The newly launched Brum Library Zine is a protest against proposed cuts to library services in Birmingham, featuring works by writers such as Jonathan Coe, Kit de Waal, Anna Metcalfe, and Mark Billingham. Led by poet Liz Berry and novelist Catherine O’Flynn, the zine showcases original stories, poetry, memoir, and flash fiction inspired by Birmingham’s community libraries.
The idea for the project came after Birmingham city council approved significant budget cuts, including a proposed reduction in the library budget and potential closure of seven libraries. The zine project aimed to highlight the importance of libraries in Birmingham, especially in light of the city’s high levels of poverty and literacy challenges among children.
The zine designers, lead by artist and librarian Tom Hicks, created a lo-fi, punk aesthetic for the zine, incorporating images from vintage Birmingham library books. A crowdfunding campaign raised over £1,000 to cover printing costs, and now over 2,000 copies of the zine are available for free at libraries across Birmingham.
The creators of Brum Library Zine hope to encourage community members to join the Birmingham Loves Libraries campaign, attend library consultation meetings, and make their voices heard in the face of the proposed cuts. They emphasize the vital role that libraries play in providing access to literature and education, particularly to marginalized communities. Jonathan Coe emphasizes that losing sight of the importance of libraries is disastrous, calling for a collective stand to protect these vital community spaces.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com
