Summary
This article highlights how Minneapolis communities—particularly bookstores, libraries, and the broader literary world—are responding amid ICE activity, protests, and widespread fear and offers ways the broader literary community can lend support.
As we watch chilling news footage of ICE agents in Minneapolis, we are both horrified by the brutality and heartened by the thousands of individuals braving extreme temperatures to raise a unified voice in an effort to protect their neighbors and reclaim their city.
Among those affected by the chaos, we find independent bookstores struggling to maintain sales, school librarians trying to nurture and protect their students, and members of the publishing industry stepping up to lend a hand. The broader literary community can help Minneapolis by staying informed and offering support.
Support Minneapolis Booksellers
According to a January 16 Publishers Weekly article, most bookstores admit that the presence of ICE agents in their neighborhoods has had a negative impact on business. However, they have remained open “as people come in looking for information, resources, and whistles” or for a quiet space to rest and gather their thoughts.
Some booksellers are going a step further. A January 28 Publishers Weekly article introduces Greg Ketter, owner of DreamHaven Books and Comics. When a local news station aired footage of Ketter, age 70, marching through tear gas and cursing at ICE agents near the site of Alex Petti’s death, the video went viral. DreamHaven’s website crashed from all the attention it received, and the store’s sales have increased tenfold over a typical January.
Looking to order a book from an indie bookstore? You might consider supporting the booksellers on the front lines and ordering from a Minneapolis bookstore. To help you get started, here’s a list of local bookstores in the Twin Cities.
Support Minneapolis Librarians
Schools in Minneapolis are feeling the stress. According to a January 20 School Library Journal article, entire school communities are actively supporting frightened students and families. School librarians are facilitating online learning and curating lists of books to help students process difficult emotions and understand pertinent history.
The Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota, a division of the Minnesota Library Association, sent an email out to librarians and advocates. They thanked librarians for the work they are doing. And for those of us living outside the area, they shared ways to “support affected families and communities, including donating to a local food pantry, assisting an organization that is sending kids free books, patronizing MSP BIPOC-owned and immigrant-owned businesses, and calling legislators.”
The Literary Community’s Efforts to Support Minneapolis
You may have heard about the recent Publishing for Minnesota Auction. The auction ran from January 29 to January 30 and included consultations with agents and authors, AMA sessions, portfolio reviews, critiques, autographed books, author visits, and more. According to the site, proceeds will “support organizations providing legal aid, emergency assistance, food, and community resources to those in urgent need.”
But what if you missed the window for this auction? Are there still more ways to help? Absolutely. For those wanting to lend help, PEN America has put together an article about the many ways the literary community is stepping up to support Minneapolis. They also mention ways you can lend your support, “whether through donations, buying books, or reading about their experiences.”
While the effects of this present crisis are unimaginably stressful for the people of Minneapolis, it is reassuring to know that as protesters speak out against the assault on their neighbors, booksellers, schools, and librarians are actively caring for their communities. Let’s support them in any way we can.
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