History

Below is the Prelinger Library history timeline, divided into categories of News, Events and Exhibitions.

YEAR NEWS EVENTS EXHIBITIONS
2014 February 22: Lost Landscapes of Oakland at OMCA
February 19: The Itinerant Poetry Librarian at the Prelinger LibraryItinerant Poetry Librarian
January -March: Amy Balkin’s A People’s Archive of Sinking and Melting
2013 November: Acquired flat file from Holy Names University Library 
September: Featured by Station to Station Original Films
December 17: Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 8
April: Observatory Library exhibit opens within new Exploratorium
March 10: No More Road Trips?
November 9, 2013–June 29, 2014: Bay Motion: Capturing San Francisco Bay on Film at the Oakland Museum of California
September: Loaned materials to California Historical Society exhibit Unbuilt San Francisco: The View From Futures Past
2012 January: Donation of Epicenter Zone zine library
February: Donation of George Griffin library on animation, illustration, and handmade film
March – April: Art section organized
December: Publication of Powers of Ten book by FutureFarmers
December 11: Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 7 November: “Ex Libris” group show, curated by Microclimate Collective, at Root Division
2011 July: Ephemera collection fully organized April 9: Featured in Atlas Obscura Day
September 4: One-day on-site exhibit of library-based work by Artist in Residence Pierre Leguillon
2011_PierreLeguillon

December: Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 6

November: (Toronto) Exhibition of Artist in Residence Felicity Tayler’s library-based work
2011_FelicityTayler
2010 March: Publication of Another Science Fiction October: Library co-sponsors THATCamp Bay Area event
November: Book release party, benefit for Nature in the City; “Mariposa Road” by Robert Michael Pyle
Oct–Dec: “The Document as Coordinate and Contract” course offered via SFMOMA’s
Pickpocket Almanac project
December: Artist in Residence Montgomery Cantsin presents library-supported work “Art Strike Time Capsule” with guests Re/Search’s V. Vale and Charles Gatewood
November: “I Live Here SF” group exhibit at SOMArts, curated by Julie Michelle
2009 June: Beginning of collaboration with Nonchalance, holding the archives of the Jejeune Institute for three years
July: Fifth anniversary celebration2009_5thPartycrowd01SMALL_byAmyBalkin
April: Library is the guest of Todd Lappin at the first Pop-Up Magazine event
May: Library featured in Matt Keegan’s solo exhibit “Postcards & Calendars” at Altman Siegel Gallery
Oct–Dec: “From Repository to Workshop: Reinventing the Library and Archives” course offered via SFMOMA’s Pickpocket Almanac project
January: Shorelines and Timelines, Outdoor Exploratorium exhibit, installed at Fort Mason, Building D
May: Maker Faire, “How-To Library,” 2-day installation
June: Installation of Greening the City Library at Studio for Urban Projects (through summer 2011)

September: Library featured in exhibition and artists book by Carla Herrera-Prats, Localization, Location, Ubicación

2008 June: Installation of ephemera annex shelves in the back of the room
July: Begin box-level organization and installation of ephemera collection

Fall: Public access to ephemera collection

March“Strange Weather” exhibit at Eyebeam Gallery, New York, exhibit developed in collaboration with Studio for Urban ProjectsMarch – Collaboration with Third Coast International Audio Festival, Chicago
April: Earth Day Library, installed at Nature in the City’s McLaren park Earth Day celebration
April: “Library History in Correspondence” exhibit in “Self Storage,” group show, CCA MFA program in Curatorial Practice, curators

MayMaker Faire, “How-To Library,” 2-day installation2008_RPMakerFaire

2007 November: Berkeley Center for Appropriate Transit donates bicycle literature library  October 3: Illuminated Corridor at the library AprilCommunity Library at Garden for the Environment
April: Earth Day Library, installed at Nature in the City’s McLaren park Earth Day celebration
April“The California Files” group show at CCA / Wattis Gallery, curated by Ariane Beyn

October: “In Popular Terms” exhibit at Eyebeam Gallery, New York; exhibit developed in collaboration with the Studio for Urban Projects

November: Browsing library installed at Other Cinema

ATA Library Table
ATA Library Table
2006 March: “Patriot Act” artwork installed by artist Vanessa Renwick, consisting of four words in neon: Free / Speech / Fear / Free2006_FreeSpeechNeonInstalled  
June: Library 2nd anniversary party
July: publication of The Field Guide to Sponsored Film
October: Book scanning partnership with Internet Archive commences
January: Library talk at Independent School of Art
September: Library talk at Proteus Gowanus in Brooklyn, in association with Reanimation Library 
Earth Day Library (on-site cabinet installation)2006_Earth_Day_CabinetSMALL
2005 February: Acquisitions road trip to State Library of Nevada in Carson City; acquired Foresta Institute library of western ecology
July: presentation at Society of California Archivists
February: Artists Television Access “Free Culture” evening library talk
December 11: Ephemera sorting party
July: “Documenting the Atomic Era, Promise and Response,” exhibit in “Simnuke” group show at Rx Gallery commemorating the anniversary of the Trinity test, curated by Camron Assadi and Sasha Harris-Cronin2005_SimNuke_atomicbox02  

September:
 “Atomic Cabinet” exhibit at Other Cinema
2004 May: Shelves installed
June: Books shelved

September: First university class field trip to the library. Brought by Anne Walsh of UC Berkeley. Since this time, around eight classes per year have visited the library on field trips.2004_yellowwallwithwindows
IF

June 6 – 13: Shelving Week! 65 volunteers helped us install the library
November: Ephemera sorting party2004_EphemeraSortingParty-1 2004_EphemeraSortingParty-2