Tent Libraries Occupy Boston and Beyond
This city, home to the nation’s first large public library, has a new and somewhat grittier venue for reading. Housed in a green military tent, the library at the Occupy Boston encampment is overflowing with scholarly tomes that have no due dates or late fees.
The growing collection includes more than 500 books, sorted by genre — consumerism, gender, activism/organizing — and overseen by a bookstore owner and a number of librarians supporting the movement, including some from a group calling themselves the Radical Reference librarians. It has a simple checkout system, an expanding archive of Occupy Boston’s meeting notes and proposals and a nascent program of speakers and writing workshops.
John Ford, who owns the Metacomet alternative bookstore in Plymouth, Mass., said the library was intended to help protesters learn about systems they find frustrating and explore possible alternatives.
“I hope, at the very least, it just makes people more inclined to be thoughtful about what they’re doing here,” said Mr. Ford, 30, as he stood in front of a table piled with newly donated books that had yet to be filed.
» via The New York Times (Subscription may be required for some content)
I don’t recall any libraries at the Tea Party events. If Rome is going to be sacked, I hope it’s by these guys.
