San Francisco, California | Repositories of Knowledge
In the heart of San Francisco lies an “appropriation-friendly” collection of printed ephemera, periodicals, and books known as the Prelinger Library.
Visitors are encouraged to copy and reproduce all the information and images contained therein; much of the contents are in the public domain, and every attempt has been made to check the copyright status of the remaining, usually “orphaned,” works.
The eponymous library was founded by Rick and Megan Prelinger in 2004, and 95 percent of its contents were organized and shelved over the course of one week! Effectively, this is a private library with public access, consisting of approximately 40,000 tomes relating to landscape and geography, media and representation, historical consciousness, and political narratives from beyond the mainstream. In August of 2009, San Francisco Bay Guardian designated the Prelinger Library as the “Best Place to See Old S.F.”
Megan devised the library’s unique “serendipity” shelving system to enhance the investigative experience. By organizing information in this manner, emphasis is placed on the idea that each books contains varying degrees of knowledge that supplements that of its neighbor, which can only be discovered through open-minded browsing of the loosely gathered subject matter. Though not everyone can make the pilgrimage to wander the aisles in person, don’t despair! Over 3,700 fully downloadable books, and 1000s of old movies are accessible through their website’s digital archives section.(A strong recommendation can be made for the industrial films made by Jamison Handy or “Handy Jam’ productions.)
While the content of Prelinger Library is intended to be shared, it’s important to note that the physical books and magazines containing said information cannot be removed from the premises. Therefore, it is suggested that visitors bring digital cameras for the easiest capture and transport of information. Just in case, a copier, flat-bed scanner, and cross-formatted USB flash drive are also available for public use in a pinch.
