APA-L was the second weekly fan APA (as distinguished from non-fan APAs run by printer hobbyists to show off their typefaces and machines). It was inspired by APA-F, the weekly New York City APA collated at the alternating biweekly meetings of FIStFA (the Fannish Insurgent ScientiFictional Association) and the Fanoclasts.

APA-L's first collation was October 22, 1964. For awhile, some completists used air mail to contribute to both APA-L and APA-F, until APA-F was deliberately ended after its 69th mailing, on October 29, 1965. APA-L was discontinued for seven months back in 1968, but was then restarted, and has continued coming out regularly ever since.

To get APA-L, you do not have to be a member or put your name on a wait list. You must either contribute (at least one page every other week if you live in the LA area, at least one page every third week if you live in the US but outside the LA area, at least one page every fourth week if you live outside the US; at least one cover every fourth week) or help collate or purchase issues (50 cents each) from the Official Collator or be a LASFS guest.

Like so many good things that go on at LASFS, APA-L was Bruce Pelz's idea, though his then-wife Dian was the one who arranged for a typewriter at LASFS meetings, and it was Don Fitch who brought a hektograph to run off last-minute contributions and the ToC.

Nowadays, there's a computer & printer at LASFS, and a state of the art mimeograph to photostencil and reproduce contributions and the ToC, though many contributors print their zines at home (usually with a copy count of 29), and then bring them (or arrange to have them brought) to LASFS, where they are collated and distributed: directly to contributors or subscribers who are present, to delivery or mailing agents for people who did not attend the meeting.

Regular contributors (in alphabetical order) currently include
Marty Cantor
John DeChancie
Lee Gold
Marty Helgesen
John Hertz
Karl Lembke
Len & June Moffatt
Fred Patten (who has contributed to every issue of APA-L - and was one of the people who helped restart it after its hiatus)

Nothing is off-topic, though there is a tradition that APA-L is a "family APA" and should not have any cover pictures or text that make it unsuitable to leave on a coffee table or send through the mail. Many contributors consider "This is a family APA" to be ironic and have always used "profane" language and illos when they felt like it, and current Official Collator Marty Cantor emphatically concurs and says "I get unhappy with censorship and implied censorship."

Zines should not contain "bulky inclusions" (like inflated balloons or ham sandwiches or books) and must be on 8.5"x11" or A4 paper.

Comments are addressed to the person whose zine sparked the writer, but are intended to be read by everyone. (Marilyn) Niven's Law states "It takes comments to get comments" (meaning that people who don't comment on other contributors' zines are less likely to get comments on their own zines). You may have to read several consecutive issues to understand the comment-chains.

If you want to contribute, write something, print 29 copies, and bring it to LASFS on Thursday nights. Zines to be printed should be given to the OC by 7 PM. Tell the Official Collator if you expect to arrive with a printed zine, or he may start collating around 7:45. Printed zines should be in the collating racks by 8 PM

If you don't attend LASFS regularly, you'll need an agent to contribute to APA-L. You may mail your printed Lzine to your agent or email it (and reimburse your agent for printing costs). You'll also have to arrange to get your copy of APA-L, which may mean paying for postage. Official Collator Marty Cantor is willing to agent. You can contact him at (818) 761-9401 or martyhoohah@sbcglobal.net>.