Papercut Zine Library celebrates new Somerville space

On April 23, 2010, in Latest News, by The News Staff

Librarian Dave Taber receives assistance from trouble!, who edits the Somerville arts zine High Five, for a reading during the reopening celebration of the Papercut Zine Library at 226 Pearl St.

The library has more than 13,000 titles, available to check out by anyone who signs up to be a member. ~Photos by Tom Nash

By Tom Nash

A former Harvard Square landmark devoted to free expression and radical thought opened Sunday at its new site on Pearl Street in Somerville.

Volunteers and community members gathered to celebrate the opening of the Papercut Zine Library in an artist space at 226 Pearl St.

The library, dedicated to the independent and often Xeroxed publications ignored by mainstream libraries, operated out of the basement of the Democracy Center in Cambridge since 2005. The library was forced out in August 2009.

Librarian Dave Taber said the search for a new home included much of Boston and Cambridge, but eventually led to an artist space on Pearl Street.

"This happened to be where the good spot was," Taber said, noting the possibilities of the larger space. "We're going to be doing a lot more art stuff."

Taber said he hoped the turnout for the April 18 grand opening, which featured performances and refreshments provided by anti-hunger activists Food Not Bombs, was evidence that the more remote location wouldn't deter visitors.

"It's going to be a challenge to keep folks circulating through, because we're so far out of the way," he said.

The library, which has more than 13,000 titles catalogued, ranging from punk rock publications from the 1980s to the Somerville arts and culture zine High Five, will also focus on attracting new browsers from around the city.

"We're kind of hoping to make it more of a local institution," Taber said. "We'll definitely be focusing on outreach to the community."

The library, online at www.papercutzinelibrary.org, is open Friday through Monday, 2 to 7 p.m.