I recently returned from the 2014 Chicago Zinefest. What an amazing weekend. Anne and I were able to spend time with my sister Nichole, her friend from Canada, Jessica, our mutual friend Bridget. On several occasions, we also were able to connect with some old colleagues of Nichole’s we had met previously.
One of the best parts of any conference or festival is meeting other people and exploring the similarities and differences between each other.
Here is an incomprehensive list of people and ideas that I was able to engage with.
The People’s Library
An amazing collective of individuals (started by Mark Strandquist and Courtney Bowles) who create new books from old and capture the current histories of the residents in Richmond, Virginia.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Courtney Bowles for a while at my table. I am looking forward to reading through the zine she gave me.
From their web site:
The People’s Library is an ongoing collaborative project featuring libraries designed, built and authored by community members. The project transforms and re-purposes discarded books into blank canvasses for the production and exchange of local histories.
In Richmond, VA, at the Main Branch of the Richmond Public Library, a thousand blank books are being created for anyone in the community to check out, bring home, fill with their histories and bring back to the library to be included in the permanent collection. The resulting installation includes a thousand micro-monuments, becomes the real and symbolic meeting place for alienated publics, and offers sustainable, collective and critical alternatives for the form and function of public art.
I would like to start something similar here in the Greater Lafayette area at our own libraries. I know that both discard (Goodwill, recycling, etc) paper materials that could be transformed into new, blank books that could be used to document our area in interesting and unique ways.
What’s stopping local businesses and hangouts from having their own book checked out and returning it upon its completion? Anyone remember Vienna Books or similar cafe community books? The creation process is modular and could easily include young, old, West Lafayette, Lafayette, and everything inbetween. The Tippecanoe Arts Federation could help engage the community’s involvement.
You can learn more by digesting some of the press surrounding The People’s Library project: