Over the past two weeks an impromptu library has sprung up on the location of the former Latin American Library in the Fruitvale district. A group of nearly fifteen people, including a few Occupy Oakland protesters and several community members, have been loaning out books, constructing planters for gardening and holding community meetings.
The library was closed after the Prieta Loma earthquake in 1989, although the structure was later used as a school called the Emiliano Zapata Academy. But for the past ten years the property remained abandoned and is considered unsafe.Currently, the nearest open public library is almost a mile away.
The People's Library Biblioteca Popular
Liberate Everything: The Story of Oakland’s People’s Library (So Far)
Signs of the history of people’s struggles in East Oakland are all around for those who have eyes to see them…
Middle class white residents who once lived in these lowland neighborhoods have fled up to the Oakland hills, leaving this part of town to its multinational working class residents…
In the Chican@/Mexican@ neighborhood around International Blvd and 23rd Avenue, those signs of history can be seen in the building at 1449 Miller Ave.
Neighbors organize an outdoor library in the Fruitvale
Ad hoc "People's Library" picks up slack until libraries reopen
If you’re anywhere near Seattle, this is the week to go visit the Seattle People’s Library!
Seattle public libraries are closed this week, in an effort to cope with budget cuts. That inspired some locals to take matters into their own hands, establishing a temporary, outdoor “People’s Library.”
This is the fourth year Seattle libraries have taken a furlough week to save money, stranding would-be readers, internet users and stir-crazy parents. …
Today’s mail brought a postcard from San Francisco and a box of books all the way from Maryland. Thank you all! We would love to keep receiving postcards and books; we’d love it even more if you opened up a people’s library in your city.
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El correo de hoy trajo otra postal y una caja de libros que vino de Maryland. ¡Gracias a Uds! Nos encantaría seguir recibiendo postales y libros, y nos encantaría aún más si Uds abrieran una biblioteca popular en su propria ciudad.
Some new book categories at the people’s library / Algunas categorias nuevas en la biblioteca popular:
- Science fiction / Ciencia ficción
- Memoirs / Memorias
- Books in Chinese / Libros en chino / 中文
- Books in other languages / Libros en otros idiomas
We still need more books in Spanish and books for children and young adults. (These fly off the shelves as fast as we can get them in.) Books in other Asian languages would also be appreciated, including more books in Chinese and books in Vietnamese, Laotian, Tongan and Tibetan.
The garden area has expanded recently with tires transformed into planters and miniature greenhouses made with wood and plastic wrap. More volunteers with gardening experience would be a great help to keep giving the kids work to do in the garden.
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Todavía necesitamos más libros en español y libros para niños y jóvenes. (Estos se van de los estantes tan rápido como los podamos poner.) Libros en otros idiomas asiáticos también se necesitan, incluyendo más libros en chino y libros en vietnamita, laosiano, el idioma tonga y tibetano.
El jardín se ha ampliado recientemente con ruedas transformadas en macetas e invernaderos pequeños hechos con madera y plástico. Más voluntarios con experiencia en jardinería sería una gran ayuda para seguir dando a los niños por hacer en el jardín.
Algunas ruedas se han convertido en macetas en el jardín creado en la biblioteca popular por los niños del barrio juntos con los jardineros urbanos que apoyan la biblioteca. La basura que ensucia las calles de Oakland se puede convertir en algo hermoso para la gente.
Tires turned into planters in the garden space created at the people’s library together by neighborhood kids and urban gardeners supporting the library. The junk littering Oakland streets can be turned into something beautiful for the people.
Oakland Poets and Activists Wake an Abandoned Library From Its Slumber
Don’t know if you had your eye on Occupy Oakland last week, but if you did! You must have noticed that activists and community members occupied a long-neglected, historic library and brought it so back from blight that it now has over 25 book categories and neighborhood children hoping to turn some of its back lot into a community garden. …Just want to note that sometimes people want to do things and not have them be related to occupy, like when a community decides they want a library.
Thanks, that is an important point to make. The Victor Martinez People’s Library is not a project of Occupy Oakland and its successes and failures have more to do with local activists and community members who have built this project than anything to do with the Occupy movement. (That said, many folks involved with the people’s library took some part in Occupy Oakland too so the confusion doesn’t entirely surprise us.)
Gracias por hacer este comentario importante. La Biblioteca Popular Víctor Martínez no es un proyecto de Occupy Oakland y sus éxitos y fracasos tienen más que ver con los activistas locales y la gente de la comunidad quienes trabajan en este proyecto que nada que ver con el movimiento Occupy. (Dicho esto, varias personas involucradas en la biblioteca popular tuvo algún papel en Ocupar Oakland también, así que la confusión no nos sorprende tanto.)
Oakland Poets and Activists Wake an Abandoned Library From Its Slumber
Don’t know if you had your eye on Occupy Oakland last week, but if you did! You must have noticed that activists and community members occupied a long-neglected, historic library and brought it so back from blight that it now has over 25 book categories and neighborhood children hoping to turn some of its back lot into a community garden. …
Seattle People's Library
Greetings to the Seattle People’s Library! Instead of just accepting the city of Seattle’s decision to close all library branches for a week, Seattleites are organizing themselves to meet the needs of their community. They will provide books, kids’ activities, internet access and. We hope that this is the first of many more efforts in Oakland, Seattle, and around this country to resist austerity and meet community needs through grassroots organizing. Best wishes and all support to you, Seattle People’s Library!
Damos la bienvenida a la Biblioteca Popular de Seattle! En lugar de aceptar la decisión de la ciudad de Seattle de cerrar todas las bibliotecas por una semana entera, los ciudadanos de Seattle se están organizando para satisfacer las necesidades de su comunidad. Su proyecto va a distribuir libros, planear actividades para niños y proveer acceso al internet. Esperamos que este sea el primero de muchos esfuerzos más en Oakland, Seattle, y alrededor de este país para resistir la austeridad y satisfacer las necesidades de la comunidad a través de la organización de base. Mandamos nuestros mejores deseos y todo apoyo a todos ustedes de la Biblioteca Popular de Seattle!
