"Adventure and mystery-filled tales of brave librarians whose skills go far beyond shelving and shooting. Although the most dynamic story draws upon the National Treasure/Indiana Jones school of artifact-worth-killing-over that one might expect from the the previously theoretical genre of Library Action, there's a nice variety of bookish barnburners here, covering sic-fi, psychological thriller territory, and crime drama. Book it!"

Sweet! I believe the review will be in the next print issue (#51, available later this month) of the magazine too.

Two Fisted Librarians: Issue #2!

What's that? You've been inspired to write your own tales of librarian daring-do? That's great! We'd love to have you submit to the second issue!

If you have a submission ready to go, or have any questions, send us an email!

If you're not sure what to write, we've got some hints and guidelines on this page.

If you still want to get a copy, remember we'll be at the Portland Zine Symposium August 10-11th! Come find our table!

Plus, you should join our Facebook page!

Two Fisted Librarians available in Pittsburgh!

The Small Press Pittsburgh pop up bookstand should now have copies of Two Fisted Librarians available! Their next event is on Sunday, so if you're in the area check it out!