Books Take to the Streets

[Dave Monroe]

Occupy Wall Street Library

7/29: Books Take to the Streets: a book bloc workshop

Books have become a key icon of recent uprisings and social movements.
Last fall, libraries—like the People's Library of Occupy Wall
Street—popped up at every occupation. In November at UC-Berkeley, when
the tents were cleared from Occupy Cal, students filled a plaza with
books spread open on their faces, accompanied by signs that read,
"These are our new tents!" And in February in Valencia, Spain,
protesting students brandished books at the police in an action called
"Books against Nightsticks." Perhaps the most striking example of such
deployment of books has been the Book Bloc—phalanxes of protesters
hoisting large shields against lines of riot police, each emblazoned
with the cover of a book. Book Blocs first appeared in Italy in 2010,
and since then they have made their way to London, Spain, California,
New York and beyond.

For this workshop, we will supply the materials and instructions to
make our own book shields. Members of Occupy CUNY and librarians from
the People's Library will be on hand to talk about the history of the
Book Bloc and spark conversation about the tactical and symbolic uses
of books. Participants are encouraged to drop in for the workshop
anytime between 2-5pm.

[note ATD]

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/551102_397648703632120_952076940_n.jpg

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=397648703632120&set=a.216556918407967.56769.215569408506718

Thanks, Christine Karatnytsky!