Read/Write Library Chicago

Read/Write Library collects, preserves, and provides access to community media in order to inspire and promote diverse modes of cultural production and civic engagement. Through our public programs and free browsing hours, growing collection of over 5,000 publications, and open source catalog, the library strives to raise the visibility of work produced by Chicagoans of all backgrounds to reveal connective threads across neighborhoods, generations, and cultures and to encourage inquiry into and ownership of the historical record. The library recognizes the contributions that all community members make to co-creating a city and believes that learning to value these stories plays a vital role in building empathy, community pride, and the ability to see oneself as a change agent.