All posts by Blue Heron Books and Zines

September 2nd, 2013 Newsletter

Hello!

Welcome to the 3rd issue of the Blue Heron Books & Zines Newsletter. The
purpose of the newsletter is to update our friends & members about what's
going at Blue Heron. In this issue, we will be highlighting some
selections from our kid's books section.

If you haven't yet joined Blue Heron Books & Zines, come visit us during
our Monday open hours and sign up! Membership is available for a modest
donation of $0 to $5 and allows you to preview anything in our collection
for up to 3 weeks with absolutely no obligation to buy.

Here is a small sample of the some kids books we currently carry:

Heather Has Two Mommies – A beautiful 20th anniversary edition of the
classic 1989 kid's book about lesbian parents and families of all kinds!
It has lovely illustrations and an interesting afterword 'for parents and
teachers' by the author.

Nature in the Neighbourhood – A nice illustrated book about the plants,
animals and birds in a city neighbourhood (in a northeastern environment
similar to Kingston's), starting with the snow melting at the beginning of
spring, and going through all the seasons until the beginning of spring
again. Full of information.

Champion: The Story of Muhammad Ali – Officially, intended for ages 6 to
10, this is an illustrated introduction to Muhammad Alis' life, career,
politics and religion. A nice introduction to the racial politics of
sports for kids.

My Name is María Isabel – A short chapter book about María Isabel Salazar
López who goes to a new school where her teacher wants to call her Mary.

Which Side Are you On? The Story of a Song, by George Ella Lyon with
Artwork by Christopher Cardinale

Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride, by Andrea Davis Pinkney & Brian Pinkney

The Streets are Free (Based on a True Story), Story by Kurusa,
Illustrations by Monika Doppert

We have many other kid's books, but also welcome donations and suggestions.

...what else? You want to support Blue Heron or be more involved? Here's how:

1. Spread the word! We are a pretty new little project at AKA and we are
really looking to let people know we exist. Help us out by forwarding this
newsletter to your friends and encouraging folks to stop by and check us
out.
2. Volunteer! We are looking for volunteers to help us with staffing open
hours, organizing the collection and promoting the space. Swing by during
open hours to pick up an application of email us at
blueheronbooks@riseup.net
3. Submit a review! If you've read a book or zine from the collection and
have some thoughts, we would love to share them! We are really interested
in promoting the exchange of ideas. If you would like to write-up or
record a free-format review of anything we've got, we would happily share
it.

As always, you can contact us by email at blueheronbooks@riseup.net. Drop
by in person during open hours to preview or buy a book, buy a t-shirt or
hang-out and read or chat. Open hours are Mondays, 2pm-6pm at Blue Heron
in the AKA Autonomous Social Centre, the black & red house on Queen St. at
the corner of Wellington.

See you soon!

Madeleine for Blue Heron Books & Zines

	

February 3rd, 2014 Newsletter

Hey there folks!

This quick message is part news letter, and part invitation.

We’re preparing to head down to table at the second annual
Kitchener-Waterloo Anarchist Bookfair (http://kwbookfair.noblogs.org/) and
wanted to see if you wanted to come along!  Blue Heron is hoping to help
coordinate rides down for folks to go check it out… so if you have
interest (and either the need of a ride or space in one) please get in
touch with us and we’ll try and hook you up!

As per usual, you can always come by and peruse our collection (and the
selection of NEW used books that we’ve picked up to expand our
distro/collection including a variety of anarchist and anti-authoritarian
science fiction, essays, and historical non-fiction) every Monday between
2 and 6 pm!  Stop by for a coffee and chat!

-RB for Blue Heron Books and Zines

January 11, 2014 – Newsletter

Hi All,

We are open every Monday over here at Blue Heron Books & Zines, 2pm-6pm @
AKA Autonomous Social Centre, on Queen St. at the corner of Wellington...
as if you didn't already know! Here are a few updates and upcoming events:

1. Shirts: In addition to the books & zines for sale/loan, we've got some
great silk-screened t-shirts, skirts and patches for sale. Recently, Fiona
from the Blue Heron collective printed a small run of shirts, skirts &
patches with her own bike design. We also have a very small number of
Solidarity with Mi'kmaq Warriors t-shirts (designed by Gord Hill -
http://warriorpublications.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/mikmaq-warrior-solidarity.jpg)
for sale. These shirts are a fundraiser for the Mi'kmaq warriors.

2. Posters:
Blue Heron is selling Crimethinc's Capitalism is a Pyramid Scheme posters
for just $5! Come by and get yours today -
http://crimethinc.com/tools/deluxe.html

3. Upcoming events:
Following open hours on Monday, January 13th, there are two important
speaking events happening at AKA:

***Reclaiming Citizenship, Rejecting Double Punishment: Deepan Budlakoti
Speaking Tour*
6:30pm, Monday, January 13th, 2014

Deepan Budlakoti is an Ottawa-born construction worker and activist who,
in 2010, was stripped of his citizenship by the Canadian government. He
is now a stateless person pitted in an incredible battle against the
Conservative government over his entitlement to citizenship. The
government is attempting to deport him to his parents' homeland, India,
a country where he has never lived and does not have citizenship. See
more info about his story here: www.justicefordeepan.org
<http://www.justicefordeepan.org>

Deepan is currently traveling across Canada to tell his story and seek
support. He will be speaking about his experiences as a young man in
criminal prison, in immigration detention, and his current conditions as
a stateless person. His struggle connects to issues of criminalization,
racial profiling, prisons, immigration detention and, more broadly,
questions of identity, belonging and borders. Who is entitled to
Canadian citizenship? Who is excluded and how are exclusions justified?
Who is subject to deportation and double punishment? Come out to hear
Deepan and join in the discussion.

Childcare for evening event will be available upon request. To register
please email noiik(at)riseup.net by Saturday January 11.

FULL TOUR Details Here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/446361202152882
<https://www.facebook.com/events/446361202152882>

Kingston Event organized and supported by:
No One Is Illegal Kingston and OPIRG Kingston

Tour organized by:
Justice for Deepan Committee
www.justicefordeepan.org <http://www.justicefordeepan.org>
justicefordeepan@gmail.com <mailto:justicefordeepan@gmail.com>
fb.com/justicefordeepanbudlakoti <http://fb.com/justicefordeepanbudlakoti>

****Decolonization: Indigenous Land Reclamation with Anishnabek Land
Defender Giibwanisi

7:30-9pm
*free, donations happily accepted!*
Everyone welcome

Join us for a presentation from indigenous land defender Giibwanisi,
co-founder of ACTION, (Anishinabek Confederacy To Invoke Our Nationhood)
and the Oshkimaadziig Unity Camp. ACTION is a grassroots organization
that seeks to build a national organization, separate from Band Councils
and kanada, rebuilding nationhood through biskaabiiyaang
(decolonization). This work will be done through reestablishing the
original clan governance system, and traditional ways of living.

This vision is being sought through the current project, the
Oshkimaadziig Unity Camp, a land reclamation in Awenda Provincial Park
(just north of Barrie, Ontario). The occupation of this traditional
territory has been going on for close to 20 months. Since its inception,
Giibwanisi and others have faced community backlash, repression from the
OPP, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the park superintendent, and of
course the Chief and Council.

In Kingston briefly as part of a short fundraising and awareness-raising
tour, this liberation movement needs support! Come to 75 Queen St. on
January 13th to learn about this particular struggle, one that faces the
larger battle to decolonize Turtle Island.

"Help us liberate ourselves, and in doing so, see your own liberation
within our struggle."
-Giibwanisi

Hope to see you soon!
Madeleine for BHBZ

Montreal Anarchist Bookfair 2014

Blue Heron Books & Zines is looking forward to hosting a table again this year at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair on May 24th & 25th. The Bookfair is a great place to stock up on anarchist and radical literature and learn all about anarchism through workshops, presentations etc.

Find out more about the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair on their website: http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca

The Blue Heron Books & Zines collective wants to help people in the Kingston get to the Montreal anarchist bookfair in May! Please contact us at blueheronbooks@riseup.net if you are looking to connect to a ride to Montreal or if you can offer a ride in either direction.

Volunteer w/ Blue Heron Books & Zines

Blue Heron is recruiting volunteers to join our project! Volunteers can:

– Help staff open hours

– Update our database of books & zines

– Promote Blue Heron and recruit new members for our book club

– Learn about anarchism, feminism, community organizing, autonomist, radical, & anti-racist politics, and more!

– Read books & zines & write reviews

– Participate in workshops (stay tuned, coming up in 2014…)

If you are interested in volunteering with Blue Heron Books & Zines, please tell us about yourself by answering the questions in our volunteer application and send it to us at blueheronbooks@riseup.net or drop it off during open hours on Mondays, from 2pm to 6pm.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Application: Blue Heron Books & Zines Volunteer.

Blue Heron Books & Zines Opening!

Blue Heron Books & Zines Grand opening!

When?
Monday, April 1st, 2013 from 2pm to 6pm

Where?
AKA Autonomous Social Centre, Queen St. at the corner of Wellington, downtown Kingston (Note: the space has an accessibility ramp and an accessible, single stall bathroom)

What?
Join us to peruse our collection, get your membership to our book club, sign-up to volunteer with the shop, enjoy some snacks and hear some rad zine readings. There will be a reading for kids @ 3:00pm and zine readings for all ages as of 3:30pm.

Free event! All welcome! Bring your kids!

For more information, contact us at: blueheronbooks@riseup.net

More information about us:

Blue Heron Books and Zines is a community bookstore and zine distribution shop located in the AKA Autonomous Social Centre at the corner of Queen and Wellington in Kingston. At the moment, our open hours are Mondays from 2pm to 6pm. We strive to provide and promote radical, anarchist and anti-authoritarian books and media less readily available from mainstream sources or local venues such as libraries. Folks are also invited to come by during our open hours to read in the space, and engage in conversations with each other, collective members, and volunteers; we aim to promote the exchange of ideas.

We are not a profitable venture, any money earned through the sale of books and other publications goes towards purchasing new material and also paying towards the broader survival of AKA. The current collective of the store is committed to creating an anarchist legacy, and the space readily identifies itself as anarchist.

Blue Heron sells predominantly used books, but some new, which makes our inventory all the more financially accessible to the public. Furthermore, folks can become book club members, which allows them to ‘try before they buy’, borrowing books for up to three weeks at a time. Blue Heron is run by volunteers. Collective members seek used books from various sources, including internet sites, thrift stores and garage/house sales.

In addition to selling and lending media, Blue Heron hosts events in our space, including workshops, lectures and discussion forums. This is an area we hope to expand in the future, as continued community outreach is an integral part of our mission.