Jul 11
4
Clandestine Librarianism
As a tester to this new theme and slick new composing screen, I thought I’d point to a new project that has popped up in Chicago, headed by folks with some involvement in the graphic novel and visual arts communities. The Chicago Underground Library is in the planning stage, and they describe themselves this way:
The Chicago Underground Library is a project that aims to create an archive of self- and small press-published works in Chicago. Through a searchable on-line archive and eventually a physical space, it will open new opportunities for research, inspiration, and collaboration among those in and outside of the publishing community. By putting fiction, critical journals, zines, poetry, comics, political pamphlets, and art books side by side, CUL hopes to bridge the gaps resultant from stratification along the lines of content, production value, and commercial viability.
The CUL hopes to be bipedal, walking on both a digital collection (Web accessible) and eventually a public space.
This is essentially a grassroots and cooperative operation, and neither of the founders are librarians by degree. And the regionalism strikes me as very appropriate, a great collection focus. The potential for an organization like this is intriguing in its product and in its politics – I’d be glad to hear anyone else’s thoughts.