The stuff of history

You will hopefully have noticed that we appeal for supporters of the library to send us material. Obviously we want people who publish anarchist books or newspapers to donate them to us; likewise people who find relevant works that we don't have. However, there's a lot more to it than this: to have an in-depth view of the activities of the anarchist movement (and of it's portrayal) we also need the following kinds of material:

Theoretical writings (and drafts for changes in ideas)

Organisational material (bulletins, minutes etc)

Agitational material (leaflets, posters, stickers, badges)

Trial documentation

Newspaper cuttings (they tend to last better if they're copied onto proper paper, since the newsprint will eventually crumble; don't forget to include the date and which paper it comes from)

Videos (news reports, relevant documentaries etc)

It also helps if these are put in context - if you send a leaflet, tell us (if you know) when and why it was produced, how many were handed out etc.

All of these things on their own are only a small part of the big picture but by keeping your eyes peeled you can help make sure that we do have the proof to show what was going on. It's where proof is missing that movements 'disappear' from history. If we don't look after our history who will?