It perfectly matches the endeavour to democratise the library, Carasso explains: “Libraries offer books that have been published. In a sense that makes publishers the library’s gatekeepers. The Spectacle of Books also gives people who have written something that has not been published the opportunity to share their story”.

Brautigan Library

The motto of the Brautigan Library in America is: ‘A very public library’. The library was founded in the nineties by Brautigan fan Todd Lockwood. He specifically asked the daughter of Brautigan, who had died by that time, for permission to do so.

The collection was later transferred to the museum in Vancouver. The library contains around three hundred unpublished books, but it is not supplemented with new physical books anymore. The library is still visited by book lovers. Visitors can read the books on-site. You can read more about the Brautigan Library here.

The idea of the Brautigan Library continues to inspire writers. In the French novel ‘The Mystery of Henri Pick’ by David Foenkinos, a librarian in Brittany starts a library filled with books that have been rejected by publishers.

And in ‘The Last Resort Library’ by Irving Finkel, researchers collect as many rejected manuscripts as possible. The books have not been edited, which means that ‘they are more pure and valuable than the contents of all public libraries and book shops put together’.

Are there more libraries of unpublished books?

Yes. In 2024, writer Dave Eggers opened The International Library of Youth Writing in San Francisco, which is a library filled with books written by children. Read more.

And in the Swedish Umeå you can find the Bibliotheca Non Grata, which is an art project with unpublished books in memory of the writer Stieg Larsson. Read more.

What makes The Spectacle of Books unique?

The Spectacle of Books has room for as many as three thousand books. Never before was there a space for so many unpublished books. All books are welcome, in all languages, from young and old writers.

In addition, The Spectacle of Books takes place at a very public location, which is the much visited Utrecht Library at Neude, which makes it very accessible.

The Spectacle of Books stays in motion, it is not an archive. There continues to be room for new stories.

The books will be placed in an extraordinary installation designed by the DeVrijerVanDongen architectural firm. The installation matches you with a book. It is like a blind date: you do not know what you will be reading.

The Spectacle of Books lets you discover books that few have read before. It is an encounter. Writers from across the Netherlands and of all ages have personally submitted their book to The Spectacle of Books, including a handwritten message to the reader. In turn, a reader can leave behind a message for the writer. And anyone may borrow a book from The Spectacle of Books: even if you are not a library member.