This book, ‘a handbook on radical and community bookselling’, was published in 1984 by the Radical Booksellers Association.
‘Starting a Bookshop’, Federation of Radical Booksellers, 1984
It was available from York libraries. They bought this copy in January 1985, the stamped information suggests. At some point, years later, it was clearly seen as out of date and surplus to requirements and was withdrawn from the library stock. And every now and then the library would sell off its withdrawn stock in a book sale, which is how I ended up with this copy of it, for 30p.
I’ve had it years, can’t remember how long, a decade or more I guess. Every now and then I’ve looked at it fondly and remembered the 80s, and wondered how many ‘radical booksellers’ are left. Its cover includes the names of many of them from back then, including the York Community Bookshop, which I remember well. Where I bought badges and posters and a copy of The Female Eunuch.
Just after the General Election in May 2015 I was trying to come to terms with what it was like having a Tory government again, and thinking that it felt like the 80s again, and not in a good way. I remembered this book, and wondered if it would have something on the ‘collectives’ of back then. Indeed it did, a whole chapter.
The York Stories collective will be looking to it for guidance.
‘Working collectively’ (from ‘Starting a Bookshop’, Federation of Radical Booksellers, 1984)
Detail from front cover of ‘Starting a Bookshop’ (1984)