User:Simon/Trim4/fieldwork/Eva Olthof in the XPUB studio

21.10.19 - Eva Olthof, in the XPUB studio

Eva Olthof is an artist who is conducting a research project titled "Public Library Of". I was interested in talking with her about her work with libraries, and in particular, how they are managed. Recently, I've been telling everyone that the bootleg library is not my library, but ours. The feedback I've received in response has been that this is a potentially dangerous position - in trying to be democratic, I may be creating confusion and a lack of confidence that I am responsible for the bootleg library. Eva believes in a democratic approach to library infrastructure, in which experts and non-experts are both involved. She sees herself as a initiator of libraries, rather than an administrator, or a librarian.

Eva's most recent project is a residency with PrintRoom Rotterdam, producing a series of zines called "Dear Bieb", in which Olthof outlines an upcoming research project she plans to conduct within the Bibliotheek Rotterdam, the main municipal library here in Rotterdam.

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  Dear Bieb zine, cover

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  Dear Bieb zine, pgs 1-2

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  Dear Bieb zine, pgs 3-4

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  Dear Bieb zine, back cover

We talked about this project, which began with her approaching the Bibliotheek Rotterdam to request a space in which she could conduct her research. At the basis of this project is a very simple question, but one that warrants asking: What does library membership mean? This is a very pertinent question, as library members are treated as customers; for a start, library membership is not free (you have to pay a small fee), and also the Bibliotheek Rotterdam recently announced plans for the building of a Starbucks cafe, and a Blokker (a commercial bookshop). Public library spaces are becoming commercial spaces, as businesses try to capitalise on the sociability that libraries produce.

She said that she spent quite a few months getting passed around from person to person within the administration of the Bibliotheek (who didn't really know how to place her request - was it art? was it research?). She spoke of her wishes with the project, including the creation of a small collection of member-contributed texts, and the possibility of publishing from the space within the library. We talked about possible ways that I could be involved in this project, and the potential for using some of the digital publishing knowledge I have gained to publish from the space of the library.

We also discussed the initiation and development of Leeszaal, which is a successful model of a community space based around a collection of books. Eva said that Leeszaal was initiated after many small local public libraries were closed. The initiators of Leeszaal, Joca and Maurice, met with members of the local community, and asked two questions: 1) Do we need a library? and 2) If so, how can you contribute? These seem to be very pertinent questions, asked in a way that includes non-expert opinions. This was inspiring to hear, as I'm also working in an amateur librarian way, with other people who are also not professional librarians.