I have continued this blog at WordPress!
You can find NEW posts at:
https://boundbookandlibraryblog.wordpress.com
Thank you for reading BOUND: A Blog About Books & Libraries!
Sincerely,
Gina
Sunday, January 8, 2017
BOUND Blog Has Moved to WordPress!
Dear Followers & Readers of BOUND,
I have continued this blog at WordPress!
You can find NEW posts at:
https://boundbookandlibraryblog.wordpress.com
Thank you for reading BOUND: A Blog About Books & Libraries!
Sincerely,
Gina
I have continued this blog at WordPress!
You can find NEW posts at:
https://boundbookandlibraryblog.wordpress.com
Thank you for reading BOUND: A Blog About Books & Libraries!
Sincerely,
Gina
Monday, February 9, 2015
Friday, February 6, 2015
My Visit to Bitch Community Lending Library
As a longtime reader of Bitch Magazine, I knew the publication had a lending library at its headquarters in Portland, Oregon. This week, I checked it out.
The Portland chapter of Radical Reference helped establish Bitch Community Lending Library, which opened on July 30, 2009. At that time, the lending library had "800+ books on feminist theory, media studies, sociology, gender and queer studies, pop culture, and more," according to an online announcement made by Reading Frenzy, an "Independent Press Emporium" that is also based in Portland. Today, according to the lending library's web page, it "holds over 2,500 books, zines, magazines, and DVDs that explore feminism, media studies, pop culture, queer studies, race studies, sex and sexuality, body image, and much more."
The lending library is located at 4930 NE 29th Avenue, just off of NE Alberta Street, in a happening section of North Portland. (If you're using public transit to get to the lending library, the number 72 bus will drop you off at NE Alberta Street and NE 27th Avenue, just a couple short blocks away.) Turning the corner onto NE 29th Avenue, I saw the building that houses Bitch Media, which publishes Bitch Magazine and operates the lending library, looks pretty much like any other residence on the block. What distinguishes it, however, is the "Bitch Media" sign posted above the entrance. The front entrance was not locked, and there was no other measure of security, so I was able to easily walk in off the street.
Entering 4930 NE 29th Avenue, I was faced with a somewhat steep, carpeted stairwell that went straight to the second floor of the building. At the top of the stairs, I found myself in the open doorway of the Bitch Community Lending Library. The main, front room of the lending library made me think of a waiting room of a private practice - calm and quiet, with everything tidied and in its proper place, and with soft, slightly used furniture to sit on - but much cozier, brighter, and airier. Dim sunlight filled the room, around which were vintage touches, like antique lamps and retro-patterned pillows, and green, leafy, flourishing plants. All in all, the lending library was very welcoming, despite no one immediately coming out to greet me or otherwise see who was poking around.
I was pleased to see an impressive range of books, meticulously labeled and arranged on the shelves, allowing them to be located easily. The shelves themselves were clearly labeled, making obvious the genre of books that you're browsing. The genres of books available for lending include Feminist Activism, Feminist Theory, Cultural Criticism, Reproductive Rights, and Parenting. At the end of one of the bookshelves is a large plastic bin labeled "FREE." Opening it, I saw back issues of magazines such as Utne Reader, Mother Jones, Curve, and The Advocate; there were also zines, comics, books, DVDs, and CDs, all in good condition. Rooting through this box, I made out like a bandit.
Looking at the zines available for lending, I saw a wide variety as well. Displayed on a revolving rack by the entrance of the library, the zines are quite diverse, covering a range of interests. There are zines focusing on health issues, as well as personal zines ("perzines"), which are zines that relate personal stories. Queer zines were on display, as were zines on parenting. Bitch Community Lending Library accepts donations of "zines made by and for feminist thinkers, activists, and fans, though they don't have to be 'grrrl zines' per se. Whether your zines were Xeroxed back in 1992 or just last month, we'd love to have them."
In addition to items that you can take home with you, Bitch Community Lending Library has bins in which you can drop stuff off. Specifically, there is a plastic crate into which you can place books and other reading materials that will be donated to Books to Patients PDX. Books to Patients PDX is "a volunteer-run organization in Portland, Oregon, that provides donations of reading materials to people living with mental health issues in institutionalized settings because a book, at the right moment, can change a life - and everyone deserves access to books," states the organization in a flier posted above the donation crate. For more on Books to Patients PDX, whether you want additional information or would like to host or coordinate a donation side, contact the organization at BooksToPatientsPDX@gmail.com.
Bitch Community Lending Library is open Monday through Friday, from 9am to 5pm. Visits to the lending library are by appointment only; appointments can be made online, but it is still wise to call ahead (503-282-5699) in order to confirm your appointment before you arrive. If you wish to check out items from the lending library, all you need is a photo ID, which gets you ongoing membership. Members of Bitch Community Lending Library can take out five items at time over the course of a month. If you're curious about what the lending library holds, you can browse the collection's online catalog that is hosted by LibraryThing.com.
 |
| Bitch Community Lending Library. Photo by the author of this blog |
The Portland chapter of Radical Reference helped establish Bitch Community Lending Library, which opened on July 30, 2009. At that time, the lending library had "800+ books on feminist theory, media studies, sociology, gender and queer studies, pop culture, and more," according to an online announcement made by Reading Frenzy, an "Independent Press Emporium" that is also based in Portland. Today, according to the lending library's web page, it "holds over 2,500 books, zines, magazines, and DVDs that explore feminism, media studies, pop culture, queer studies, race studies, sex and sexuality, body image, and much more."
 |
| Approaching Bitch Media HQ, where the lending library is located. Photo by the author of this blog |
The lending library is located at 4930 NE 29th Avenue, just off of NE Alberta Street, in a happening section of North Portland. (If you're using public transit to get to the lending library, the number 72 bus will drop you off at NE Alberta Street and NE 27th Avenue, just a couple short blocks away.) Turning the corner onto NE 29th Avenue, I saw the building that houses Bitch Media, which publishes Bitch Magazine and operates the lending library, looks pretty much like any other residence on the block. What distinguishes it, however, is the "Bitch Media" sign posted above the entrance. The front entrance was not locked, and there was no other measure of security, so I was able to easily walk in off the street.
 |
| Heading upstairs toward Bitch Community Lending Library on the 2nd Floor. Photo by the author of this blog |
Entering 4930 NE 29th Avenue, I was faced with a somewhat steep, carpeted stairwell that went straight to the second floor of the building. At the top of the stairs, I found myself in the open doorway of the Bitch Community Lending Library. The main, front room of the lending library made me think of a waiting room of a private practice - calm and quiet, with everything tidied and in its proper place, and with soft, slightly used furniture to sit on - but much cozier, brighter, and airier. Dim sunlight filled the room, around which were vintage touches, like antique lamps and retro-patterned pillows, and green, leafy, flourishing plants. All in all, the lending library was very welcoming, despite no one immediately coming out to greet me or otherwise see who was poking around.
 |
| A selection of books at Bitch Community Lending Library. Photo by the author of this blog |
I was pleased to see an impressive range of books, meticulously labeled and arranged on the shelves, allowing them to be located easily. The shelves themselves were clearly labeled, making obvious the genre of books that you're browsing. The genres of books available for lending include Feminist Activism, Feminist Theory, Cultural Criticism, Reproductive Rights, and Parenting. At the end of one of the bookshelves is a large plastic bin labeled "FREE." Opening it, I saw back issues of magazines such as Utne Reader, Mother Jones, Curve, and The Advocate; there were also zines, comics, books, DVDs, and CDs, all in good condition. Rooting through this box, I made out like a bandit.
 |
| Personal zines ("perzines") among the zines on display at the lending library. Photo by the author of this blog |
Looking at the zines available for lending, I saw a wide variety as well. Displayed on a revolving rack by the entrance of the library, the zines are quite diverse, covering a range of interests. There are zines focusing on health issues, as well as personal zines ("perzines"), which are zines that relate personal stories. Queer zines were on display, as were zines on parenting. Bitch Community Lending Library accepts donations of "zines made by and for feminist thinkers, activists, and fans, though they don't have to be 'grrrl zines' per se. Whether your zines were Xeroxed back in 1992 or just last month, we'd love to have them."
 |
| Bitch Community Lending Library is a donation site for Books to Patients PDX. Photo by the author of this blog |
In addition to items that you can take home with you, Bitch Community Lending Library has bins in which you can drop stuff off. Specifically, there is a plastic crate into which you can place books and other reading materials that will be donated to Books to Patients PDX. Books to Patients PDX is "a volunteer-run organization in Portland, Oregon, that provides donations of reading materials to people living with mental health issues in institutionalized settings because a book, at the right moment, can change a life - and everyone deserves access to books," states the organization in a flier posted above the donation crate. For more on Books to Patients PDX, whether you want additional information or would like to host or coordinate a donation side, contact the organization at BooksToPatientsPDX@gmail.com.
Bitch Community Lending Library is open Monday through Friday, from 9am to 5pm. Visits to the lending library are by appointment only; appointments can be made online, but it is still wise to call ahead (503-282-5699) in order to confirm your appointment before you arrive. If you wish to check out items from the lending library, all you need is a photo ID, which gets you ongoing membership. Members of Bitch Community Lending Library can take out five items at time over the course of a month. If you're curious about what the lending library holds, you can browse the collection's online catalog that is hosted by LibraryThing.com.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Tom Hiddleston Reads Erotic E. E. Cummings Poem
Tom Hiddleston has done it again. The handsome English actor of stage and screen, who is best known for playing "Loki" in the Thor and Avengers films for Marvel Studios, has once more set hearts aflutter and loins aflame.
In a highly sensual recording, Tom Hiddleston reads the erotic e. e. cummings poem "May I Feel Said He." The poem was originally published in cummings' 1935 collection of poetry, titled No Thanks. It is astounding that Hiddleston's recording of the incredibly sexy poem hasn't either broken the Internet or spontaneously, simultaneously gotten millions of women all over the world instantly pregnant.
You may listen to Tom Hiddleston read "May I Feel Said He" at this SoundCloud LINK. If you would like to know the words to this memorable poem, see below.
may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she
 |
| Tom Hiddleston, working his magic in the recording booth. GIF via wifflegif.com |
In a highly sensual recording, Tom Hiddleston reads the erotic e. e. cummings poem "May I Feel Said He." The poem was originally published in cummings' 1935 collection of poetry, titled No Thanks. It is astounding that Hiddleston's recording of the incredibly sexy poem hasn't either broken the Internet or spontaneously, simultaneously gotten millions of women all over the world instantly pregnant.
You may listen to Tom Hiddleston read "May I Feel Said He" at this SoundCloud LINK. If you would like to know the words to this memorable poem, see below.
may i feel said he
by e. e. cummings
may i feel said he
(i'll squeal said she
just once said he)
it's fun said she
(may i touch said he
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
how much said she
a lot said he)
why not said she
(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)
may i stay said he
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
(which way said she
like this said he
if you kiss said she
may i move said he
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she
is it love said she)
if you're willing said he
(but you're killing said she
but it's life said he
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
but your wife said she
now said he)
ow said she
(tiptop said he
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she
don't stop said she
oh no said he)
go slow said she
(cccome?said he
ummm said she)
you're divine! said he
(you are Mine said she)
ummm said she)
you're divine! said he
(you are Mine said she)
Manhattan's Dwindling Bookstore Landscape
Shortly after moving to New York in the late 1990s, I began to discover the city's bookstores, starting in the borough of Manhattan. I soon found my favorites.
I hung out south of 14th Street quite a bit, which meant I could often be found browsing in Spring Street Books and Rizzoli on West Broadway, both in SoHo. Farther up, in Greenwich Village, I'd poke around Posman Books on University Place, just off of Washington Square Park. North of 14th Street and walking westward, I would cross into the Chelsea neighborhood, which then was largely populated by gay men. I'd pass by The Gauntlet, a body piercing salon that was at the corner of 5th Avenue and 19th Street and was hugely popular with gay men in the S&M community, and turn the corner and go inside Revolution Books, a leftist bookstore on 19th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Leaving Revolution Books and walking farther west on 19th Street, I would come upon A Different Light, a multistory gay bookstore and event space. At A Different Light, a man in female drag would sometimes be working at the cash register, which - in my young eyes - was pretty radical and made the bookstore an even more special place to visit. But by far my most favorite bookstore at that time was Coliseum Books, a huge independent bookstore on the corner of 57th Street and Broadway, just south of Central Park. It took up much of the city block. You could spend hours in there, and each visit, you would come upon something new and interesting to read, and it was often priced affordably. (It was at Coliseum where I first discovered Bust.)
With the exception of Revolution Books, which in recent years has relocated to a smaller space on West 26th Street, none of these Manhattan bookstores are still in business. And far more have disappeared as well, including prime locations of the corporate behemoth Barnes & Noble, which closed a store on Astor Place in the East Village, two stores on 6th Avenue (in Greenwich Village and in Chelsea), and a store on upper Broadway by Lincoln Center in the years that I was in New York. The disappearance of so many bookstores in Manhattan is incredible to think about when you consider that the borough was once home to nearly 400 bookstores, many of them clustered along "Book Row" on 4th Avenue, just south of 14th Street. Last year, there were only 106 bookstores left in Manhattan, a decline of 21.4 percent over the course of the previous four years, according to Steven Melendez. Melendez mined city data to chronicle the last 60 years of Manhattan's bookstore landscape, and in doing so, he created a map illustrating the disheartening changes from 1950 to 2014.
You could blame the dwindling number of Manhattan bookstores on skyrocketing rents that have succeeded in pushing out even the big bookstores. You could also chalk it up to a change in people's reading habits and to changes in technology. Still, the steady decimation of the city's bookstore landscape is a shame when you think that, not that long ago, Manhattan was a book lover's mecca.
To read more about Steven Melendez charting the changing Manhattan bookstore landscape, see THIS LINK. For the map chronicling his findings, go to THIS LINK.
Addendum: Searching online for photos of long-disappeared Manhattan bookstores to use in this blog post, I was amazed at the difficulty of finding such photos and, as a result, was saddened by the realization that these bookstores can now only be seen in the mind's eye of people who were there.
 |
| The much-missed Coliseum Books at its original 57th Street location. Image via www2.ljworld.com |
I hung out south of 14th Street quite a bit, which meant I could often be found browsing in Spring Street Books and Rizzoli on West Broadway, both in SoHo. Farther up, in Greenwich Village, I'd poke around Posman Books on University Place, just off of Washington Square Park. North of 14th Street and walking westward, I would cross into the Chelsea neighborhood, which then was largely populated by gay men. I'd pass by The Gauntlet, a body piercing salon that was at the corner of 5th Avenue and 19th Street and was hugely popular with gay men in the S&M community, and turn the corner and go inside Revolution Books, a leftist bookstore on 19th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Leaving Revolution Books and walking farther west on 19th Street, I would come upon A Different Light, a multistory gay bookstore and event space. At A Different Light, a man in female drag would sometimes be working at the cash register, which - in my young eyes - was pretty radical and made the bookstore an even more special place to visit. But by far my most favorite bookstore at that time was Coliseum Books, a huge independent bookstore on the corner of 57th Street and Broadway, just south of Central Park. It took up much of the city block. You could spend hours in there, and each visit, you would come upon something new and interesting to read, and it was often priced affordably. (It was at Coliseum where I first discovered Bust.)
 |
| My bookmark from Coliseum Books. Image via the author of this blog |
With the exception of Revolution Books, which in recent years has relocated to a smaller space on West 26th Street, none of these Manhattan bookstores are still in business. And far more have disappeared as well, including prime locations of the corporate behemoth Barnes & Noble, which closed a store on Astor Place in the East Village, two stores on 6th Avenue (in Greenwich Village and in Chelsea), and a store on upper Broadway by Lincoln Center in the years that I was in New York. The disappearance of so many bookstores in Manhattan is incredible to think about when you consider that the borough was once home to nearly 400 bookstores, many of them clustered along "Book Row" on 4th Avenue, just south of 14th Street. Last year, there were only 106 bookstores left in Manhattan, a decline of 21.4 percent over the course of the previous four years, according to Steven Melendez. Melendez mined city data to chronicle the last 60 years of Manhattan's bookstore landscape, and in doing so, he created a map illustrating the disheartening changes from 1950 to 2014.
You could blame the dwindling number of Manhattan bookstores on skyrocketing rents that have succeeded in pushing out even the big bookstores. You could also chalk it up to a change in people's reading habits and to changes in technology. Still, the steady decimation of the city's bookstore landscape is a shame when you think that, not that long ago, Manhattan was a book lover's mecca.
To read more about Steven Melendez charting the changing Manhattan bookstore landscape, see THIS LINK. For the map chronicling his findings, go to THIS LINK.
Addendum: Searching online for photos of long-disappeared Manhattan bookstores to use in this blog post, I was amazed at the difficulty of finding such photos and, as a result, was saddened by the realization that these bookstores can now only be seen in the mind's eye of people who were there.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Kimya Dawson Sings Praises of the Library
The singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson is best known for being one half of the Moldy Peaches, an anti-folk musical group that recorded a string of quirky, catchy songs.
As a solo artist, Kimya Dawson has created equally memorable music. In 2011, she released the album Thunder Thighs. One song on the album, a collaboration with rap talent Aesop Rock, is a tribute to the local library. The song is titled, aptly enough, "The Library," and its chorus goes:
The library, the library
Is the perfect place for me,
The library, the library,
You can hang out all day and it doesn't cost a penny
The library, the library
It's such a big part of our community.
Dawson and Aesop Rock sound as if they had a great time making this song, and it's fun to listen to. To hear the complete song, click on the video below. If you're interested in reading the remainder of the lyrics for "The Library," see THIS LINK.
 |
| Kimya Dawson. Image via vimeo.com |
As a solo artist, Kimya Dawson has created equally memorable music. In 2011, she released the album Thunder Thighs. One song on the album, a collaboration with rap talent Aesop Rock, is a tribute to the local library. The song is titled, aptly enough, "The Library," and its chorus goes:
The library, the library
Is the perfect place for me,
The library, the library,
You can hang out all day and it doesn't cost a penny
The library, the library
It's such a big part of our community.
Dawson and Aesop Rock sound as if they had a great time making this song, and it's fun to listen to. To hear the complete song, click on the video below. If you're interested in reading the remainder of the lyrics for "The Library," see THIS LINK.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Bearded Librarians Celebrated in New Tumblr
If you take a good look around, you will notice that beards are back in a big way, especially with men under a certain age. On more than one occasion, I came to believe that a handsome young man was older than he actually was, thanks to the beard trend. Despite this bummer, I still love beards, and I gladly discovered that there is a new(ish) Tumblr that simply focuses on librarians who have beards.
Fittingly enough, this Tumblr is called Bearded Librarians, and it was started in 2014 by the mysteriously named "citygirllibrarian." The blog got off to a great start in its first month, with twenty-four posts featuring young and middle-aged, mostly white male librarians - all bearded - posing in a variety of settings. After that, it seems to have sputtered out, but it appears that citygirllibrarian is still accepting photo submissions for the Tumblr.
On the Tumblr's "Submit your beard" page, it makes it clear that the blog is "Pretty much library folks with beards." So submissions aren't limited to photos of bearded male librarians. Looking at the Tumblr's archive, it's apparent that two of the librarians featured are women: one is wearing a fake mustache and beard combo, while the other has fashioned a beard out of her own long hair.
The Bearded Librarians blog is definitely far from serious; it's a fun place to browse for beard lovers of any persuasion. If you would like to be featured on Bearded Librarians, or if you know someone whose beautifully bearded face would be a great addition to the Tumblr site, see THIS LINK to "Submit your beard."
Above photos via http://librarianbeards.tumblr.com.
On the Tumblr's "Submit your beard" page, it makes it clear that the blog is "Pretty much library folks with beards." So submissions aren't limited to photos of bearded male librarians. Looking at the Tumblr's archive, it's apparent that two of the librarians featured are women: one is wearing a fake mustache and beard combo, while the other has fashioned a beard out of her own long hair.
The Bearded Librarians blog is definitely far from serious; it's a fun place to browse for beard lovers of any persuasion. If you would like to be featured on Bearded Librarians, or if you know someone whose beautifully bearded face would be a great addition to the Tumblr site, see THIS LINK to "Submit your beard."
Above photos via http://librarianbeards.tumblr.com.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Barnard College's New Library Stirs Controversy
On many occasions, I have visited Barnard College Library on the Morningside Heights campus in New York City. The library is located within Lehman Hall, a four-story building with a below-ground level that formally opened in April 1960. Barnard College Library occupies the first three floors of Lehman Hall.
In 2013, the administration at Barnard College announced plans to demolish Lehman Hall and construct a new, state-of-the-art facility in its place. What would these plans mean for the college library? Faculty and staff at Barnard College Library didn't know for certain until a faculty meeting held just weeks before Christmas, on December 2, 2014.
Prior to the December 2 meeting, faculty and staff at Barnard College Library were informed by email about the resignation of Lisa Norberg, who had been the Dean of Barnard Library and Information Services since 2010. Staff at the Columbia Spectator, the campus newspaper for Columbia University, obtained a copy of the November 21 email, which stated Norberg "will be leaving the College on December 31st of this year to devote her full attention to the launch of an exciting non-profit venture focused on Open-Access Network." News of Norberg's resignation did not bode well for the future of Barnard College Library in relation to plans for the new facility.
Indeed, at the December 2 meeting, Barnard library's faculty and staff learned that the layout of the new Teaching and Learning Center would require the removal of 40,000 books from Barnard's on-site collections. Also, the amount of space allocated for the library in the Teaching and Learning Center would be minimized. Barnard library's faculty and staff were largely left out of the planning process for the new library. (One anonymous staffer said "they weren't listened to" and, in fact, were "shut down and gagged.") At the December 2 faculty meeting, they were merely informed by Barnard president Deborah Spar about the administration's plans for the new library, according to the Columbia Spectator.
Barnard library's faculty and staff expressed great dissatisfaction over the administration's actions, citing "reducing the library's collection from 200,000 to 160,000 books, minimizing the space of the library in the new building, and a lack of transparency in the planning process" as their three main areas of concern, reported the Columbia Spectator. In regard to the removal of 40,000 books from the library's collection, faculty and staff were told by Spar at the December 2 meeting "that the size of the new library won't allow for new acquisitions to be added in the future." (Another anonymous source refuted this claim, saying, "That's actually not true. There's not much growth space, but we'll still acquire new books.") Speaking to the Columbia Spectator, an anonymous library staff member said, "We are a very small library, but our books circulate a lot. The impact of not having those books accessible is big."
The Columbia Spectator stated, "Of Barnard's 198,000 current volumes, 20,000 that are unique to Barnard's library will be stored at Columbia libraries during the construction of the new library, and the rest will be in storage" at an off-site facility. Many faculty and staff believe that such a move is in direct conflict with Barnard College's mission. "How are we conceptualizing the role of the library as it relates to the mission of the college? Twenty-first-century colleges are made up of all kinds of media - that's a fact and that's, generally speaking, a good thing - but I think the concern really has to do with what the balance is of different kinds of resources for an institution like ours and what are the criteria that are being used to decide how that balance is being established for us?" Elizabeth Castelli, Ann Whitney Olin professor of religion at Barnard, told the Columbia Spectator.
Barnard's new Teaching and Learning Center will be designed by architectural firm Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill LLP. The new facility will contain conference spaces, classrooms, labs, study and dining areas, a cafe, and the library. "When you look at the design of the building and the first thing you see is the Athena Center and the cafe, it in fact has usurped the mission of the college, which is for critical thinking and the production of knowledge," an anonymous faculty member at Barnard told the Columbia Spectator.
Frustrated at not being listened to during the decision-making process for the new library, Barnard College Library's faculty and staff have made their voices heard in other ways. On December 8, 2014, the same day that the Columbia Spectator revealed plans for the new library and its place within the Teaching and Learning Center, concerned parties vented on social media. In response to one library staff member sharing the Columbia Spectator article on Facebook, one obviously exasperated commentor said:
"As a sign o' the times for academic institutions generally, it is wildly depressing that the plan puts the cafe and the bullshit Athena Center front and center. Especially in light of Barnard's ongoing efforts to hide and downsize those unfeminine STEM fields. The library is the lab for humanities scholars, but I guess the humanities aren't a Barnard thing. And math and science are too hard for Barnard women. So that leaves them with what? Lattes and 'leadership studies.' Leadership of what? No actual content required..."
Echoing this sentiment, another commentor said:
"Part of the whole national trend to turn the library into a student center and downplay the information resources. Everyone is seeing library spaces shifting rapidly into something that doesn't resemble a library."
Employees of Barnard's library articulated their concerns and advocated for the library and for themselves in an op-ed piece published in the Columbia Spectator on December 29, 2014. The piece, titled "People Over Paper in Barnard's Library," was penned by Jenna Freedman, Michael Diggs, Vani Natarajan, Martha Tenney, Alexis Seeley, and Nick Wolven, all of whom are Barnard Library & Academic Information Services (BLAIS) staff representing the archives, collection services, IMATS (Instructional Media & Technology Services), the Personal Library program, and the zine library at Barnard College Library.
In the op-ed piece, these BLAIS staff members state, among other things, that:
"A library's worth is not based solely on its book collection. Despite its compact size, our collection has the second highest circulation in Columbia. Our little collection is carefully curated by thoughtful and knowledgeable librarians. Areas of specialization include women's studies, dance, lesbian genre fiction, LGBTQ young adult books, and works supporting First Year English.
"Our offerings and accomplishments are not sad, but mad impressive. The spaces and physical resources are important mostly in that they aid us in supporting the liberal arts mission of Barnard College. Our staff is small, but we achieve a lot through collaboration with each other, students, faculty, and campus units. Our vision for the new library is one in which these collaborations can flourish, one that represents all the strengths of BLAIS."
This Columbia Spectator article was also shared through social media, including Twitter. On Twitter, the response to the op-ed piece was ample:
Let's hope the administration at Barnard College reconsiders its plans for the new Barnard College Library. The campus library is an indispensable resource for any college or university. To recognize it as such, and to respect the library faculty and staff who strive every day to make it an indispensable resource, is necessary in order to fully serve scholars on campus and off well into the future.
For additional information on the plans for the Barnard College Library, go HERE, HERE, and HERE. For more on the new Teaching and Learning Center, go HERE. To read the complete Columbia Spectator op-ed article by BLAIS staff, see THIS LINK.
 |
| Barnard College Library is housed in Lehman Hall, seen here. Image via midcenturymundane.wordpress.com |
In 2013, the administration at Barnard College announced plans to demolish Lehman Hall and construct a new, state-of-the-art facility in its place. What would these plans mean for the college library? Faculty and staff at Barnard College Library didn't know for certain until a faculty meeting held just weeks before Christmas, on December 2, 2014.
Prior to the December 2 meeting, faculty and staff at Barnard College Library were informed by email about the resignation of Lisa Norberg, who had been the Dean of Barnard Library and Information Services since 2010. Staff at the Columbia Spectator, the campus newspaper for Columbia University, obtained a copy of the November 21 email, which stated Norberg "will be leaving the College on December 31st of this year to devote her full attention to the launch of an exciting non-profit venture focused on Open-Access Network." News of Norberg's resignation did not bode well for the future of Barnard College Library in relation to plans for the new facility.
Indeed, at the December 2 meeting, Barnard library's faculty and staff learned that the layout of the new Teaching and Learning Center would require the removal of 40,000 books from Barnard's on-site collections. Also, the amount of space allocated for the library in the Teaching and Learning Center would be minimized. Barnard library's faculty and staff were largely left out of the planning process for the new library. (One anonymous staffer said "they weren't listened to" and, in fact, were "shut down and gagged.") At the December 2 faculty meeting, they were merely informed by Barnard president Deborah Spar about the administration's plans for the new library, according to the Columbia Spectator.
Barnard library's faculty and staff expressed great dissatisfaction over the administration's actions, citing "reducing the library's collection from 200,000 to 160,000 books, minimizing the space of the library in the new building, and a lack of transparency in the planning process" as their three main areas of concern, reported the Columbia Spectator. In regard to the removal of 40,000 books from the library's collection, faculty and staff were told by Spar at the December 2 meeting "that the size of the new library won't allow for new acquisitions to be added in the future." (Another anonymous source refuted this claim, saying, "That's actually not true. There's not much growth space, but we'll still acquire new books.") Speaking to the Columbia Spectator, an anonymous library staff member said, "We are a very small library, but our books circulate a lot. The impact of not having those books accessible is big."
The Columbia Spectator stated, "Of Barnard's 198,000 current volumes, 20,000 that are unique to Barnard's library will be stored at Columbia libraries during the construction of the new library, and the rest will be in storage" at an off-site facility. Many faculty and staff believe that such a move is in direct conflict with Barnard College's mission. "How are we conceptualizing the role of the library as it relates to the mission of the college? Twenty-first-century colleges are made up of all kinds of media - that's a fact and that's, generally speaking, a good thing - but I think the concern really has to do with what the balance is of different kinds of resources for an institution like ours and what are the criteria that are being used to decide how that balance is being established for us?" Elizabeth Castelli, Ann Whitney Olin professor of religion at Barnard, told the Columbia Spectator.
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| Via the Columbia Spectator |
Barnard's new Teaching and Learning Center will be designed by architectural firm Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill LLP. The new facility will contain conference spaces, classrooms, labs, study and dining areas, a cafe, and the library. "When you look at the design of the building and the first thing you see is the Athena Center and the cafe, it in fact has usurped the mission of the college, which is for critical thinking and the production of knowledge," an anonymous faculty member at Barnard told the Columbia Spectator.
Frustrated at not being listened to during the decision-making process for the new library, Barnard College Library's faculty and staff have made their voices heard in other ways. On December 8, 2014, the same day that the Columbia Spectator revealed plans for the new library and its place within the Teaching and Learning Center, concerned parties vented on social media. In response to one library staff member sharing the Columbia Spectator article on Facebook, one obviously exasperated commentor said:
"As a sign o' the times for academic institutions generally, it is wildly depressing that the plan puts the cafe and the bullshit Athena Center front and center. Especially in light of Barnard's ongoing efforts to hide and downsize those unfeminine STEM fields. The library is the lab for humanities scholars, but I guess the humanities aren't a Barnard thing. And math and science are too hard for Barnard women. So that leaves them with what? Lattes and 'leadership studies.' Leadership of what? No actual content required..."
Echoing this sentiment, another commentor said:
"Part of the whole national trend to turn the library into a student center and downplay the information resources. Everyone is seeing library spaces shifting rapidly into something that doesn't resemble a library."
Employees of Barnard's library articulated their concerns and advocated for the library and for themselves in an op-ed piece published in the Columbia Spectator on December 29, 2014. The piece, titled "People Over Paper in Barnard's Library," was penned by Jenna Freedman, Michael Diggs, Vani Natarajan, Martha Tenney, Alexis Seeley, and Nick Wolven, all of whom are Barnard Library & Academic Information Services (BLAIS) staff representing the archives, collection services, IMATS (Instructional Media & Technology Services), the Personal Library program, and the zine library at Barnard College Library.
In the op-ed piece, these BLAIS staff members state, among other things, that:
"A library's worth is not based solely on its book collection. Despite its compact size, our collection has the second highest circulation in Columbia. Our little collection is carefully curated by thoughtful and knowledgeable librarians. Areas of specialization include women's studies, dance, lesbian genre fiction, LGBTQ young adult books, and works supporting First Year English.
"Our offerings and accomplishments are not sad, but mad impressive. The spaces and physical resources are important mostly in that they aid us in supporting the liberal arts mission of Barnard College. Our staff is small, but we achieve a lot through collaboration with each other, students, faculty, and campus units. Our vision for the new library is one in which these collaborations can flourish, one that represents all the strengths of BLAIS."
This Columbia Spectator article was also shared through social media, including Twitter. On Twitter, the response to the op-ed piece was ample:
Let's hope the administration at Barnard College reconsiders its plans for the new Barnard College Library. The campus library is an indispensable resource for any college or university. To recognize it as such, and to respect the library faculty and staff who strive every day to make it an indispensable resource, is necessary in order to fully serve scholars on campus and off well into the future.
For additional information on the plans for the Barnard College Library, go HERE, HERE, and HERE. For more on the new Teaching and Learning Center, go HERE. To read the complete Columbia Spectator op-ed article by BLAIS staff, see THIS LINK.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Susan Sarandon Reads "Goodnight Moon"
I have been a big fan of the actress Susan Sarandon ever since I watched the 1991 road movie (and feminist classic) "Thelma & Louise" during my formative years.
Every film I've seen of hers since then has solidified my opinion of Sarandon as a bold actress who makes fierce, feminist choices when it comes to selecting roles. I also admire her outspokenness when it comes to political causes she believes in. She has always come across as someone who is very much her own person.
In addition to being an outspoken political activist and an actress with impressive career longevity, Susan Sarandon is also an excellent narrator of classic children's books. In a soothing voice, Sarandon has been recorded reading with tender emotion the 1947 children's picture book Goodnight Moon.
Authored by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd, Goodnight Moon is a brief bedtime story, written in rhyme, in which familiar household objects, animals, and people populating a dimly lit bedroom at nighttime are said good-night to by a small, soon-to-be-sleeping child.
Since its publication in 1947, Goodnight Moon has become one of the best-loved children's books worldwide. It was listed among the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time, according to a poll by School Library Journal, and it was named one of the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" in a poll by the National Education Association. Goodnight Moon has been published in more than 10 languages, including Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Catalan, and Hebrew. It's easy to visualize parents the world over reading this classic to little ones tucked in for the night.
Listen to Susan Sarandon sweetly reading Goodnight Moon in an animated version of the classic children's book seen in the video below.
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| Susan Sarandon: Actress, activist, and narrator of classic children's books. Image via the interwebs |
Every film I've seen of hers since then has solidified my opinion of Sarandon as a bold actress who makes fierce, feminist choices when it comes to selecting roles. I also admire her outspokenness when it comes to political causes she believes in. She has always come across as someone who is very much her own person.
In addition to being an outspoken political activist and an actress with impressive career longevity, Susan Sarandon is also an excellent narrator of classic children's books. In a soothing voice, Sarandon has been recorded reading with tender emotion the 1947 children's picture book Goodnight Moon.
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| Image via Wikipedia |
Authored by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd, Goodnight Moon is a brief bedtime story, written in rhyme, in which familiar household objects, animals, and people populating a dimly lit bedroom at nighttime are said good-night to by a small, soon-to-be-sleeping child.
Since its publication in 1947, Goodnight Moon has become one of the best-loved children's books worldwide. It was listed among the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time, according to a poll by School Library Journal, and it was named one of the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" in a poll by the National Education Association. Goodnight Moon has been published in more than 10 languages, including Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Catalan, and Hebrew. It's easy to visualize parents the world over reading this classic to little ones tucked in for the night.
Listen to Susan Sarandon sweetly reading Goodnight Moon in an animated version of the classic children's book seen in the video below.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Show Your Support for Seattle's Left Bank Books
Founded in 1973 by a small collective, Left Bank Books has been a longtime fixture in Seattle's radical community. Situated in the city's famous Pike Place Market, the independent bookstore is open to anyone seeking reading material of all kinds, from small press books to fiction to cookbooks to pamphlets to zines.
Left Bank Books is collectively run and worker-controlled, and it is largely staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers. The handful of paid workers - a core staff of approximately six members - handle a range of responsibilities, including lease negotiating, bookkeeping, ordering, marketing, general store maintenance, and volunteer coordination, all while earning low wages. For paid staff members and volunteer workers alike, running Left Bank Books is truly a labor of love.
This independent bookstore in Seattle has recently embarked on an Indiegogo fundraising campaign, not necessarily because it needs saving. "We are not asking you to save us," Left Bank Books expressly states on its Indiegogo page. "We ask you to help us continue to thrive and to grow in four new directions." What new directions might this be? According to Left Bank Books:
1) "We want to establish an easy-to-use and efficient online ordering system for our customers. This means we need to invest in technology upgrades to computerize our entire inventory so we can get books and goods to you quickly."
2) "We want to expand our publishing of both reprints and original materials." In addition to being an independent bookstore, Left Bank is also a small publisher.
3) "We want to keep our shelves stocked with the best and most interesting books you could hope to find!"
4) "We want to continue our long-standing sponsorship of the Books-to-Prisoners Project, which answers thousands of requests from prisoners throughout the U.S. They receive donated books for free, but our postage costs have gotten higher."
To accomplish these goals, Left Bank Books is admittedly setting its sights high, hoping to raise $50,000 between now and the final day of the fundraiser, which for now is January 19, 2015. With twenty-one days left in the Indiegogo campaign, Left Bank Books has raised $4,517 toward its ultimate goal.
If you would like to help Left Bank Books "continue to thrive and to grow," give to its Indiegogo campaign at THIS LINK. If you're traveling to Seattle, or if you're in the Seattle area, stop by Left Bank Books in Pike Place Market at 92 Pike Street. Its hours are 10am to 7pm Monday through Saturday, and 11am to 6pm on Sunday. Support independent bookstores!
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| Left Bank Books, located in Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. Image via Left Bank Books' Facebook page |
Left Bank Books is collectively run and worker-controlled, and it is largely staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers. The handful of paid workers - a core staff of approximately six members - handle a range of responsibilities, including lease negotiating, bookkeeping, ordering, marketing, general store maintenance, and volunteer coordination, all while earning low wages. For paid staff members and volunteer workers alike, running Left Bank Books is truly a labor of love.
 |
| Inside Seattle's Left Bank Books. Image by Melissa Dex Guzman/Flickr |
This independent bookstore in Seattle has recently embarked on an Indiegogo fundraising campaign, not necessarily because it needs saving. "We are not asking you to save us," Left Bank Books expressly states on its Indiegogo page. "We ask you to help us continue to thrive and to grow in four new directions." What new directions might this be? According to Left Bank Books:
1) "We want to establish an easy-to-use and efficient online ordering system for our customers. This means we need to invest in technology upgrades to computerize our entire inventory so we can get books and goods to you quickly."
2) "We want to expand our publishing of both reprints and original materials." In addition to being an independent bookstore, Left Bank is also a small publisher.
3) "We want to keep our shelves stocked with the best and most interesting books you could hope to find!"
4) "We want to continue our long-standing sponsorship of the Books-to-Prisoners Project, which answers thousands of requests from prisoners throughout the U.S. They receive donated books for free, but our postage costs have gotten higher."
To accomplish these goals, Left Bank Books is admittedly setting its sights high, hoping to raise $50,000 between now and the final day of the fundraiser, which for now is January 19, 2015. With twenty-one days left in the Indiegogo campaign, Left Bank Books has raised $4,517 toward its ultimate goal.
If you would like to help Left Bank Books "continue to thrive and to grow," give to its Indiegogo campaign at THIS LINK. If you're traveling to Seattle, or if you're in the Seattle area, stop by Left Bank Books in Pike Place Market at 92 Pike Street. Its hours are 10am to 7pm Monday through Saturday, and 11am to 6pm on Sunday. Support independent bookstores!
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
In Other Words: Portland's Feminist Bookstore
You've seen the popular "Portlandia" sketches featuring Women
and Women First, the feminist bookstore that a random assortment of
people wander into and encounter Toni (Carrie Brownstein) and Candace (Fred Armisen), the unsmiling owners who deliver their own brand of usually unhelpful customer service.
What many viewers of "Portlandia" may not realize is that Women and Women First is an actual bookstore in Portland, although "Women and Women First" is not the store's real name. Its real name is In Other Words, and it's been serving as a bookstore, meeting place, and more for Portland, Oregon's feminist community since 1993. Shortly after I moved to Portland, I decided to stop by for a visit.
In Other Words is located at 14 NE Killingsworth Street in North Portland. Because I was coming from a different part of the city, and because I was relying on public transportation, I found the bookstore slightly inconvenient to get to. The nearest station is the N. Killingsworth Street stop on the MAX (light rail) Yellow Line. From the station, you walk three blocks, cross an overpass, and then walk another 13 to 14 blocks to reach the bookstore. However, I should say that if you have time to spare, it's better to wait for the number 72 bus on N. Killingsworth, just across the street from the MAX station; the bus goes past In Other Words.
Arriving at In Other Words, I smiled at seeing the facade that should be familiar to all viewers of "Portlandia." It was a beautiful and warm fall afternoon, and the late-day sun reflected brightly off of the bookstore's many shiny windows. Painted prominently on the larger windows was the rallying cry "All Women Unite!" and a trio of women's symbols, each symbol containing a raised, clenched fist.
Walking through the front door, I was immediately struck by how bright and spacious In Other Words is. I also quickly realized that In Other Words is much, much more than a bookstore. To the immediate left of the front entrance is a long table that is set up for arts and crafts activities; indeed, next to the table are stackable bins brimming with craft supplies. And next to the crafts table is a Kids' Corner, complete with a shelf full of brightly colored toys and a big, fluffy, stuffed toy bear propped on a short chair. So, in addition to being a bookstore, In Other Words is also a crafting space and a place that small children can enjoy.
Also just inside the door is a tall display of books advertised, by a hand-drawn sign, as being "Hot Off the Press." On the top tier of the display are all products tied in to the "Portlandia" TV show: The Portlandia Activity Book (with a bird on the front) by Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein and Jonathan Krisel; the Portlandia Season One DVD; and Portlandia: A Guide for Visitors by Armisen and Brownstein. I really can't fault In Other Words for capitalizing on the Portlandia connection; I'm sure many people outside of Portland wouldn't know about the feminist center if it weren't for the top-rated IFC show. I even had one friend ask me, after I said I had visited In Other Words, "Is that a real bookstore?!?" So if I were the owners of In Other Words, I would totally play up that connection if it meant further boosting my profile and bringing in more customers.
Just beyond the display of books "Hot Off the Press" is shelving that holds row upon row of zines. Being a fan of zines, I moved in for a closer look. I was happy to see zines by women of color and also zines I had never seen before. Especially impressive to me was the inclusion of OP: Original Plumbing, which has the tagline "Trans Male Quarterly." Flipping through it, I was amazed at how far the conversation about and the representation of trans people have come in the past twenty years. It was refreshing to see the self-representation of trans males in its pages, and it was also revolutionary (and admittedly, titillating) to see trans male centerfolds offered up for the OP reader's gaze.
Walking away from the zines, I noticed - artfully arranged on brightly painted, stand-alone displays - jewelry, buttons, trinkets, balms, and more produced by local artisans. So not only is In Other Words a crafting center, a place for kids, a bookstore, and a zine store; it is also a boutique. I saw an impressively extensive selection of unique, carefully made pieces, including delicate earrings and long necklaces, that would make perfect gifts. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for a significant other, or if you're shopping for a lovely little something for yourself, I'd recommend checking out In Other Words' boutique-quality offerings.
After much browsing, I finally made my way toward the back of In Other Words, where the bulk of the books are. Signs just above the rear half of the space point toward a bookstore on the left and a lending library on the right.
Yes, In Other Words, in addition to being a crafting center, a place for kids, a zine store, a boutique, and a bookstore, is also a lending library. Talking about the lending library, In Other Words says on its website:
"[We have made] literature accessible though the creation of a free lending library. Our library is a free resource that enables everyone to find radical books and zines and enables us to further our mission of supporting education. In times of economic hardship, libraries are crucial institutions to ensuring access to literature, and a library that is specialized is even more of an asset because it ensures that those materials include work from and for underrepresented and marginalized groups. You can see what books have in our collection online on our Library Thing page, or come in anytime we are open to browse our shelves and check out books."
According to a sign on one of the shelves of the lending library, patrons "can check out three or fewer items at a time for up to three weeks. If they are returned overdue, expect a small late fee. Due date reminders arrive via email. Patrons can renew items over the phone or in person. After hours, items can be returned through the mail slot in our front door."
The area of In Other Words that contains the lending library and the bookstore section also has a welcoming setup of soft-looking purple couches and other seating available for those who would like to sit and read a while.
In the far rear, left-hand corner of In Other Words is a feminist archives, which to me was an amazing discovery. In Other Words' website makes little mention of the archives, and I believe if you hadn't visited the store (and wandered to the back), you would never know that the feminist archives was there. Granted, it's a small collection, but I still think it's noteworthy.
Items in the archives are kept in a tall metal filing cabinet, and hanging above the cabinet is a row of T-shirts that appear to be relics of the Second Wave feminist movement. Placed above the T-shirts is a hand-painted banner that designates that corner of the center as the "Feminist Archives." A sign on the filing cabinet encourages visitors to "Browse Our Archives." The sign further says:
"In Other Words' archives were donated by a local feminist and PSU professor. After sitting in storage for years, they are finally available for public use. Please feel free to look through any items you'd like; we just ask that you handle with care. A listing of the collection's contents is located in the top drawer. Contents are cataloged by file drawer and folder. Please take a place holder to mark the place of any items you remove. Archive items cannot leave In Other Words. Enjoy!"
Crafting center. A place for kids. Zine store. Boutique. Bookstore. Lending library. Feminist archives. What else could In Other Words be? How about an art gallery? Adjacent to the feminist archives is wall space dedicated to the display of artwork. Local artists can show their work here.
It should also be noted that a pull-down projection screen is mounted on the wall above where the art is displayed. In Other Words hosts film screenings as well. In the past year, In Other Words has shown the 2013 documentary "After Tiller," which focuses on the current climate of abortion access in the U.S., and the 2013 documentary "Guarda Bosques" ("Forest Keepers"), about an indigenous community of hunter-gatherers in the Ugandan rainforests who fight to protect their way of life. In Other Words has also partnered with Clinton Street Theater for film events titled "reel feminism!" that are followed by panel discussions.
I was still browsing In Other Words as the feminist community space was closing for the day. Its regular hours are noon to 7pm Tuesday through Saturday; it's closed on Sundays and Mondays. As I walked to the front of the store to pay for my handful of items, I saw three young women behind the counter. One was obviously a new volunteer - In Other Words is almost entirely run by volunteers - and she was being instructed on how to ring up purchases. Among my first jobs were cashier positions, so I sympathized and was smiley and chatty with all three as I patiently waited for the newbie to carry out the transaction. All three volunteers at In Other Words that day were extremely pleasant and easy to talk to, and they seemed to genuinely appreciate my business. I'll definitely return.
If you're lucky enough to live near In Other Words, I hope you are a regular customer and familiar supporter of this feminist community space. If, like me, you aren't within short traveling distance, I still encourage you to visit; it's more than worth the trip. And if you're arriving from out of town and are a fan of "Portlandia" who's curious about where the "Women and Women First" skits are filmed, by all means drop by and buy something with a bird on it and other great items that In Other Words has. Support feminist spaces! Support In Other Words!
Follow In Other Words on Twitter at THIS LINK and on Facebook at THIS LINK.
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| Toni and Candace of Women and Women First feminist bookstore on IFC's "Portlandia." Image by IFC via www.fastcocreate.com |
What many viewers of "Portlandia" may not realize is that Women and Women First is an actual bookstore in Portland, although "Women and Women First" is not the store's real name. Its real name is In Other Words, and it's been serving as a bookstore, meeting place, and more for Portland, Oregon's feminist community since 1993. Shortly after I moved to Portland, I decided to stop by for a visit.
 |
| In Other Words Feminist Community Center. Photo by Gina Murrell |
In Other Words is located at 14 NE Killingsworth Street in North Portland. Because I was coming from a different part of the city, and because I was relying on public transportation, I found the bookstore slightly inconvenient to get to. The nearest station is the N. Killingsworth Street stop on the MAX (light rail) Yellow Line. From the station, you walk three blocks, cross an overpass, and then walk another 13 to 14 blocks to reach the bookstore. However, I should say that if you have time to spare, it's better to wait for the number 72 bus on N. Killingsworth, just across the street from the MAX station; the bus goes past In Other Words.
Arriving at In Other Words, I smiled at seeing the facade that should be familiar to all viewers of "Portlandia." It was a beautiful and warm fall afternoon, and the late-day sun reflected brightly off of the bookstore's many shiny windows. Painted prominently on the larger windows was the rallying cry "All Women Unite!" and a trio of women's symbols, each symbol containing a raised, clenched fist.
 |
| The view of In Other Words from the front entrance. Photo by Gina Murrell |
Walking through the front door, I was immediately struck by how bright and spacious In Other Words is. I also quickly realized that In Other Words is much, much more than a bookstore. To the immediate left of the front entrance is a long table that is set up for arts and crafts activities; indeed, next to the table are stackable bins brimming with craft supplies. And next to the crafts table is a Kids' Corner, complete with a shelf full of brightly colored toys and a big, fluffy, stuffed toy bear propped on a short chair. So, in addition to being a bookstore, In Other Words is also a crafting space and a place that small children can enjoy.
 |
| A prominent display of books "hot off the press." Photo by Gina Murrell |
Also just inside the door is a tall display of books advertised, by a hand-drawn sign, as being "Hot Off the Press." On the top tier of the display are all products tied in to the "Portlandia" TV show: The Portlandia Activity Book (with a bird on the front) by Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein and Jonathan Krisel; the Portlandia Season One DVD; and Portlandia: A Guide for Visitors by Armisen and Brownstein. I really can't fault In Other Words for capitalizing on the Portlandia connection; I'm sure many people outside of Portland wouldn't know about the feminist center if it weren't for the top-rated IFC show. I even had one friend ask me, after I said I had visited In Other Words, "Is that a real bookstore?!?" So if I were the owners of In Other Words, I would totally play up that connection if it meant further boosting my profile and bringing in more customers.
 |
| An impressive selection of zines at In Other Words. Photo by Gina Murrell |
Just beyond the display of books "Hot Off the Press" is shelving that holds row upon row of zines. Being a fan of zines, I moved in for a closer look. I was happy to see zines by women of color and also zines I had never seen before. Especially impressive to me was the inclusion of OP: Original Plumbing, which has the tagline "Trans Male Quarterly." Flipping through it, I was amazed at how far the conversation about and the representation of trans people have come in the past twenty years. It was refreshing to see the self-representation of trans males in its pages, and it was also revolutionary (and admittedly, titillating) to see trans male centerfolds offered up for the OP reader's gaze.
Walking away from the zines, I noticed - artfully arranged on brightly painted, stand-alone displays - jewelry, buttons, trinkets, balms, and more produced by local artisans. So not only is In Other Words a crafting center, a place for kids, a bookstore, and a zine store; it is also a boutique. I saw an impressively extensive selection of unique, carefully made pieces, including delicate earrings and long necklaces, that would make perfect gifts. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for a significant other, or if you're shopping for a lovely little something for yourself, I'd recommend checking out In Other Words' boutique-quality offerings.
 |
| Earrings and other unique gift items for sale at In Other Words. Photo by Gina Murrell |
After much browsing, I finally made my way toward the back of In Other Words, where the bulk of the books are. Signs just above the rear half of the space point toward a bookstore on the left and a lending library on the right.
 |
| In Other Words' vast lending library. Photo by Gina Murrell |
Yes, In Other Words, in addition to being a crafting center, a place for kids, a zine store, a boutique, and a bookstore, is also a lending library. Talking about the lending library, In Other Words says on its website:
"[We have made] literature accessible though the creation of a free lending library. Our library is a free resource that enables everyone to find radical books and zines and enables us to further our mission of supporting education. In times of economic hardship, libraries are crucial institutions to ensuring access to literature, and a library that is specialized is even more of an asset because it ensures that those materials include work from and for underrepresented and marginalized groups. You can see what books have in our collection online on our Library Thing page, or come in anytime we are open to browse our shelves and check out books."
According to a sign on one of the shelves of the lending library, patrons "can check out three or fewer items at a time for up to three weeks. If they are returned overdue, expect a small late fee. Due date reminders arrive via email. Patrons can renew items over the phone or in person. After hours, items can be returned through the mail slot in our front door."
The area of In Other Words that contains the lending library and the bookstore section also has a welcoming setup of soft-looking purple couches and other seating available for those who would like to sit and read a while.
 |
| A cozy setup for readers at In Other Words. Photo by Gina Murrell |
In the far rear, left-hand corner of In Other Words is a feminist archives, which to me was an amazing discovery. In Other Words' website makes little mention of the archives, and I believe if you hadn't visited the store (and wandered to the back), you would never know that the feminist archives was there. Granted, it's a small collection, but I still think it's noteworthy.
 |
| The Feminist Archives, accessible to all, at In Other Words. Photo by Gina Murrell |
Items in the archives are kept in a tall metal filing cabinet, and hanging above the cabinet is a row of T-shirts that appear to be relics of the Second Wave feminist movement. Placed above the T-shirts is a hand-painted banner that designates that corner of the center as the "Feminist Archives." A sign on the filing cabinet encourages visitors to "Browse Our Archives." The sign further says:
"In Other Words' archives were donated by a local feminist and PSU professor. After sitting in storage for years, they are finally available for public use. Please feel free to look through any items you'd like; we just ask that you handle with care. A listing of the collection's contents is located in the top drawer. Contents are cataloged by file drawer and folder. Please take a place holder to mark the place of any items you remove. Archive items cannot leave In Other Words. Enjoy!"
Crafting center. A place for kids. Zine store. Boutique. Bookstore. Lending library. Feminist archives. What else could In Other Words be? How about an art gallery? Adjacent to the feminist archives is wall space dedicated to the display of artwork. Local artists can show their work here.
 |
| In Other Words is also a gallery space for local artists. Photo by Gina Murrell |
It should also be noted that a pull-down projection screen is mounted on the wall above where the art is displayed. In Other Words hosts film screenings as well. In the past year, In Other Words has shown the 2013 documentary "After Tiller," which focuses on the current climate of abortion access in the U.S., and the 2013 documentary "Guarda Bosques" ("Forest Keepers"), about an indigenous community of hunter-gatherers in the Ugandan rainforests who fight to protect their way of life. In Other Words has also partnered with Clinton Street Theater for film events titled "reel feminism!" that are followed by panel discussions.
I was still browsing In Other Words as the feminist community space was closing for the day. Its regular hours are noon to 7pm Tuesday through Saturday; it's closed on Sundays and Mondays. As I walked to the front of the store to pay for my handful of items, I saw three young women behind the counter. One was obviously a new volunteer - In Other Words is almost entirely run by volunteers - and she was being instructed on how to ring up purchases. Among my first jobs were cashier positions, so I sympathized and was smiley and chatty with all three as I patiently waited for the newbie to carry out the transaction. All three volunteers at In Other Words that day were extremely pleasant and easy to talk to, and they seemed to genuinely appreciate my business. I'll definitely return.
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| Looking out at N. Killingsworth Street from the front windows of In Other Words. Photo by Gina Murrell |
If you're lucky enough to live near In Other Words, I hope you are a regular customer and familiar supporter of this feminist community space. If, like me, you aren't within short traveling distance, I still encourage you to visit; it's more than worth the trip. And if you're arriving from out of town and are a fan of "Portlandia" who's curious about where the "Women and Women First" skits are filmed, by all means drop by and buy something with a bird on it and other great items that In Other Words has. Support feminist spaces! Support In Other Words!
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