*note from Tiff: this is the email sent by Tony in June. As of July 19, 2007, Blackbird Books is an official NGO (non-governmental organization) in Kosovo.*

Make a BIG difference in Kosovo. With very LITTLE effort or cost. Please take a few minutes and read on.

Mitrovicë/a is the fourth largest city in Kosovo. Many people consider this city to be particularly emblematic of the region's challenges because of the river that divides the town: currently the north side is predominantly Serbian, and the south side is predominantly Albanian. We're starting a bookstore in Mitrovicë/a that we hope will affect the way that people here interact with literature, art and even each other.

Cultural life in Mitrovicë/a has been dramatically affected by the events of the last decade. A lot of good people are doing a lot of good work on that front, but there remains a substantial disconnect between art and everyday life. In particular, cultural organizations in Mitrovicë/a are principally located in cultural hubs: university and cultural centers. Young people have little experience with literature or art outside of the classroom setting, and those who may be artistically inclined have few local options for intellectual stimulation. In addition, finding great and exciting literature just isn't that easy. Textbooks and manuals? No problem. Borges and Bukowski? Not so much.

So how can a bookstore really address this deficiency? Well, we aim to be more than just a bookstore. Museums, libraries and schools are vital to the perpetuation of art, but art grows and changes when it is a part of a living community. Most vibrant cities are nourished by some sort of art scene, and—whether that scene focuses on literature, music or drama—it is nearly always driven by the passion of young adults and it nearly always takes place in a casual and hip environment intended to propagate it. The southern part of Mitrovicë/a is currently lacking in such spaces.

Blackbird Books will be located in a high traffic area—we are currently scouting locations in the pedestrian zone of south Mitrovicë/a. By doing so, we'll be offering an alternative to the traditional cultural venue. However, our success in a high-traffic zone will depend on our ability to be more than a bookstore. Blackbird Books will be designed and furnished to encourage people to stay. By offering beverages, music and a welcoming environment, we hope that citizens will return regularly for reading, discussion and relaxation, for listening to music and watching films, and simply to socialize. To put it simply: we're going be a very nice place to BE. We're going to build the kind of spot you want to hang out in, and we're going to do it with the very coolest books, graphic novels, music and films. In the process, we're going to raise Mitrovicë/a's profile as a cultural destination.

There's a lot more information below about how we're going to accomplish this and give back to the community too. We're in the process of registering as an officially tax exempt NGO here in Kosovo, and we're very happy to be able to report that we have already begun to receive some support from prospective funders who will really make this thing happen. But first (here's the "pitch") we need your help—and believe me: it couldn't be any easier. Money's great, and we'll take it. But what we need most of all is BOOKS. Blackbird Books is going to have a lot of English, Albanian and Serbian titles available for sale, but it's even more important to our mission to have books available on premise for reading. We're going to make books available to anyone that wants them, so that anyone can sit, read, talk and get a little shot of culture without having to part with a single euro.

So here's what you do: send us your used literature. What kind of literature? Well, that's the important part. We're not looking for technical manuals or kid's books. Because we want to make an impact on young adults, we're looking for the books that changed your life when you were between the ages of 15 and 30. We know we're probably forgetting something, but here's the four main categories we're stocking:

1. the CLASSICS. We love Goethe. We adore Faulkner. We think very highly of Herman Hesse, George Orwell, Flannery O'Conner and Gunter Grass. Tolstoy, Borges and Dostoyevsky were class acts. You get the idea.
2. the MODERN. It's hard to draw the line between "classics" and these guys, but Barthelme, Bukowski, DeLillo, Deborah Eisenberg and WG Sebald are all writers that we need to represent. You can probably think of others.
3. the LOCAL. We're hoping to stock the shelves with some of the work being put out by Kosovo's increasingly active publishing houses.
4. and, perhaps most important, the NONE OF THE ABOVE. We're trying to think of the last time we saw an amazing graphic novel, comic book or zine in Kosovo. This is the kind of work that inspired us when we were younger, and we think it will make a big difference here. The sky's the limit on this one, and don't try and make a guess about what other people will like—we trust your taste. If you have a series of six comics with great artwork and a killer storyline, send it on. Maybe you publish your own zine: now's your chance to be widely read in Kosovo.

Here's a simple rule: if it changed your life, we want it to change someone else's too.

If you're reading this right now, then your books are probably in English. No problem—in fact a lot of young people here prefer books in English. We just want to make sure that they have access to the coolest literature possible, and duplicate donations will be sold to accomplish our other cultural goals.

Right now it's unusual to see someone sitting in a Mitrovicë/a café reading a book. We're going to change that. Right now finding copies of adventurous and classic literature in Kosovo is a serious challenge. We're going to change that. And right now it's unusual to find many young people talking, thinking and arguing about art. We're going to do what we can to change that too, and the effort will only cost you a few stamps. We'll honor your contribution with a bookplate. Send five books, and you'll receive a thank you postcard. Be the first kid on your block with a Kosovo postmark of your very own, and send your literature to

Blackbird Books
c/o Anthony Barilla
Fah 157
40010 Mitrovicë/a
Kosovo

Be sure to include your name and return address. We know that sending small packages to Kosovo isn't cheap, so send it as inexpensively as possible: no need for airmail. It'll take awhile to arrive, but it will be here in plenty of time for our opening. Kosovo's legal status as a region is in a bit of a limbo, so please doublecheck that your local postal employee understands the package's destination.

And check blackbirdbookskosovo.blogspot.com in the coming months for updates. We'll post photos and updates as we get them. We have our work cut out for us, so don't be surprised if it takes us a little while to come up with some big news. But your literary donation is the most important step towards making a very big difference in Mitrovicë/a. Our goal is to have a substantial library in two months. We are hoping for one hundred responses to this email, so please pass it along to as many friends and family members as you can, and please respond to it yourself. Blackbird Books is going to be a very different kind of institution in Mitrovicë/a, and one that we hope will add to the cultural life here for years to come.


more information about what we're planning:

About our books - Diverse and adventurous literature for a diverse citizenry
Blackbird Books will welcome literature of all languages, but the nationalities of its founder and audience dictate that the majority of works be in Albanian, English and Serbian. We will offer literature in four categories:
1. Classic – Shakespeare, Goethe, Flannery O'Conner, etc.
2. Modern – Donald Barthelme, Den DeLillo, WG Sebald, etc.
3. Local – literature produced by Kosovo publishing houses
4. Cool – zines, comics, graphic novels and other "indie" materials

We will focus on "literature" (i.e. no technical manuals or children's books), and we will be selective in our choice of texts regarding history and religion. In addition, we will provide options for all citizens of Mitrovicë/a by making materials available in three categories:
1. On Premise – At least one copy of most books should be available to be read on site. Visitors will be welcome to leave their personal bookmarks in place between visits, and they will be encouraged to write brief reviews for display.
2. Barter – A selection of used books should be available for exchange with comparable materials.
3. Purchase – Profits on book sales will go to supporting other cultural events both onsite and for other institutions in both south and north Mitrovicë/a.

Our emphasis on diversity and accessibility will also address gender inequality. If the cultural options for young people in Mitrovicë/a are currently limited, this is doubly true for young women. Blackbird Books will emphasize works by and for young women in an attempt to address existing limited expectations for women in our city.

About our projects

1. Criticism Boards: Books will be presented in tandem with community "criticism boards." Readers will be encouraged to contribute their own impressions of the work: this can be positive or negative, as well as more personal sentiments. We will encourage these boards to develop into an ongoing literary dialogue, as well as a wider dialogue about the culture of Mitrovicë/a.
2. On Premise Reading: At least one copy of most books will be available to be read on premise. Readers will be provided with in-house personalized bookmarks that they can leave in these books. This will encourage readers to stay, socialize and read works that they might not ordinarily purchase (or be financially able to.)
3. Blackbird 'Zine: We will periodically publish a small "zine" featuring the writing and criticism of young artists.
4. Funding other events: Profits on book sales will be used in support of other local arts organizations in an attempt to strengthen the existing arts community on both sides of the river in Mitrovicë/a.
5. Literary Films: We will provide weekly film showings, with a special focus on literary based works and "artfilms." This will be done free of charge for the public.
6. Artist Show and Tell: We will host visiting artists with a focus on young or emerging writers, musicians and visual artists. We will engage them in brief discussions about their own relationship and experience with the written word, followed by showcases of their work.
7. Organizational Crossover: We will engage in all of the above projects with an eye towards the work being done by other local organizations, and we will attempt to compliment their work when possible.