Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Collins.
Hi Paul, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a teacher trying to get my students to trust their own voices in order to make their own art, and a parent of kids whose beliefs differ from mine, and for whom I want the benefit of public libraries that contain the wisdom of the multitude. I am also an artist who has made large painted books for the last decade. When I was approached by a local librarian and asked to present my books in libraries in an attempt to draw awareness to Banned Books Week and the incredible rise of censorship and intimidation in our libraries here in Tennessee I jumped at the chance. I reached out to a local writer, Christine Hall, and invited her to collaborate in creating a new book that might use intimate personal experience as a foil for pushing back against the homogenizing force of book bans. When I mentioned this to another artist, they said fast and clear, “I want to do that!”. And so The Unbannable Library was born, and this grassroots effort grew from one planned book on Memorial Day to over twenty-five by Labor Day. I made the forms and contacted the libraries, and I did a lot of match-making to set up teams, but honestly, word spread mostly on its own. The presentation of these personal narratives that were TOO BIG TO BAN made an immediate impact on the twelve library communities where they were installed for September and October. Based on inquiries from new libraries and strong interest from new collaborating schools, artists, and writers, it was clear that the library’s expansion would continue.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The struggles are here in Tennessee are all about visibility. The most frustrating is institutional retreat and fear in libraries to speak up about the problem. Everyone is worried about funding and jobs, so the appetite to bring awareness to the issue of book bans and censorship has receded in public libraries.
Other issues that an outsider might think of as challenges (funding, coordination of 100 collaborators every year, travel, time) are really just trivialities. When you see these books in person and appreciate how much time and effort people put into them its is just so inspiring!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a story teller. Over the last decade I’ve put all my energy into helping others tell their stories. I work in a lot of different media – paint, print, sculpture, events.
What are you most proud of? – Never settling. Always trying new things and (hopefully) finding better ways to connect stories to the viewer.
What sets you apart from others? Accessibility. I work with anyone and everyone who has the will to share.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Building forts in the woods. I’ve always been a world builder
Contact Info:
- Website: https://unbannablelibrary.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unbannablelibrary/
- Other: paulpaul.com & unzine.org
