A few years ago we started the CrimethInc. into Libraries program, and it seemed to be going well—judging by anecdotal evidence we heard about people requesting and receiving books at their local libraries. Well, thanks to a tip from CrimethInc. Special Agent Hadley, we found a way to measure the results a little more objectively at the website WorldCat.org.
Current Availability (click on number to see list of all libraries with book):
Days of War — 159 Libraries
Recipes for Disaster — 33 Libraries (25 here & 8 here)
Evasion — 59 Libraries
Off the Map — 44 Libraries
These numbers are great, more than we expected, and you can be sure almost every single one of these books was the result of someone requesting the library to acquire it. We’re particularly surprised that even 33 libraries carry Recipes for Disaster on their shelves—it takes a brave (or oblivious) librarian to order a book subtitled “an anarchist cookbook.” Anyway, keep up the good work folks and don’t forget: each request makes the next request more likely to be filled, so keep at it!
ret marut said,
October 9, 2007 @ 11:50 pm
Looking at these numbers, one must factor in how many libraries (the one in our town, for example) have had Evasion and then lost it to thieves. I’ve heard of that happening all over. I bet 100 libraries had that book at one time or another.
Even 159 libraries is not enough to ensure that everyone has easy access to a book, though. Please do request these books–and any other difficult to find anarchist titles!–and treat library thieves like low-grade snitches. Steal from the corporations and the wealthy, not the community!