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Over the past two decades, independent small-run publications known as zines have become increasingly common. Produced by a single individual or a small group, zines focus on subjects of personal importance to the publisher, whether it be punk rock, bowling, the collection of pez dispensers, or the zine publisher's daily life. Created by methods ranging from handwriting to computer desktop publishing programs, and published by photocopying or offset printing, zines are usually distributed in a folksy, haphazard manner that often includes the US Postal Service, dropoffs at local record or book stores, and gifts to friends and family. Frequently irreverent and usually appealing to audiences with highly specialized interests, zines were once considered strictly a fringe phenomenon. In the last few years, though, zines have emerged into the mainstream of American culture. Now they are sold at large bookstore chains such as Tower, Borders, and Barnes and Noble and are celebrated in articles and featured in mainstream media. Currently, the number of zines is estimated to be between 20,000 and 50,000, and with the advent of e-zines and home pages on the Internet and World Wide Web, even more people are expected to begin publishing their own zines in coming years.
The fantastic growth of zines has usually been attributed to the increased accessibility and widespread use of communication technology such as the personal computer, desktop publishing software, and the photocopier. However, this technology explains only the increased availability and affordability of the means of production of zines, and not why so many people are using this technology