“…the Indie Photobook Library is fast becoming one of Washington’s more interesting small collections.” – Mark Jenkins in the Washington Post Express
ABOUT
Founded by Larissa Leclair in 2010, the Indie Photobook Library is an archive of self-published and indie published photobooks. This includes DIY, photobooks independently published and distributed, photography exhibition catalogs, print-on-demand photobooks, artist books, zines, photobooks printed on newsprint, limited edition photobooks, and non-English language photography books, etc. The iPL promotes and showcases the books in the collection through international pop-up and feature-length exhibitions, articles, conferences, guest lectures, and also preserves them as a non-circulating public library. Having a specific collection dedicated to this contemporary movement in publishing allows for the development of future discourse on trends in self-publishing, the ability to reflect on and compare books in the collection, and for scholarly research to be conducted years, decades, and centuries to come.
Museums, universities, and institutions are invited to borrow books from the Indie Photobook Library for exhibitions. Larissa Leclair is available for guest lectures. Contact Larissa Leclair (contact@indiephotobooklibrary.org) for details.
The Indie Photobook Library featured on TIME LightBox.
The Indie Photobook Library featured on fototazo.
Interview with Larissa Leclair by Stacy Oborn / Hey, Hot Shot!.
Interview with Larissa Leclair by Blake Andrews.
Interview on Lenscratch by Aline Smithson.
Past pop-up exhibitions/events/lectures from the Indie Photobook Library collection:
Flash Forward Festival | Toronto, Canada | October 6-10, 2010
FotoWeek DC | Washington, DC | November 6-13, 2010
Philadelphia Photo Arts Center Book Fair (PPAC) | Philadelphia, PA | April 2, 2011
Photolucida | Portland, OR | April 14-17, 2011 | Titles selected by Melanie Flood and Shawn Records
Snap! Orlando | Orlando, FL | May 6-7, 2011 | Titles selected by E. Brady Robinson and Heather Comparetto
New York Photo Festival (NYPH) | New York, NY | May 12-15, 2011
Center’s Review Santa Fe | Santa Fe, NM | June 4-5, 2011
Conference Panelist – Furthering the Critical Dialogue | Printed Matter’s NY Art Book Fair | MoMA PS1 | September 30, 2011
Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP) Photobook Fair | Atlanta, GA | October 22, 2011
SPE Northeast | Syracuse, NY | November 3-5, 2011
Lishui Photography Festival | Lishui, CHINA | November 6-9, 2011
Guest Lecturer | Georgetown University | Washington, DC | January 2012
Guest Lecturer | The Maret School | Washington, DC | February 2012
Guest Lecturer | Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | March 2012
Philadelphia Photo Arts Center (PPAC) Book Fair | Philadelphia, PA | May 5, 2012 | Crowd-sourced selection
Flash Forward Festival | Boston, MA | June 8-10, 2012
Peabody Essex Museum | Salem, MA | June 21, 2012
Juror, Photobooks | New York Photo Awards 2012
Juror, Photobooks | FotoWeekDC 2012
Panelist | “The Art of the Photobook” with Barbara Tannenbaum (Curator of Photography, Cleveland Museum of Art) and Ed Panar and Melissa Catanese (Spaces Corners) | Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | October 20, 2012, 2PM
PhotoNOLA at CAC | New Orleans, LA | November 30 – December 2, 2012 | Titles selected by Jan Gilbert (Interim Director of Visual Arts at the CAC), Russell Lord (Curator of Photographs at NOMA), and Larissa Leclair
Guest Lecturer | The Maret School | Washington, DC | January 18, 2013
Panelist | “Photography and the Book” with Elijah Gowin and Travis Shaffer. Moderated by April Watson (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | Art + Design Gallery at University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | February 1, 2013
Guest Lecturer | MICA | Baltimore, MD | February 11, 2013
Guest Lecturer | Corcoran College of Art & Design | Washington, DC | February 22, 2013
Conveyor Arts, guest curated exhibits | Fall 2012 and by appointment in Winter 2012/2013
Guest Lecturer | VCU | Richmond, VA | March 28, 2013
Guest Lecturer | ASMP, Washington DC Chapter | NVCC | April 16, 2013
OPEN SHOW | Busboys and Poets | Washington, DC | April 18, 2013
Upcoming pop-up exhibitions and events of the Indie Photobook Library collection:
PPAC Book Fair | Philadelphia, PA | May 18, 2013
Guest Curator | 10×10 American Photobooks | Tokyo Institute of Photography | Chuo-ku, Tokyo | September 11 – October 6, 2013
Feature-length exhibitions from the Indie Photobook Library collection:
Photographic Resource Center | Boston, MA | September 13- November 12, 2011 | Curated by Larissa Leclair, George Slade, and Shane Lavalette
Corcoran Gallery 31 | Washington, DC | November 2 – 20, 2011 | Curated by Muriel Hasbun and Susan Sterner with Pablo Ortiz Monasterio
Gallery Carte Blanche | San Francisco, CA | “A Survey of Documentary Styles in Early 21st Century Photobooks” | September 14-October 22, 2012 | Curated by Darius Himes and Larissa Leclair
GuatePhoto Festival | Guatemala City, Guatemala | “Captured by a Portrait” | November 7-25, 2012 | Curated by Larissa Leclair and Leslie Ureña
FotoWeekDC | Washington, DC | “A Survey of Documentary Styles in Early 21st Century Photobooks” | November 9-18, 2012 | Curated by Darius Himes and Larissa Leclair
Contemporary Arts Center | New Orleans, LA | November 30, 2012 – January 20, 2013 | Titles selected by Jan Gilbert (Interim Director of Visual Arts at the CAC), Russell Lord (Curator of Photographs at NOMA), and Larissa Leclair
“A Fair” | featuring the iPL, LBM, and ABC | Art + Design Gallery at University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | January 22 – February 15, 2013
Founder: Larissa Leclair
Logo Designer: Clay Lipsky
Website Developer: Simply Binary
iPL Ambassador: Nathalie Belayche
Intern alumni: Stephanie Obernesser
Special thanks to Matthew Gamber, George Slade, Nick Turpin, Blurb, and Insomniac Design, and especially to everyone who has donated their books.
ADVISORY BOARD
Andy Adams, Editor / Publisher, Flak Photo
Darius Himes, Co-Founder of Radius Books
Shane Lavalette, Photographer and Founder of Lay Flat
Gabrielle Reed, Massachusetts College of Art, Godine Library
SUBMISSIONS
The Indie Photobook Library has an open and ongoing submission policy. Photobooks can be donated by the artist, indie publisher, or private collector. All books become part of the permanent collection and are considered for yearly exhibitions. Visit our Submissions page for the iPL mailing address and required catalog record information.
QUESTIONS?
Send us an email at contact@indiephotobooklibrary.org
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[...] here was the Self-Published Book Expo, a revelation. Featuring both Self Publish, Be Happy and the Indie Photobook Library, the books occupied a bustling corner. There were some remarkable creations on display, but I found [...]
[...] The Indie Photobook Library (iPL) was founded in 2010 by Larissa Leclair. It is an archive that strives to preserve and showcase self-published photobooks, photobooks independently published and distributed, photography exhibition catalogs, print-on-demand photobooks, artist books, zines, photobooks printed on newsprint, limited edition photobooks, and non-English language photography books to be seen in person through traveling exhibitions and as a non-circulating public library. Having a specific collection dedicated to these kinds of books allows for the development of future discourse on trends in self-publishing, the ability to reflect on and compare books in the collection, and for scholarly research to be conducted in years, decades, and centuries to come. [...]
[...] selection of self-published and indie published photobooks from 2011 that are part of the Indie Photobook Library. My nomination for Best Book of 2011 for TIME Magazine is Iraq Perspectives by Ben Lowy. My list [...]
[...] institutions are invited to borrow books from the Indie Photobook Library for exhibitions. Contact Larissa Leclair (contact@indiephotobooklibrary.org) for details.” Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe [...]
[...] Jersey City, Cleveland, Guatemala City, and Washington, DC (you can find the iPL schedule here) Chinese photographers enjoying iPL at the Lishui Photography Festival, China Larissa in [...]
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