#librarylove

First book for this month will be Alchemised. I am so excited!! 🖤🖤

Admont Abbey library, Admont, Austria

(Stift Admont - Bibilothek und Museum)

Built in 1776, known for Baroque art and architecture. The secret door leading to the balcony

Also, I'm not really used to dealing with librarians much because most of my research life is just me, a database, and some kind of psychological decline, and when I do need using a physical library, it's usually all automated anyway.

However, today I ended up interacting with all three librarians at the Big Important Archive™️and... wow.

They were all so professional, so helpful, so genuinely kind! And what got me the most was that they seemed excited that I was excited, which somehow made the whole thing even more special, if it makes sense?

Anyway, I remember reading somewhere that librarians are a special kind of people, and honestly, after today, I get it.

A Calling in Favor of the Library and Other Subversions by Mario Miranda Ramírez, illustrations by La Karbex, edited and translated by Sophia Elizabeth Ibarra; Editorial Halfbreed; 2023

The library isn't just a building; it’s a site of subversion. ✊🏽📖

We here at the San Diego Public Library Zine Library are thrilled to highlight A Calling in Favor of the Library and Other Subversions (2023) by Tijuana poet and bookbinder Mario Miranda Ramírez. Published by Editorial Halfbreed, this handmade zine is a poetic manifesto for the library as a sanctuary of free knowledge outside the reach of commercialism.

As a cornerstone of the TJ-SD binational DIY scene, this work bridges the gap between our two cities, proving that the fight for accessible community spaces is universal. From its artisanal encuadernación to its radical heart, it’s a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. 🇲🇽🇺🇸 = <3

“the library is a calling

for a life with more apt pleasures,

for a reflection of the soul

that does not fit here,

a way of being

that is impatient to multiply its internal life.

A pleasure that requires time.