Read/Write Library Chicago

Sneak peek at our next pop-up library location...

Back digging in the collection today. Animal Kingdom in Avondale. I can't remember if I ever visited when they still had the tiger.

Sometimes you don't open boxes for two years and you find things you've never ever seen before.

Well that's depressingly all after our 10 years at 914 N. California. We love you, Humboldt Park, and hope to stay in the neighborhood, but are looking anywhere in the city (except downtown, because art and culture doesn't just happen downtown, it's in the whole damn city and in the neighborhoods.) Our plan is to reopen in Spring and we need all your support you can give. Thank you so much for making an amazing space and amazing programs with us here for 10 years!!! Donate on this post or via our Venmo . Links in bio

We need your help today and every Friday and Saturday in December, 1-5pm! We have boxes of books to pack, shelves to take down, and a giant FREE PILE of stuff to give away! Drop in during those hours, no need to register ahead of time. Masks and social distancing mandatory. We also still need your donations to support our move and reopening in Spring, Venmo or visit readwritelibrary.org (links in bio)

After 10 years, we are losing our beloved space December 31st.

Our plan is to reopen in Spring 2022 and we need your help now to ensure that our vibrant, urgent, one-of-a-kind programs reach more people than ever in the next ten years and beyond.

Before the pandemic, we were on track to annually deliver:

- 50+ free or low-cost field trips and classroom visits, from local middle school students to international graduate students

- 2-4 Pop Up Libraries, including ones prototyped in other states and cities and rural towns and inside high school libraries

- 70+ public cultural programs with partners throughout the city

- 150+ days of free and open research, browsing, and community meeting

- Cataloging of dozens of local publications spanning 100 years that would otherwise not be seen

Help us weather this crisis and emerge stronger in a new, accessible space, supported by staff and facilitators who are paid equitably for their talent and passion in bringing to life the stories that have been left out of the record.

Throughout the pandemic, our resources have been strained as our rent has increased, but promised building improvements have not, making it impossible to continue — let alone grow — our programs in our current location.

Links in bio for ways to donate, and we're looking for volunteers all December Fri & Sat 1-5pm to help pack. Please spread the word, and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

We're getting ready to officially re-open in the next couple weeks (check our linktree for volunteering info). We will still be a regular drop off site for 's Crisis Pantry and supplies for jail and protest support during our open hours, Fri-Sat 1-5pm. We started doing this a year ago this week and you have all been absolutely phenomenal at keeping this going ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥♥️

Hi friends, we will be closed today and tomorrow to recharge! See you next weekend when we're back to our normal hours Friday & Saturday 1-5pm