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How to start a library
-First you need library materials. Otherwise your library is just empty shelves and good ideas. Ask for donations from schools, other libraries of your type (for duplicates), your friends, book stores, etc. You can also look on Myspace for zines and ask for donations. You’d be surprised at how willing people are to donate.
-Get the library’s name on every alternative library list as possible-Zine World, Zine Street, Zine Wiki, Stolen Sharpie Revolution, Zine books, Papercut Zine Library’s resource page, etc.
-Set up an account with LibraryThing. Individuals can catalog up to 200 books for free, then it’s a sliding scale lifetime membership. Link your webpage to your catalog so people can look up books. Add keywords (tags) indicating what the book is about so people can search subject, etc.
-Make a library card checkout system. Can people check things out at all? How long can they have it for? How many can they check out at a time? Hmmm??
-Organize your books/zines by topic, or alphabetically, or chronologically, or by size or color. Really however you want. By subject is the most popular for browsing. DIY, punk, gardening, herbs, the more specific the better.
-Find some shelving on the street or somewhere. Need tings to put your periodicals in? What about cutting the sides off of cereal boxes? Instant periodical holder.
-Visit other libraries to see how they do things. Check out their catalogs online.
-If anyone (authorities) ever come through the door, shred your library patron records. Seriously. Especially if your space is in any way vaguely political. They are using library records against people now.
-You don’t have to keep everything in your library. If someone donates something that you already have two of, or it just doesn’t fit in your collection, don’t feel guilty about passing it on. It’s called weeding and it happens all the time. You need room for only the coolest books and zines.
-Get the library’s name on every alternative library list as possible-Zine World, Zine Street, Zine Wiki, Stolen Sharpie Revolution, Zine books, Papercut Zine Library’s resource page, etc.
-Set up an account with LibraryThing. Individuals can catalog up to 200 books for free, then it’s a sliding scale lifetime membership. Link your webpage to your catalog so people can look up books. Add keywords (tags) indicating what the book is about so people can search subject, etc.
-Make a library card checkout system. Can people check things out at all? How long can they have it for? How many can they check out at a time? Hmmm??
-Organize your books/zines by topic, or alphabetically, or chronologically, or by size or color. Really however you want. By subject is the most popular for browsing. DIY, punk, gardening, herbs, the more specific the better.
-Find some shelving on the street or somewhere. Need tings to put your periodicals in? What about cutting the sides off of cereal boxes? Instant periodical holder.
-Visit other libraries to see how they do things. Check out their catalogs online.
-If anyone (authorities) ever come through the door, shred your library patron records. Seriously. Especially if your space is in any way vaguely political. They are using library records against people now.
-You don’t have to keep everything in your library. If someone donates something that you already have two of, or it just doesn’t fit in your collection, don’t feel guilty about passing it on. It’s called weeding and it happens all the time. You need room for only the coolest books and zines.
belfrycenter |
Latest page update: made by belfrycenter
, Sep 28 2007, 2:06 PM EDT
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