The People's Library
Encyclopedia
The People's Library, also known as Fort Patti or the Occupy Wall Street Library, is a public library
founded in September 2011 by Occupy Wall Street
protesters in lower Manhattan's
Zuccotti Park
located in the Financial District
of New York City. It was temporarily evicted and its collection was damaged when Zuccotti Park was cleared on 15 November 2011.
by a library science
student from New York University
. A weather event then resulted in the loss of the collection, which prompted Betsy Fagin to bring the idea of an official library before the movement's General Assembly a few weeks later. The assembly appointed Fagin as librarian
and a second collection was started. As time passed, volunteers received additional books and resources from readers, private citizens, authors and corporations. In one such instance, musician Patti Smith
contributed a tent to the library, which was named Fort Patti in her honor and used as the library's primary structure until it was destroyed in November. The library has on occasion received volunteer assistance from the local homeless population, according to a librarian from the New York Public Library
.
as of November 2011, and its collection was described as including some rare or unique articles of historical interest that originated as a result of the Occupy protests. According to American Libraries
, the library's collection had "thousands of circulating volumes," which included "holy books of every faith, books reflecting the entire political spectrum, and works for all ages on a huge range of topics." A librarian was quoted as saying that "donated books are never rejected, even if they seem at odds with the ideology behind the protest." Unique articles include the Occupy Wall Street Poetry Anthology, which was compiled by the library based on its live poetry sessions and featured poets such as Adrienne Rich
and Anne Waldman
"alongside high school kids."
workers from the Police Department and Sanitation Department
evacuated persons and property
from the privately owned
public space
known as Zuccotti Park
, after consensus was reached by city officials
and park owners Brookfield Office Properties who justified the action because of public health
and environmental issues
. The People's Library facility was among the assets seized. Following the police action, observers reportedly saw the library's books being thrown into dumpsters.
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
stated that the library's collection was safely stored at the sanitation garage on 57th Street
, and that it could be retrieved on the following Wednesday. After library representatives returned from the sanitation garage on Wednesday, they posted on the library's website that most of its collection and equipment had been destroyed, damaged or lost. Among the missing or damaged property was the tent
that housed the library (including its necessary infrastructure
), laptops
and rubber stamps
bearing marks
used to identify library resources. In all, library representatives reported recovering 26 boxes
of books from the city.
(ALA) issued a statement that the dissolution of the library was "unacceptable" because libraries "serve as the cornerstone of our democracy and must be safeguarded." The ALA added that the "very existence of the People’s Library demonstrates that libraries are an organic part of all communities" and that libraries "serve the needs of community members and preserve the record of community history." Of concern was the loss of some rare historical documents and records, which it said are endemic to the Occupy movement. Some of the library's reference materials
and some of its regular books lost were autographed by their authors, either while visiting the library or through courier to express moral support. One such example included What Work Is
, which was signed and donated in person by United States Poet Laureate Philip Levine
hours before its destruction when the park was cleared.
The executive director of Common Cause
said in a statement that the City
should "replace each title, buying two new copies for each one destroyed" and "for whatever number is unaccounted for, the city should provide Occupy’s librarians with funds sufficient to buy twice as many." UC Irvine
history professor Mark LeVine
expressed his sentiment that "tents can be replaced, even most personal effects. But destroying books is like destroying the soul of the movement" and filmmaker Udi Aloni
added that "When they disrespect books, they disrespect humankind, and when they destroy books, they destroy the spirit of humanity. The library was great because people gave more than they took. OWS was not just a place for activism, but also a place for education and rethinking; not for just blathering on when you don't know, but being humble and willing to learn. By taking out the library, they've tried to stop that crucial process."
Editors at 2600: The Hacker Quarterly
mourned the loss of the library's donated electronics and computer equipment, which they believed to have been destroyed by a blunt object.
and uses an honor system
to manage returns. It offers weekly poetry readings on Friday nights, provides a reference service that is frequently staffed by professional librarians, and can procure materials available through the interlibrary loan
system. The library's cataloging system is accessible online at LibraryThing
, which donated a free lifetime membership. Prior to the Zuccotti park raid, a lighted reading room, public laptop computers and a Wi-Fi
network
were also offered.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
founded in September 2011 by Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street is an ongoing series of demonstrations initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters which began September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district...
protesters in lower Manhattan's
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
Zuccotti Park
Zuccotti Park
Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Plaza Park, is a publicly accessible park in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is a controlled by Brookfield Properties. The park was created in 1968 by Pittsburgh-based United States Steel, after the property owners negotiated its creation with city...
located in the Financial District
Financial District, Manhattan
The Financial District of New York City is a neighborhood on the southernmost section of the borough of Manhattan which comprises the offices and headquarters of many of the city's major financial institutions, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York...
of New York City. It was temporarily evicted and its collection was damaged when Zuccotti Park was cleared on 15 November 2011.
History
Founded shortly after Occupy Wall Street activists began protesting, the People's Library began with a cardboard box full of books which was left at Zuccotti ParkZuccotti Park
Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Plaza Park, is a publicly accessible park in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is a controlled by Brookfield Properties. The park was created in 1968 by Pittsburgh-based United States Steel, after the property owners negotiated its creation with city...
by a library science
Library science
Library science is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources; and the...
student from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. A weather event then resulted in the loss of the collection, which prompted Betsy Fagin to bring the idea of an official library before the movement's General Assembly a few weeks later. The assembly appointed Fagin as librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
and a second collection was started. As time passed, volunteers received additional books and resources from readers, private citizens, authors and corporations. In one such instance, musician Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
contributed a tent to the library, which was named Fort Patti in her honor and used as the library's primary structure until it was destroyed in November. The library has on occasion received volunteer assistance from the local homeless population, according to a librarian from the New York Public Library
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
.
Collection
The library had 5,554 books cataloged in LibraryThingLibraryThing
LibraryThing is a social cataloging web application for storing and sharing book catalogs and various types of book metadata. It is used by individuals, authors, libraries and publishers....
as of November 2011, and its collection was described as including some rare or unique articles of historical interest that originated as a result of the Occupy protests. According to American Libraries
American Libraries
American Libraries is the official news and features magazine of the American Library Association. Published six times per year, along with four additional digital-only supplements, it is distributed to all members of the organization...
, the library's collection had "thousands of circulating volumes," which included "holy books of every faith, books reflecting the entire political spectrum, and works for all ages on a huge range of topics." A librarian was quoted as saying that "donated books are never rejected, even if they seem at odds with the ideology behind the protest." Unique articles include the Occupy Wall Street Poetry Anthology, which was compiled by the library based on its live poetry sessions and featured poets such as Adrienne Rich
Adrienne Rich
Adrienne Cecile Rich is an American poet, essayist and feminist. She has been called "one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century."-Early life:...
and Anne Waldman
Anne Waldman
Anne Waldman is an American poet.Since the 1960s, Waldman has been an active member of the “Outrider” experimental poetry community as a writer, performer, collaborator, professor, editor, scholar, and cultural/political activist....
"alongside high school kids."
Zuccotti Park evacuation
During the early morning of , cityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
workers from the Police Department and Sanitation Department
New York City Department of Sanitation
The New York City Department of Sanitation, or DSNY, is a uniformed force of unionized sanitation workers in New York City. Their responsibilities include garbage collection, recycling collection, street cleaning, and snow removal...
evacuated persons and property
Personal property
Personal property, roughly speaking, is private property that is moveable, as opposed to real property or real estate. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In the civil law systems personal property is often called movable property or movables - any...
from the privately owned
Private property
Private property is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Private property is distinguishable from public property, which refers to assets owned by a state, community or government rather than by...
public space
Public space
A public space is a social space such as a town square that is open and accessible to all, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socio-economic level. One of the earliest examples of public spaces are commons. For example, no fees or paid tickets are required for entry, nor are the entrants...
known as Zuccotti Park
Zuccotti Park
Zuccotti Park, formerly called Liberty Plaza Park, is a publicly accessible park in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is a controlled by Brookfield Properties. The park was created in 1968 by Pittsburgh-based United States Steel, after the property owners negotiated its creation with city...
, after consensus was reached by city officials
Government of New York City
The government of New York City is organized under the City Charter and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system. The government of New York is more centralized than that of most other U.S...
and park owners Brookfield Office Properties who justified the action because of public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and environmental issues
Environmental issue
Environmental issues are negative aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. Environmentalism, a social and environmental movement that started in the 1960s, addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism.-Types:...
. The People's Library facility was among the assets seized. Following the police action, observers reportedly saw the library's books being thrown into dumpsters.
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
stated that the library's collection was safely stored at the sanitation garage on 57th Street
57th Street (Manhattan)
57th Street is one of New York City's major east-west thoroughfares, which runs east-west in the Midtown section of the borough of Manhattan, from the New York City Department of Sanitation's dock on the Hudson River at the West Side Highway to a small park overlooking the East River built on a...
, and that it could be retrieved on the following Wednesday. After library representatives returned from the sanitation garage on Wednesday, they posted on the library's website that most of its collection and equipment had been destroyed, damaged or lost. Among the missing or damaged property was the tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
that housed the library (including its necessary infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
), laptops
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
and rubber stamps
Rubber stamp
Rubber stamping, also called stamping, is a craft in which some type of ink made of dye or pigment is applied to an image or pattern that has been carved, molded, laser engraved or vulcanized, onto a sheet of rubber. The rubber is often mounted onto a more stable object such as a wood, brick or an...
bearing marks
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
used to identify library resources. In all, library representatives reported recovering 26 boxes
Box
Box describes a variety of containers and receptacles for permanent use as storage, or for temporary use often for transporting contents. The word derives from the Greek πύξος , "box, boxwood"....
of books from the city.
Reaction
The American Library AssociationAmerican Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
(ALA) issued a statement that the dissolution of the library was "unacceptable" because libraries "serve as the cornerstone of our democracy and must be safeguarded." The ALA added that the "very existence of the People’s Library demonstrates that libraries are an organic part of all communities" and that libraries "serve the needs of community members and preserve the record of community history." Of concern was the loss of some rare historical documents and records, which it said are endemic to the Occupy movement. Some of the library's reference materials
Reference work
A reference work is a compendium of information, usually of a specific type, compiled in a book for ease of reference. That is, the information is intended to be quickly found when needed. Reference works are usually referred to for particular pieces of information, rather than read beginning to end...
and some of its regular books lost were autographed by their authors, either while visiting the library or through courier to express moral support. One such example included What Work Is
What Work Is
What Work Is is a collection of American poetry by the current Poet Laureate, Philip Levine. It was first published in 1991 by Alfred A. Knoff, Inc. in New York. This poetry collection won the National Book Award for Poetry in 1991. After Levine was named Poet Laureate, What Work Is graced the top...
, which was signed and donated in person by United States Poet Laureate Philip Levine
Philip Levine (poet)
Philip Levine is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet best known for his poems about working-class Detroit. He taught for over thirty years at the English Department of California State University, Fresno and held teaching positions at other universities as well...
hours before its destruction when the park was cleared.
The executive director of Common Cause
Common Cause
Common Cause is a self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit lobby and advocacy organization. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican former cabinet secretary under Lyndon Johnson, as a "citizens' lobby" with a mission focused on making U.S. political institutions more open and...
said in a statement that the City
Government of New York City
The government of New York City is organized under the City Charter and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system. The government of New York is more centralized than that of most other U.S...
should "replace each title, buying two new copies for each one destroyed" and "for whatever number is unaccounted for, the city should provide Occupy’s librarians with funds sufficient to buy twice as many." UC Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
history professor Mark LeVine
Mark LeVine
Mark LeVine is a professor of history at the University of California, Irvine. He is also a musician. He received his B.A. in comparative religion and biblical studies from Hunter College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from New York University's Department of Middle Eastern Studies...
expressed his sentiment that "tents can be replaced, even most personal effects. But destroying books is like destroying the soul of the movement" and filmmaker Udi Aloni
Udi Aloni
Udi Aloni is an Israeli and American filmmaker, writer and visual artist whose works focus on the interrelationships between art, theory,and action. He began his career as a painter, establishing the Bugrashov gallery in Tel Aviv, a home for contemporary art, cultural and political events...
added that "When they disrespect books, they disrespect humankind, and when they destroy books, they destroy the spirit of humanity. The library was great because people gave more than they took. OWS was not just a place for activism, but also a place for education and rethinking; not for just blathering on when you don't know, but being humble and willing to learn. By taking out the library, they've tried to stop that crucial process."
Editors at 2600: The Hacker Quarterly
2600: The Hacker Quarterly
2600: The Hacker Quarterly is an American publication that specializes in publishing technical information on a variety of subjects including telephone switching systems, Internet protocols and services, as well as general news concerning the computer "underground" and left wing, and sometimes ,...
mourned the loss of the library's donated electronics and computer equipment, which they believed to have been destroyed by a blunt object.
Restoration
Efforts to restore the library were initiated shortly after its seizure.. The library started a third collection with 100 replacement books, which were subsequently surrounded by police and confiscated by sanitation workers on the night of . A fourth collection was formed on and is currently being distributed from mobile carts.Services
The library operates 24/724/7
24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for "24 hours a day, 7 days a week", usually referring to a business or service available at all times without interruption...
and uses an honor system
Honor system
An honor system or honesty system is a philosophical way of running a variety of endeavors based on trust, honor, and honesty. Something that operates under the rule of the "honor system" is usually something that does not have strictly enforced rules governing its principles...
to manage returns. It offers weekly poetry readings on Friday nights, provides a reference service that is frequently staffed by professional librarians, and can procure materials available through the interlibrary loan
Interlibrary loan
Interlibrary loan is a service whereby a user of one library can borrow books or receive photocopies of documents that are owned by another library...
system. The library's cataloging system is accessible online at LibraryThing
LibraryThing
LibraryThing is a social cataloging web application for storing and sharing book catalogs and various types of book metadata. It is used by individuals, authors, libraries and publishers....
, which donated a free lifetime membership. Prior to the Zuccotti park raid, a lighted reading room, public laptop computers and a Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
network
Wireless network
Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment...
were also offered.