Read / Write Library

Nell Taylor’s vision took root in the heart of Chicago. In 2006, amidst the caffeinated buzz of MoJoe’s coffee shop, the Read/Write Library was born. It began as the Chicago Underground Library, a haven for zines and community stories. The Read/Write Library quickly outgrew its coffee shop cradle. It found a new home in Humboldt Park in 2011. This wasn’t your typical hushed library filled with dusty tomes. The Read/Write Library pulsates with the lifeblood of Chicago. It’s a repository of voices, a collection of narratives woven from the city’s diverse fabric. Imagine pamphlets whispering tales of local activism. Picture zines bursting with raw creativity. Envision community plans sketching out dreams for the future. The Read/Write Library houses oral histories passed down through generations. Neighborhood newspapers capture the pulse of local life. Literary magazines from Chicago Public Schools and state prisons showcase the power of words to transcend boundaries. Parish church cookbooks offer a taste of community traditions. Self-published poetry and novels reveal the rich inner lives of Chicagoans. The Read/Write Library gathers these fragments of Chicago’s story, preserving them for future generations. It’s a story told not through the detached lens of academics or journalists, but by the people themselves, in their own vibrant words. The Read/Write Library isn’t just a library; it’s a living archive. It is a testament to the belief that every voice matters, every story deserves to be heard.