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Upcoming Events

Presentation: Black Ambience Before André 3000

The Secret History of African Americans and Ambient Music

A lush, immersive and often surprising journey through the forgotten soundscape of Black experimentalism.

Featuring: Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra, Laraaji, King Tubby, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, KMRU and more!

Before André 3000’s flute wandered into ambient territory, Black artists had already been shaping the genre from its quiet edges—crafting deeply spiritual, spatial and sonically radical works that defied easy categorization. Music historian and ambient composer Mark Montgomery French uncovers this under-recognized lineage, connecting the dots between cosmic jazz, tape loop meditations, electronic church music, dub’s echo chambers and sound art rooted in resistance.

Thursday, September 11th, 2025: 6:30pm

African American Center - 3rd Floor

aac@sfpl.org

Presentation: Legacy as Living Practice - Shaping Legacy Artists in Conversation

A conversation with artists rethinking legacy and public memory in San Francisco.

What does it mean to reimagine monuments and memorials in our city? Shaping Legacy: San Francisco’s Monuments and Memorials is a multi-year initiative of the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) that explores this question. The project looks back by critically examining the Civic Art Collection and looks forward by engaging artists and communities historically excluded from the commemorative landscape.

Artists Ambrose Trataris, Sophia Tupuola and Tricia Rainwater will share existing artworks, inspirations and works in progress. Presentations will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Angela Carrier, Senior Program Manager at SFAC.

Tuesday, September 16th, 2025: 6:00pm

Koret Auditorium - Koret Lobby

artmusicrec@sfpl.org

Social: San Francisco Correspondence Co-op

A monthly social club based in San Francisco for mail artists, letter writers and people who love the USPS. If this sounds like you, then you've come to the right place! The Correspondence Co-op is a place for like-minded folks to meet other artists in a casual setting, make some mail art and share ideas. The SFCC meets the third Sunday of every month; no meeting in December.

Sponsored by Book Arts & Special Collections.

Sunday, September 21st, 2025: 1:00pm

Learning Studio - 5th Floor

bookarts@sfpl.org

Presentation: Hands on History

Fairyland: A Hands-On Journey through the Steve Abbott Papers

An intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the vibrant cultural scene of 1970s and '80s San Francisco through the lens of the Steve Abbott Papers. Steve Abbott -- a poet, journalist, essayist, novelist, activist, and single gay father -- captured the heart of San Francisco's literary and queer communities during a pivotal era, from the early gay civil rights movement to the rise of the AIDS crisis. This special show-and-tell event is led by our knowledgeable archivist, who will guide you through highlights from the collection and the stories behind them.

This program is in partnership with companion screenings of the film Fairyland, based on the memoir of the same name written by Steve Abbott's daughter Alysia Abbott.

Thursday, October 2nd, 2025: 6:00pm

San Francisco History Center - 6th Floor

hormel@sfpl.org

Collection Highlights

New to the Collection

John Waters. Printed by Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., Detroit, EARTH

Sassy words to live by, courtesy John Waters, and beloved printer Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr, whose lively letterpress posters and mini broadside missives are eagerly awaited by the folks in Book Arts & Special Collections.

Amos’ work is available to view in the Robert Grabhorn Collection on the History of Printing & the Development of the Book.

From the Grabhorn Collection on the History of Printing & the Development of the Book

Ornamented Types: twenty-three alphabets from the Foundry of Louis John Pouchée (London : I.M. Imprint in association with the St. Bride Printing Library, 1992-1993. Grabhorn Collection on the History of Printing & the Development of the Book

In memory of the great James Mosley (1935-2025), whose spectacular introduction for Ornamented Types (I.M. Imprimit, 1992-1993) is both stunning in its scholarship and wonderful to read. And those ornamented types are pretty marvelous! James Mosley was a man for all seasons: printing historian, librarian at St. Bride’s in London, visiting professor at the University of Reading Department of Typography and the University of Virginia’s Rare Book School, founding editor of The Journal of the Printing Historical Society, author of numerous books on the history of printing.

Read more about James Mosley’s contributions to the history of printing in the Eye Magazine essay by Paul Barnes. For fans of printing types and letterforms Mosley’s blog is still accessible

On Exhibit Soon

See you at the Library