Introduction
The Kate Sharpley Library exists to preserve and promote anarchist history. We preserve the output of the anarchist movement, mainly in the form of books, pamphlets, newspaper, leaflets and manuscripts but also badges, recordings, photographs etc. We also have the work of historians and other writers on the anarchist movement.
We promote the history of anarchism by publishing studies based on those materials - or reprints of original documents taken from our collection. These appear in our quarterly bulletin or regularly published pamphlets. We have also provided manuscripts to other anarchist publishers. People come and research in the library, or we can send out photocopies.
We don't say one strand of class-struggle anarchism has all the answers. We don't think anarchism can be understood by looking at 'thinkers' in isolation. We do think that what previous generations thought and did, what they wanted and how they tried to get it, is relevant today. We encourage the anarchist movement to think about its own history - not to live on past glories but to get an extra perspective on current and future dangers and opportunities.
Everything at the Kate Sharpley Library - acquisitions, cataloguing, preservation work, publishing, answering inquiries is done by volunteers: we get no money from governments or the business community. All our running costs are met by donations (from members of the collective or our subscribers and supporters) or by the small income we make through publishing.
Please consider making a donation or subscribing to our bulletin.
We have created an online library of our pamphlets and other documents, which we hope to continue adding to. Please do explore.