Library Activism

I love my cookbooks. Though I have nowhere near the number that some vegans boast, I'm actually on a semi-voluntary year-long cook book-buying ban. They're great, but owning them and using them doesn't always mean a lot to my efforts at activism.



That does not mean, however, that I can't find a way to make cook books a tool of activism.



You know how the library will often have a table displaying books that are unified by a common element? The last one I saw at my library caught my eye because it featured a work by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and then I noticed the display was called "We'll Miss You" and featured works by deceased authors. It was a little strange.

Whether the displays at your library are strange or not, you can put them to work for animal welfare. Consider asking your librarian is you can volunteer your time to set up a display. Select vegan cookbooks that are attractive and have a broad appeal, such as Veganomicon, 1,000 Vegan Recipes
Vegan Planet, Appetite for Reduction, or Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.

Now if you are a bit crafty, your library may allow you to put up a board with information, and place pamphlets on the table as well. Cook books can be the draw, and your board can provide information on either vegan cooking, environmental concerns, or animal welfare, and then a stack of free booklets on the benefits of vegan cooking might just seal the deal.

Check out this great guide from Compassion Over Killing for more ideas.