Difference between revisions of "Spartacus, a bookstore for learning new things"
imported>Ivanhoe |
|||
Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
− | + | {{drop|W}}hen you think of book­stores, you prob­ably don{{t}} think about so­cial change. Buy­ing a book typ­ic­ally in­volves walk­ing past displays of {{w|Moleskine}} note­books and vampire romance best­sellers, avoid­ing over-<wbr>zealous Cus­tom­er Ex­peri­ence Re­pre­sent­at­ives and flashy ad­vert­ise­ments for {{w|digital book readers|E-reader}}. The store is a hub of know­ledge and aware­ness, col­lect­ively run and em­power­ment-<wbr>centered. A re­vo­lu­tion is starting at Sparta­cus, and they want you to be a part of it. | |
− | {{tab}}From the begin­ning in 1972 as a table held by {{w|SFU|Simon_Fraser_University}} stu­dents, over the years the book­store has grown, ex­panded, burned down, | + | {{tab}}From the begin­ning in 1972 as a table held by {{w|SFU|Simon_Fraser_University}} stu­dents, over the years the book­store has grown, ex­panded, burned down, moved twice and in­spired count­less in­di­vidu­als through unique and em­pow­er­ing liter­ature. Alex­ander Daughtry, Sparta­cus Books volun­teer since 1976, ex­plains that the store was spawned from the desire to {{qq|dis­trib­ute rad­ical books that aren{{t}} avail­able else­where.}} Almost 40 years later, the book­store is a com­pletely volun­teer-<wbr>run col­lect­ivem still in­tent on {{qq|put­ting tools in people{{s|r}} hands to in­spire and create so­cial change.}} |
{{tab}}In terms of titles, varied se­lec­tion is not some­thing that{{s}} mis­sing from the shelves. Books range from history, fiction, poetry and graphic novels to gar­den­ing, {{w|DIY|Do-it-yourself}} and psych­ology, as well as women{{s}},<!-- no comma in original --> ab­orig­inal and queer liter­ature, among others. There are also count­less pub­lica­tions on anarch­ism, so­cial­ism and Marx­ism. All books are priced to be as af­ford­able as pos­sible. They also sell ’zines (in­de­pend­ently pub­lished liter­ature), t-shirts, news­papers, stick­ers and much more. | {{tab}}In terms of titles, varied se­lec­tion is not some­thing that{{s}} mis­sing from the shelves. Books range from history, fiction, poetry and graphic novels to gar­den­ing, {{w|DIY|Do-it-yourself}} and psych­ology, as well as women{{s}},<!-- no comma in original --> ab­orig­inal and queer liter­ature, among others. There are also count­less pub­lica­tions on anarch­ism, so­cial­ism and Marx­ism. All books are priced to be as af­ford­able as pos­sible. They also sell ’zines (in­de­pend­ently pub­lished liter­ature), t-shirts, news­papers, stick­ers and much more. |
Revision as of 21:11, 26 February 2018
When you think of bookstores, you probably don’t think about social change. Buying a book typically involves walking past displays of Moleskine notebooks and vampire romance bestsellers, avoiding over-
From the beginning in 1972 as a table held by SFU students, over the years the bookstore has grown, expanded, burned down, moved twice and inspired countless individuals through unique and empowering literature. Alexander Daughtry, Spartacus Books volunteer since 1976, explains that the store was spawned from the desire to “distribute radical books that aren’t available elsewhere.” Almost 40 years later, the bookstore is a completely volunteer-
In terms of titles, varied selection is not something that’s missing from the shelves. Books range from history, fiction, poetry and graphic novels to gardening, DIY and psychology, as well as women’s, aboriginal and queer literature, among others. There are also countless publications on anarchism, socialism and Marxism. All books are priced to be as affordable as possible. They also sell ’zines (independently published literature), t-shirts, newspapers, stickers and much more.
In April of 2004, a fire burned down their previous location at Victory Square on West Hastings. Daughtry remembers the incredible community support the store received, including fund-
In their mission to provide tools for social change, Spartacus Books also serves as a venue for meetings and gatherings. Events in the past have included poetry readings, movie nights and concerts, including hosting the launch of Capilano University’s creative writing ’zine, The Liar. With free computer and Internet access, Spartacus Books is more than just a bookstore, it is a resource for social change and awareness.
Spartacus Books is not affiliated with any organizations, though it supports progressive movements and allows them to put up posters and fliers around the store. In the past these have included Under the Volcano Festival and the protests surrounding the G8 and G20 meetings.
The store promotes a comfortable environment where you can buy a book that debunks neoclassical economics, pick up a t-shirt supporting independent media, and learn about a new environmental movement all in one shop. If the idea of a supportive and empowering bookstore is appealing to you, drop by the store and think about joining the collective. The bookstore is currently in need of volunteers, which are vital to keeping the store open.
Daughtry explains that without Spartacus Books, “people would have to rely on mainstream media, and they would know a lot less. The bookstore helps people organize and get things changed. People can get an alternative here.”
// Adélie Houle-Lachance, Writer
// JJ Brewis