The Itinerant Poetry Librarian

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:57:00 +0000

"When I write, I aim in my mind not toward New York but toward a vague spot a little to the east of Kansas. I think of the books on library shelves, without their jackets, years old, and a countryish teenaged boy finding them, and having them speak to him."

R.I.P. John Updike, 18 March 1932 – 27 January 2009

Bibliothek 5.0

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:18:00 +0000

Don't forget!

Heute, Dienstag Nov. 04, Die Kassette cafe, Demmering Str. 23, 17:00–22:00 hrs
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/wherelibrary6

Mittwoch Nov 05, Schriebmaschinen cafe, Gutsmuthsstraße 47, 20:00-24:00 hrs
http://tinyurl.com/wherelibrary8
NOTE After consultation with our beautiful leftbankish Schriebmaschinen VPLs we've extended our every Wednesday hours until Midnight [ah, the witching hour...wha-ah-ah-ah {evil laugh}]

Donnerstag, Nov 06, MZIN, Paul Gruner Straße 64, 13:00-18:00 hrs
http://tinyurl.com/wherelibrary5

And...Coming Soon...

Yes, yes, we've not written anything for ages...

That's because it's all too exciting but we'll report back soon, as for a start there's some seriously astonishingly exhilarating new statistics in the Top of the Library Membership Chart to let you know about.

Right, back to the Library chaps! Tally-ho!

Q: What happens when you combine a Bibliothek, DJ HausBitch, und die Schreibmaschinen?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 17:21:00 +0000

A: A hungover Librarian who can't see the keyboard for the keys: but still has fragments of MGMT, Feist & Ella Fitzgerald swimming in her head from a marathon 4 hour DJ session. She blipped, do you? Blip.fm/librarian

88INOTHERNEWS8888INOTHERNEWS8888INOTHERNEWS88

SCHREIBMASCHINEN-CAFE is GO!

The plan: Jeden Mittwoch kiddies.

We'll trial our first week with an 8-10pm session, starting this week, and discuss with our patrons/soon-to-be VPLs extending and shifting hours as the weeks extend by...since, as we believe we clearly state in our Library Basic Beliefs and Core Purposes, as well as Guiding Principles, we "view the Library as a dynamic system requiring continuous evaluation and adjustment in order to provide the flexibility to accommodate changing geo-spatial, existential, post-structural and individual Member and Designated Library Authority demands"

because by...

"Recognising that learning and life resources can consist of a broad and expanding array of traditional and contemporary tools ranging from basic scrawled or nearly illegible handwritten texts such as that which the Designated Library Authority's mother produces as a medical Dr, through to printed text and digital electronic media and formats we can not yet articulate, the Library exists as a structure which enables it to provide the most comprehensive, efficient, flexible and Fluxible integrated resources and services"

and so...

"The Library offers point-of-use instruction, personal assistance and hindrance when required, in conducting research in the Library and accessing the Library at all times when it is open at convenient and inconvenient hours and locations except when it is conveniently closed."

Similarly, our clear Staff Anal Retention Policies underscore this same commitment:

"The Library Staff shall be organised in a way that permits easy and rapid communication for the interchange of ideas.

The Library Staff shall consist of one.

This one shall be known as a Library Officer or Librarian."

So here's TIPL herself with the news...

And a bit about the place itself "Dieser macht in der Guts-Muths-Straße 47 in Leipzig ein Schreibmaschinen-Café. Im Eingangsbereich des Cafés stehen in einem Regal zahlreiche Schreibmaschinen, die mensch sich zum schreiben mit in das Café nehmen kann. Jeden Mittwoch Abend ist das Café dann geöffnet und es werden Schreibmaschinen-Sessions gemacht. Das heißt, dass sich die Leute zusammensetzen und schreiben, dabei ein Getränk zu sich nehmen, sich austauschen, reden, abgucken und sich von der Umgebung inspirieren lassen. Oft finden auch spontan Schreib-Sessions statt." From the blog aergernis

What this does also mean is that we're flexibly fluctuating on over at Die Kassette - as you may recall we've been Jeden Mittwoch-ing there, and, obviously despite apparent appearances to the contrary, we do not currently operate the facility to exist in two places at exactly the same time. Note we say currently, as this is something we're working towards, heh.

Here's TIPL again with that news...

So, all in all it goes like this:

Jeden Dienstag @ Die Kassette * Oktober 7 & 14 --> 15:00-20:00 hrs * ab Oktober 21 --> 17:00-22:00hrs
Map: http://www.tinyurl.com/wherelibrary6

und

Jeden Mittwoch @ SCHREIBMASCHINEN-CAFE * ab Oktober 8 --> 20:00-22:00 hrs.
Wo zur Hölle ist ...? Gutsmuthsstraße 47, 04177 Leipzig: Germany, Alles klar! Map link: http://tinyurl.com/wherelibrary8

View Larger Map

And finally,

**INOTHERlibraryNEWS**INOTHERlibraryNEWS**INOTHERlibraryNEWS**

We've been signing up Leipzig bodies like, er, a serial librarian! Mitt our grand gummistempeltechnik! This means that . . .

Heilige Scheisse!

Not only has Leipzig zoomed past Amsterdam, in the top-of-the-library-pops membership chart . . .

. . . but with the latest library action on the go this week, we dare say that by the end of the woch you'll have jumped straight into the Top 5! Blimey! We can't wait to find out...stay tuned for details kids!

Bibliothek 4.0

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:10:00 +0000

Don't forget!

Bibliothek

auf

Die Kassette * 01.10.2008 * 17:00-22:00 hrs
Demmering Straße 23: Gmap

und

MZIN * 02.10.2008 * 13:00-18:00 hrs
Paul Gruner Straße 64: Gmap

More venues ASAP, incl. Schreibmaschine Café TBC...

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:30:00 +0000

"The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day. That is real freedom. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the "rat race" - the constant gnawing sense of having had and lost some infinite thing."

David Foster Wallace
February 21 1962 - September 12 2008

Bibliothek Regelmässig in Leipzig? Die Kassette Los!

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:51:00 +0000

Guten Tag Leipzig!

We've been here 2.5 weeks, and so far had the extremely good fortune to get up and runnin' ASAP for the good citizens hier.

This means we've so far instigated four library installations, covering Leipzig Zentrum-Süd, Zentrum, Industriegebiet West/Neulindenau and Lindenau regions of this wonderful city.

That's also 18.5 hours of full-on Library mayhem.

Current popular titles appear to be W.S. Burrough's APO-33 Bulletin: A Metabolic Regulator; Pablo Neruda's twenty love poems and a song of despair [bilingual spanish/english edition]; and a newly acquisitioned item [courtesy of the awesome mzin graphics space] TIPPGEMEINSCHAFT 2008.

Such rarin'-librarian action means we've also managed to notch up . . .

Rock 'n' Library Roll!!

Or as they might say here, Fantastisch!

We look forward to seeing our 17 new Valued Patrons of the Library once again at Our Library Near You Soon.

Speaking of which, we'd also like to formally announce our first Leipzig highly irregularly regular Library, jeden Mittwoch im Die Kassette.

We like the sound of hellauf unregelmässig regelmässig, sich paaren mit Die Kassette ist schön, ja!

. . . and yes, as we did indeed surmise, it turns out that we liked each other so much we are going to be there every week for your every future travelling poetry library need.

Fantastisch indeed.

See you Wednesdays, 17:00 - 22:00 hrs VPLs and VPLs-to-be!

Forgot where Die Kassette exactly is? That's okay, we're idiotensicher!

Map: http://www.tinyurl.com/wherelibrary6

Meanwhile, trawling the turf that is the VurldVideVunderbarVeb, we found this l'il beauty.

Apparently, some reckless about-to-become-a Valued Patron of the Library took it upon themselves to film part o the magical process during the San Francisco Naughty Librarians Convention back in March . . . or was it April, my how time flies . . . 2008.

Which, incidentally, was the only time we think we'll ever be in a room with twenty people shouting in unison "Do Me Decimal - Do Me Decimal", and suffice to say, we think they were a leetle surprised at our unannounced visit. Such are our hours, we'd like to add. As in case you forgot:

Offical Business Hours:
We are open when we are conveniently open and closed when we are inconveniently closed.

Shazam!

P.S. Got a Leipzig Library venue tip? Need us to come to you? Get in touch: librarian[at]thepoetrycubicle.com

Wo ist die Bibliothek in Leipzig 3.0?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:23:00 +0000

We'll be amongst the blooms and Gothic, so come on over!

Wo/Where?
saltoflorale * Katharinenstraße 11 * 04109 Leipzig *

Wann/When
Samstag 13.09.2008 * 14:00-18:00 hrs

saltoflorale
Katharinenstr. 11
04109 Leipzig
Tel.: 03 41 / 1 49 89 23
E-Mail: info@saltoflorale-leipzig.de

View Larger Map

Links for 2008-09-08 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 PDT

Wordie

Wo ist die Bibliothek in Leipzig 2.0?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:28:00 +0000

vom Regal Die Kassette

We are delighted to announce that the next library will be at
Die Kassette.

Thanks to all the peeps who threw us the tip [& Die Kassette for takin' a likin' to us immediamente]. We are very excited as we think this place is a very natural home from home for us, and so look forward to establishing a highly irregularly regular Library relationship forthwith. In the meantime, you can catch our first one . . .

Wann/When ?
Mittwoch / Wednesday 10.09.2008 * 15:00 - 20:00 hrs *

Wo/Where ?
Demmeringstrasse 23
04177 Leipzig—Lindenau

Was Das I 'ear you say or Was ist hier los?

Es it . . .

"Die Kassette

HEUTE LECKER TORTE

In der Demmeringstraße in Leipzig-Lindenau ist mit DIE KASSETTE ein Laden, in dem die über die Jugend hinaus aufgestaute Leidenschaft für das MIXTAPE ausgelebt werden darf.

DIE KASSETTE bietet einen Raum an, in dem die Wände von TAPES geschmückt sind und weiterhin es sich natürlich bei Kaffee, täglich frischem Kuchen, Sekt oder Bier gemütlich gemacht werden darf.

Das Konzept ist der TAUSCH, und so ist DIE KASSETTE ein doppelt analoger Ort des Musikaustausches, des Treffens und des Timekillings
(bei Tageszeitungen und Magazinen).

Neben dem fröhlichen Nutzen von iTunes und Netzwerken wie mySpace sind wir glücklich einen Ort zu präsentieren, der den Liebhaber_innen des guten alten MIXTAPES und gutem Kaffee eine willkommene Abwechslung sein wird!"

Seein' as our German is a-comin' along, but not that great, we took the opportunity in this world-wide-wonderful-web-o-sphere to try a bitta translation engine software. We rather like the results! Here's what the machines think the above says:

"The Cartridge

TODAY LECKER CAKE

In the Demmeringstrasse in Leipzig Lindenau is also THE CARTRIDGE a shop, in that the passion for that, accumulated beyond the youth MIXTAPE to be realized may.

THE CARTRIDGE offers an area, in that the walls of TAPES are decorated and further naturally with coffee, daily fresh cake, sparkling wine or beer cosy to make itself may.

The concept is that EXCHANGE, and like that is THE CARTRIDGE similar place of the music exchange, the meeting and the Timekillings doubles (with daily papers and magazines).

Apart from the merry use of iTunes and we are to be presented to networks like mySpace lucky a place, that the Liebhaber_innen of the good old MIXTAPES and good coffee a welcome alternation will be!"

Rad. Time killings, beer cosies and daily fresh cake on the walls. It sounds like some interesting wallpaper. . . wait a minute . . .

Sweeeeeeeeet!

And chez nous, la bibliotheque, well whaddya waitin' for?

View Larger Map

Here is a Die Kassette infovid if you'd like to know more [recommended you understand German, if not, look at the nice images!]

See you at the library - the music's on [around] us!

Where's the Library in Leipzig?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:58:00 +0000

In case you hadn't noticed . . .

We made it to Leipzig!

So, where's the Library in Leipzig?

First up, we're at the brand-spanking-new
mzin graphic design, pop + streetculture
shop - gallery - studio

Wann/When?
Donnerstag/Thursday 04.09.2008 * 13:00 - 18:00 hrs

Wo/Where?
paul-gruner-straße 64

You can catch the tram 10 + 11 -> station: hohe straße / bus 89 -> station: robert-schumann-straße

You can also mail 'em if you need to.

View Larger Map

Then, we'll be out and about @ SPINNEREI initially c/o Café Mule . . .

Wann/When?
Samstag/Saturday 06.09.2008 * 14:00 - 18:00 hrs

Wo/Where?
mule - cafe/garten, spinnereistraße 7

View Larger Map

You can also mail 'em if you need to.

Not bad for a day's library-locatin' we say. 'Nuff said.

Leipzig,
We look forward to reaching the parts other libraries have yet to reach!

***Today's library announcement comes with special Leipzig thanks to Simone, Leif & Suzanne***

Word.

Worldwide Membership Hits 800 Mark...

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:38:00 +0000

... so T.I.P.L. celebrates 5lowershop stylee ...

As per traditional NthHundred Valued Patron of the Library award, VPL number 800 had his hand shaken by TIPL right here in Amsterdam [whereas VPL number 700 had his hand shaken in San Francisco...you see where we are going with this...]

VPL #800 was also awarded a special, not-yet-on-the-loose handwritten haiku:

One day your frog prince
or princess will come along
Meanwhile, hold your breath.

* * * In Other News * * *

"Barry Fitton cooks the best Indian food in Amsterdam" - Eddie Woods

"Her voice had the throaty, indignant lilt of a Dutchwoman" - John le Carré

Come Join Before We Travel On - Amsterdam!
Leipzig! We arrive forthwith, hold steady chaps!

Where's the Library in Amsterdam?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:24:00 +0000

First up we're at Boekie Woekie, the artist-run bookstore for books by artists in Amsterdam. Its bookstore & gallery are open daily from 12 to 6 pm, and we'll be at Boekie Woekie on Wednesday 20th August 2008 from 12 noon until 5pm, T.I.P.L. and Library in tow!

They're at: Berenstraat 16, 1016 GH Amsterdam, and you can call 'em: 31 (0)20 6390507 or email or just turn right up in person:

View Larger Map

Meanwhile, Thursday August 21st 2008 from 1-6pm will see us at Perdu

"Stichting Perdu is a literary foundation interested in new developments within the field of prose and poetry, in avant-garde forms of literature of the 20st Century and in crossovers between literature and other art forms. We mainly focus on certain aspects of literature that remain under exposed within the mainstream literary scene.

Every Friday night Perdu organises her 'Avonden' (evenings): custom made literary programs striving for discussion. On every other night the theatre might host some other kind of performance. On top of that Perdu also is a small publishing company that publishes certain specialised titles. The poetry bookshop, adjacent to the theatre, offers a wide variety of different kinds of poetry."

Perdu is at: Kloveniersburgwal 86, 1012 CZ Amsterdam, and you can call 'em: 020 627 6295 or even send 'em an email.

View Larger Map

Friday 22nd August 2008 from 12 noon until 5pm sees us return to Sterre der Zee, courtesy of the wonderful Jan. Get yerself to: 43 Nicolaas Beetsstraat, Amsterdam...

Grotere kaart weergeven

And finally, courtesy of Barry Fitton's bookstall at the TenKartMarkt, we'll be donning Librarian gear & grabbing our Poem Repository to provide you with a Saturday menu of poems-to-go. Catch us there on Saturday 23rd August 2008 from 12 noon until 4pm!

You can find the Market here:

View Larger Map

Membership cards at the ready Amsterdam! To the Library and beyond, tally-ho chaps!

T.I.P.L. is ready: Are you?

Dorpsjuweel 2008: Sounds of The Netherlands

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:14:00 +0000

In between installing our Library & Librarian, we try to keep agoin'on our Digital Audio Archive project: recording the sounds of the cities, countries & people we meet. We just met [again] the wonderful Ruigoord community [Amsterdam] in the Netherlands, and have been helping run Ruigoord Radio. We're not sure if there is live a stream up yet, so we've whacked up some of the audio we've been recording [see links to stream below] via The Internet Archive, so you can listen to it almost as soon as we have done gone recorded it! Enjoy!

"The artists enclave Ruigoord has now been flourishing as a cultural freeport for exactly 35 years. For so many years there has been a big summer festival on the fields surrounding the village inspired by the Amsterdam Balloon Company, the Landjuweel. But now around Ruigoord the march of industry draws ever closer and it’s time to give a new twist to the festival. So we have a whole new concept in mind: the Landjuweel comes to the village! This year the Juweel (meeting) will take place in the heart of the village and that in itself is an alchemical transformation."

Ken Parsons and [some of] the Bucket Boys [stream], recorded live on Saturday afternoon, 16th August 2008 at Dorpsjuweel Festival, Ruigoord, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Taking a Walk Around the Sounds of the Site [stream]: Saturday afternoon at Dorpsjuweel, Ruigoord, 16 August 2008.

The Low Budgetarians [stream]: reggae dub live set, Saturday evening at Dorpsjuweel, Ruigoord, 16 August 2008.

The Bucket Boys [stream]: live set & mini-interview, Saturday afternoon at Dorpsjuweel, Ruigoord, 16 August 2008.

The Library returns to Amsterdam [proper] and re-opens next week: as long as we survive the festival weekend intact [it's already midnight and we've still gotta lotta recording to go!]

LIBRARYISM: PHASE III

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:18:00 +0000

*STOP PRESS*

1. Librarian on radio, tonight [wed 13 aug 2008], 9-10pm
(Amsterdam, The Netherlands time)

Live on DFM Radio Television International

Click here for live stream

2. Phase III: LIBRARYISM
Yes, we're kickin' it into touch!

First up, as we meander on over to Leipzig, is the Dutch Library Experience! Amsterdam VPLs get yer membership cards at the ready, all you other Valued Non Patrons of the Library: Come Join Before We Travel On!

We're at:

The wonderful Jan's Sterre de Zee bookshop at 43 Nicolaas Beetsstraat, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Thursday 14 Aug 2008, 1-6pm.

Grotere kaart weergeven

We arrived, Librarian and two giant library bags in tow, YESTERDAY. So, we're happy to report that we've been able to stick to one of our credos:

"Need a free public library of 'lost & forgotten' poetry?"
Within 24hrs of arrival the good citizens of Amsterdam are in luck!

Shazam!

Redhill Books Renegade Library kicks in to touch!

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:32:00 +0000

We're delighted to announce that we recently struck another voluble agreement in the highly irregularly regular library installation stakes, with the ravishingly redolent Redhill Books on Cortland Avenue.

This means that every Monday until we blow this joint, all you Valued Patrons of the Library [VPLs] -as well as you lovely Valued Non Patrons we've yet to meet- can come and get some weekly library love if this is your area.

Redhill you say, aint that a cool bookshop kinda like Dogeared and Phoenix? Yup. And not only that, but founder of all three bookshops, Kate, just happens to be a VPL who signed up back in 2007 on over at Dogeared Books, during our library installation at their regular reading series Babble On...here's what Redhill has to say for its self: "Named after Bernal's communist past, Red Hill has been experiencing a growth spurt to accommodate the store's big ideas. The small space nearly tripled in size and is poised to become not only a hub for great books but for community events like art openings, book clubs and writing groups." Or, indeed, a free travelling library of "lost & forgotten' poetry we dare say.

Don't forget Mission VPLs have Fridays, 4-10pm at The Marsh on Valencia, and Inner Richmondites gotsa Sundays, 1-6pm at the fruity Frankenart Mart at 515 Balboa...

...Hang on a ssssec, we feel some library stats coming on...what with Redhill Books in the bag, that means, you wonderful, whimsical "27,414" winning "San Franciscans" -are you a winner?- have officially got 15 hours a week of free travelling library experience in tha house. Word.

So come on down, and especially down, to our newest kid on the block:

Every Monday from 3 - 7pm! The Itinerant Poetry Librarian at Redhill Books!

Where's Redhill Books you say?

Why it's at 401 Cortland Avenue. In other words, here . . .

View Larger Map

****

Stop Press Special

Saturday 19th April from 6.30pm onwards we're giving an introductory Library talk and installing the Library at Redhill Books ready to rock on into our coming up Monday session . . . Come Join B4 We Travel On Yo!

****

Meanwhile, Library-life has rioted. We've got words, pictures, video, audio, tales of renegading the Naughty Librarians Convention and much, much more. We shall meet again soon! Here's a sneak preview:

Is it 2008 already? Blimey!

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:02:00 +0000

Well, let us start how we mean to go on, that is, romping ahead in the purple haze of verbalosity to confoundedly confuse those out there that all this time we have been not absent.

Huh?

Exactly.

Where was I?

Oh yes. Right here.

If you dare take a peekity-boo-boo (don't do it girls and boys...) at the date of our last post below, you'll see we've been frequently infrequent here.

There are many reasons why, and why not - least of the manifest operations and functions and pro-ce-dures of travelling librarydom - that curtail the adventures, HERE, in writing and for the very first time of all such-and-such goings on. But on the whole, the VERY reason forthwith:

Manifesting takes time
Manifesting takes life
Manifesting takes over

And we'll leave it at that for now.

Links for 2007-10-25 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PDT

For Whom the Bell Told: MA Bell's Blog About Librarianship and Technology

Where Are We? Oh Yes. There We Are.

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 06:36:00 +0000

Oops. We forgot to write. It's because we've moved. Which required relocation and location, of: beddage, badinage, blocks of wood, bolstering devices, and other assorted abandoned warehouse paraphernalia. As of what appears to be right now, we have caught up. Time to catch up with us then chaps?

As always, our sumptuous feast of a fine every Friday sees us at The Marsh, noon until 8pm ...Friday October 12... unless we run a little bit morning late, which is likely right now so keep that in mind, followed by . . .

[:] p l u g 3 [:]

in participation with
le placard x
the tenth annual paris-based
self-organized
international headphone festival
that migrates from city to city around the world
streaming non-stop
interaural experimentation
to listening - rooms and
live audiences worldwide.

[b.y.o headphones]
10.13-14.2007
sat & sun 1pm-1am
Library only available Saturday 8.30pm - midnight
THE LAB
2948 16TH STEET @ CAPP
SAN FRANCISCO
The Lab

Listeners for us equal readers. These bodies at rest are also more likely to remain still than other humans on seats, so it seems like we might just have the perfect match in whipping out our Poem Repository for this special audience. Ladies and gentlemen, menus at the ready, prepare to select your juicy daily dose from the sheet and read a poem, at your seated leisure of course.

Oh yes. We aim to dip into The 5th San Francisco International Poetry Festival's litcrawl offering from 7-8.30pm at New College (Room 4) also on Saturday 13th October and, as the nature of litcrawl suggests, this time, instead of people following the Library we're going to follow some Valued Patrons instead, when they move on to the next joint's offerings on Valencia Street. See the Other Words site for more details or LitQuake.

Followed, not inconspicuously, by the frankly fruity Frankenart Mart, where we keep arriving late because the bus does. It will be the start of their new show!

Fall 2007 - Children's Books

Sunday every Sunday! which means this Sunday is the 14th October...

1-6pm boys and girls! Library in that house. What.

Don't forget the rules of Frankenart, hey, that means when the Library is inside there are rules within rules. Wooopeeee! Or do we mean woops?

"Rules...Glad you asked. There's no drinking or druggin at the store. Cell phone overuse is severely punished. Arterrarium artists are allowed no more than three friends in their entourage. The cats decide on the music selection. This is a family restaurant, so keep it clean and friendly. No attitude allowed."

O why is our new house in the middle of nowhere?

O because it is!

Links for 2007-10-10 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PDT

Under the Hood of Web 2.0 : the top ten programming concepts for librarians to understand « The Other Librarian

Links for 2007-10-04 [del.icio.us]

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:00 PDT

MICHAEL European portal: Explore the European digital cultural heritage

Frankenart Mart . . . Get Your Weekly Library Love!

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:41:00 +0000

We're delighted to announce that the Fab-U-lo-so-so frickin' cool gallery Frankenart Mart in the Inner Richmond district have decided they would be honoured to host one free travelling library of 'lost & forgotten' poetry, since they had such fun with us and the one-off installation we did back in June '07 - before we nipped off to other climes and climates North American.

We say . . . damn right!

So. We like 'em so much we're going to don our highly irregularly regular hat and aim to turn up and install our Library & Itinerant Poetry Librarian there pretty much EVERY Sunday we have left here. Yes. We said have left, since come December folks, we're hip-hop-skip-jumping back to that place known as the European Union, so that the folks that joined there in 2006 can get a chance to get their library borrowing privileges back. So, you'd best come along and borrow the rest of our stock you'd yet to get your hands on in the first place when you came and joined, or come along and sign up if you aint been yet, plus the plethora of newly acquisitioned items from Portland, Seattle & Vancouver that came our way in July and August will be out in the collection too.

So look out for us starting this Sunday, 16th September, from 1-6pm. We're then there pretty much every Sunday from 1 - 6pm until December unless we write otherwise (for starters on Sunday September 30th we'll be at the Gandhi Birthday Celebration event with the Library rather than here, just so you know!)

Here's a map to get you to us:

View Larger Map

To the Library and Beyond! Tally-ho!

San Francisco . . . We Back in Business Baby!

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:53:00 +0000

So we have landed back in SF.

After a delightful, debonair departure of 2 months, from the ole SF base, and crikey, it looks like you missed us San Francisco, as even though 1 in every 4000 of you good citizens is already a carded-up member of our library, we've already had people bangin' on the door to get the poor Librarian outta the bed she just got in to (and which aint even hers) to kick start the SF Library programme all over again. Sheesh. Give the girl a break! Or not. Not to worry, as we are already on the case, and sorting out our latest SF installation venues, so you can look forward to another session at the library very soon. It is looking more than likely that we will be able to reprise our highly irregularly regular weekly installation slot at The Marsh Theatre cafe, and we also hope to start up a new similarly styled slot at Frankenart mart, as well as our habitual mix of off-the-cuff up-outta-nowhere Library By Stealth^p™ versions which you'll need to check back here to find out about, as per The Way We Work!

We do, however, already have one first date for your library diary, which is:

The 2nd Annual Gandhi Birthday Poems & Performances For Peace hosted by Diamond Dave Whitaker and Arnie Passman. The event also features poetry, music, and dance, and you can come sign up for the open mic. It's all at the Gandhi statue, east of the Ferry Building (Embarcadero at Market). It is also all free. As we are too. Sunday 30th September, 1-6pm.

Come Join Before We Travel On^p™!

In the meantime, while you whittle down the hours until we launch into San Francisco Library mayhem, here are some visual treats . . .

The statue commemorating Canadian soldiers in past conflicts at the old Canadian Pacific Railway station in Gastown, Vancouver BC

The Vancouver BC water and skyline

Time-lapsed while we waited for a BC bus late one early Canadian morn

Graffiti & Mural art: Vancouver BC style

Our Library - minus Librarian - installed at The Gaff Gallery

While the San Francisco Center For the Book [sic American spelling pah!] . . .

. . . this weekend held a Steamroller lino cut and print party

which produced these cool . . .

. . . lino prints!

Sweet! We ♥ SF!

When Librarians Are On Strike . . . They Still Need Reading Material . . . The Itinerant Poetry Librarian To The Rescue!

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 18:05:00 +0000

Being the goodly, gadfly, galumping, frisky-limbed limber Librarian wot we are innit, and what with the Vancouver Public Library Workers Strike still in full operation, we thought that such similarly goodly librarians might need a tome or two to peruse while they picketed Vancouver Central Library branch. So. We hot-footed it down there yesterday, set up on one side on a table, in the shade, then switched sides of the building and found the sun, and a whole lotta lovely librarians to sign up. Our librarian announced to the seated striking hordes:

"Librarians of Vancouver! We are a free travelling library of 'lost & forgotten' poetry, and we have come to support you in your right to strike as Library Workers. We note that with the act of your striking however, that it does seem to mean that you are unable to access reading material from your own library as you are on strike outside it. Our project is about reminding people of the importance of public libraries, and collecting what some may deem the ephemera of our cultural heritage. We are here to offer you access to some reading materials so that while you are striking you do not get bored. If you would like to join, come and see me over there [Librarian points to stone seat where she has set up the day's selection of books] and fill out a membership card and then return it to the office. We look forward to signing you up!"

And with that, we wandered back on over to our Library and started signing up librarians one by striking one.

Woopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Here's a striking librarian and Valued Patron of our Library enjoying one of our titles [Hungarian Poets] while on a break:

Such was the reading need of the striking librarians that it meant we stayed until 6pm offering our available stock, so we were unable to make it on over to Magpie Magazines where we'd been kindly offered a spot to set up. However, six members; a whole lotta striking librarians given access to the one public library still open in Vancouver; and a spot of arse-creak due to sitting on a stone wall for hours later and we were done for the day and offered FOOD. So, being the food whore that we are, we went with the lovely lady who gave us FOOD.

In between signing up striking librarians, we've had the good fortune to be taken around town and introduced to some of the sights [and sounds] of the city that Vancouver has to offer. With the help of Craig we got lost in Stanley Park at around midnight, nabbed the sound of Coal Harbour bell and the sound of the Pacific Ocean and generally had a good ole time (thanks Craig!)

So we've found:

The Church of Scientology. It's a funny green colour inside.

Someone's arse on a window frame.

An inspired Vancouver citizen's graffiti verse on a bus stop.

Vancouver landmarks.

. . . and an interesting warning sign.

Most of the time we've been doing Library Duty however, and our first library installation was at the wonderful Spartacus Books

where we signed up 12 new members over the course of our three days there.

A further munificent, magnificent 10 hour hardcooooooore library slot at the rad Regional Assembly of Text courtesy of Rebecca and Brandy saw us sign up 21 members in one day slash night, which means that after our picketing librarians library slot, here in Vancouver we've . . .

which also means that Vancouver now slides into the Top-of-the-Library-Pops membership chart, overtaking Norwich and Budapest who were in joint fourth place!

Shazaaaaaaaaaam!

Ok! We gotta library to install on over at the Gaff Gallery RIGHT NOW!

Come Join Before We Travel On!

Where's The Library in Vancouver 3.0 ?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 05:03:00 +0000

Another one just in and confirmed folks . . .

The Library & Itinerant Poetry Librarian will be stationed at the sleeky . . .

. . . Six Acres, on Wednesday 29th August from 6pm until the witching hour AKA midnight. Hustle on over to get your library card and partake in the only open public library in Vancouver! It's at 203 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J2

View Larger Map

We'll also mention here, as we got so caught up in actual library installations in Seattle that we didn't get a chance to previously, that The Seattle Post Intelligencer newspaper put our Itinerant Poetry Librarian on the front page of their Arts Section as Seattle was so down with the Library programme. You can read their article here

Librarian in situ in Seattle
Image © Grant M. Haller / P-I

This also then meant the story hop-skip-jumped its way round the internewfangledelectronicwebthing so that at one point it was on the front page of Librarian and Information Science News. Our Librarian nearly fell off her chair in excitement . . . it was her library dream come true. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Meanwhile, since we appear to be on the subject of press blah de blah, we notice that the hour and a half interview we participated in with Frank Moore

on his internet radio show Shaman's Den on Luver FM has just been archived, so if you missed the live transmission, or indeed the video stream on Berkeley Cable TV, then the mp3 file is here. We babble on about poetry, our project, libraries, digital audio archives and much more!.

Where's The Library in Vancouver 2.0 ?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 03:53:00 +0000

A Vancouver citizen suffers from
Public-Library-Withdrawal-Syndrome
The public service strike is still on . . .
so Vancouver Public Libraries are still closed.

The Itinerant Poetry Librarian To The Rescue!

More library venues just in chickadees!

As well as:

Spartacus Books from Wednesday (22nd) through Friday (24th) this week, 10am - 6pm

View Larger Map

we've also just scored

The Regional Assembly of Text, a gallery, shop, event, workshop space all geared to producing, distributing and celebrating...the word! Huzzah! They are celebrating their second birthday on Saturday, so we're proud to present . . . The Itinerant Poetry Librarian In The Window Display! We'll be staring out the pavement hordes and daring them to come in and sign up to the library from 1pm - 6pm on Saturday 25th August, so come along and Join Before We Travel On!™

Our plan is to also then join the entertainment fun, and provide a library service for the party celebrations taking place round the back. So, expect more library mayhem from 6pm onwards if you've an invite!

The Regional Assembly of Text is at 3934 Main Street, Vancouver BC V5V 3P2, Canada yup. Here's a map:

View Larger Map

This means we've jumped to The Gaff Gallery courtesy of the great Gabriel on Tuesday August 28th from 1pm - 7pm

Here's a map for them too:

View Larger Map

Meanwhile, we're waiting to hear back from 6 Acres who may have us on Wednesday 29th August...stay tuned for details, and in the meantime, don't forget we can come to you: need a library on Sunday (26) or Monday (27) or possibly Wednesday (29)? Just email us to ask if our Librarian can come to you! We look forward to signing you up!

Meanwhile, in-between locating venues, our intrepid Librarian walked the sights of the city and this is what she found:

Power

More Power

The kinda milk we lika da drink!

We walked round aboot

And more aboot

And even more aboot (it was a long library locatin' kinda day)

Caught this cool graffiti

Oh yeah. And the day we arrived, we got on a bus, which then 'hit' a bentley. Or at least nearly. So then we had to get off the bus. And find another one.

Blimey. Public Service strikes, Bentley bashes, awesome art galleries: There's some vacillation going on in Vancouver, thatsawhattawesay.

Where's The Library in Vancouver?

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0000

First up: it's the smashing, super Spartacus Books, who say about themselves:

"Since 1973, Spartacus Books is a non-profit, volunteer & collectively run bookstore & resource center located right on the edge of Vancouver's Eastside. The store has been successfully run for over 33 years by a collective of volunteers.

Please come use our safe and inclusive space to:

* read in peace on the couches
* use the free computers and internet connection
* chat and network with diverse and interesting folks
* learn about and advertise your upcoming events
* buy books, zines and parapharnelia relating to struggles against classism, racism, sexism, war, corporate greed, environmental destruction, and other institutional atrocities
* attend movie nights, poetry readings, and many other unusual and often artsy community happenings
* host an event of your own!"

As they are a collective, we're including the caveat here that we managed to ask 2 people at the space who agreed they would like to host the library: but they have to get the word around to everyone to ask for permission also. But. We and the 2 people we spoke to think that everyone else is going to agree. . . as our project chimes with the ethos of Spartacus so well. So! All going well, we'll be installed at Spartacus on:

Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th August from 10 am until 6pm.

They are located at: 319 West Hastings, Vancouver, BC V6B 1H6, Coast Salish Territory, Canada.

Here's a map to get you to us.

Followed by:

The Gaff Gallery, who say about themselves:

"The Gaff Gallery is an independent space for art exhibitions, movie screenings, music and other events. Located in the artistically vibrant Strathcona neighborhood. The Gaff is a hub of creative activity in a culturally diverse area. The gallery is owned by Gabriel Deerman and operated by a volunteer staff.

The gallery is open to curatorial proposals and personal submissions of images.

We also offer coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches for your satisfaction."

The Gaff Gallery is at: 684 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6A 1R1, Canada. Here's a map to get you to us.

We'll be installed at The Gaff Gallery on:

Tuesday August 28th from 1pm - 7pm

You know what we think . . . Come Join Before We Travel On!

Get Your Library Books In The Here And Fragile Now . . .

To The Library And Beyond! Hurray!

Library Arrives in Vancouver . . . Just In The Nick Of Time

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:32:00 +0000

Talk about timing.

Well. We're here to save (some of) the day!

For all you Vancouver citizens currently suffering Library withdrawal - perhaps we can ease your need?

We'll be up and running ASAP ... we're just locating our Vancouver library venues right now

We'll post up the locations as they come in. Stay tuned for details folks!

Here's some of the info on why the Public Libraries of Vancouver are closed, from Union Librarian blog and The Vancouver Sun newspaper.

Seattle Joins the Library. Librarian Joins Teenagers For A Free Meal. Sweet.

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 08:27:00 +0000

So. We have been installed at the raucous, righteous Richard Hugo House these last few days.

Raucous, cos the House is hosting its annual teen scribe event, which has meant a gaggle or group or we thinks cacophony of teenagers, hanging out round the corner from us and scribbling away all week in their notebooks a series of words which appear to be shock horror awfully like poetry. Ye gads. It's infecting us all! We had nothing to do with it . . . honest guv'nor. Mostly we've been ignored by the posse, except for the lovely young lady called Marcy who wandered over finally today to check out what this weird thing in the corner might be. So we promptly signed her up. She then dug the library enough to go off and find her own chair, which she then pulled over to us, borrowed an item from today's selection out on our table, and proceeded to sit and read. And since these guys get fed everyday our librarian has been getting a feed too. Alright! Four members on Friday makes it a medium day, except for what happened next:

Richard Hugo House also houses . . .

. . ZAPP the awesome zine library, which means that it's the kind of place our highly irregularly regular library member, Simone from Leipzig (who joined in Portland last month - see our previous blog posts for details) would more than likely want to check out. And just as we're packing up and telling Jesse on reception about our biggest library fan, who should walk in the door . . . but Simone. All the way from Portland. Who decided to visit ZAPP and then happened to check our blog on her way over to the House and discovered . . . her favourite library was also there! That's what we call Library Karma. And we love it. Nice one Simone.

Wednesday & Thursday at the House were much more chaotic, and saw us sign up 9 and 8 members respectively to the library, including a good number of the good folks who work there, as well as acquisitioning a new library item, after running through our Acquisition Policy with the chap who donated the item, while informing him that the Library's "Policies of selection, retention, disposal, misplacement and deterioration reflect the current state of the world."

Both days also caught us dealing with one of the basic ByeByeLaws of the library, namely #5a, which we'll take the opportunity to quote from ourselves here:
"5. Except with the consent of a library officer, no person shall:

a) who is offensively clean in person or in dress, or who is suffering from an offensive disease or hairstyle, enter or use the library."

It seems that Seattle does appear to suffer from an overpreponderance of offensive hairstyles.

We've caught two of you, blatantly out and about in the open, and attempting to gain library membership, which was given and then immediately withdrawn on the basis of said offensive hair. We then made you alter your hairstyles to what we deemed were mildly inoffensive variations upon the follicle theme, rescinded the ban and re-admitted you to the library. We're quite worried as we have a WHOLE ANOTHER WEEK to go in Seattle, and at this rate. Well. To put it mildly. That's potentially a whole lotta more offensive hair to go. Indeed.

Anyway. 72 hours of library mayhem equals =

Yay Seattle! You could slide into third place in the Library charts at this rate!

Meanwhile. Inbetween installing our library . . .

We squeezed in a spot of flyposting . . .

And

Saw

A lot

Of the Water

Around here

while remembering the cyclists of Portland . . .

Poetry Librarian Radio

librarian@thepoetrycubicle.org.uk (Sara Wingate Gray) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:17:00 +0000

We've been reliably informed that the first in our new series of Poetry & Music radio shows for the frisky, fun, full-time licensed (yeah!) Norwich Community Radio Station: Future Radio, should kick off this Sunday. Tune in to hear poetry from Andrea Porter, music from Charlotte Morris and T-Bone Steak plus our special features which include: 'Sounds of the City': a sonic collage of the sounds of cities from around the world; 'Excerpts from the Archive': exclusive world premier radio broadcasts of original archive recordings of poets courtesy of the San Francisco based Poetry Center & American Poetry Archive (including the likes of Allen Ginsberg, Frank O'Hara, Sylvia Plath and many more); plus the latest literature & library news from the Norwich/Norfolk region and beyond! Hurray!

Our first show kicks off Sunday 12th August 4-5pm GMT (that's 8am PST we reckon). . .

Tune in on the FM if you're in the area: 96.9 FM (Norwich, UK)

Or listen live on the internet at: Future Radio (and click the 'listen live' button)

We think, in fact, that clicking on this direct link here will persuade your Itunes to open that baby up!

Alrighty!

Word. To your mother. Innit. Librarian to the mixing desk please. over & out.

Links for 2007-03-05 [del.icio.us]

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 PST

multimedia converter
use this to post up ringtones?

Links for 2007-02-14 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 PST

Links for 2006-12-08 [del.icio.us]

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 00:00:00 PST

Found sound plus Long Now mp3 file