Monday, June 06, 2005

Carol's Books

As many of you know my good friend Carol Loretz died earlier this year from ovarian cancer. Carol was a lifelong activist and amassed quite a library of progressive books. Books on labor, African American history, Marxism, women, political theory, and more fill eight full book cases. Carol left these books to me. It appears that I have found a good home for them. Somewhere where they can be used in a manner that Carol would have liked and by people Carol would have liked to have known. Solidarity Revolutionary Center and Radical Library, 1119 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS 66044 will soon become the new home for Carol's books. Since I first met Carol doing political work in Lawrence, it is even more fitting that her books become available there to new generations of folks carrying on the good fight.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oread Daily,

Hello there, I was wondering if the books you have mentioned are definitively heading to Lawrence’s Solidarity Center.

I am the managing editor of a worker-funded newspaper in Kansas City, "The Work Force." The Work Force project is nearly two years in the making, and has three arms that consist of committees organizing events, educational courses, and a quarterly publication for working people in the metro area.

Our office, the printing of the paper, and all other cost associated with attempting to build a renewed militant workers movement here in Kansas City is borne directly by our membership through monthly dues.

We currently have a 10 person multi-racial membership, and are excited about bringing 10-12 new members on board by the end of July. In fact, we have a new member orientation tonight where we will be bringing in seven members.

As full-time working folks, some of whom have children, full-time or part-time school schedules, and who already are stretched thin from the financial demands of work, family, and organizational dues, having access to vast library that Mrs. Loretz compiled in her years of organizing could help our member’s intellectual development in leaps and bounds.

We currently do not have a radical library here in Kansas City, unlike the Solidarity Center in Lawrence who is already fortunate enough to have thousands of titles in their possession. Our group would benefit immensely from her books.

Please feel free to call me at our offices at 816.753.4300 or to email me at mmenriquez@workforcekc.org . We would be happy to drive to Wichita and pick her books up if we were lucky enough to procure them.

Thank you for your time,
Michael Enriquez
The Work Force

Anonymous said...

Hi Randy, this is Jim Mason. I believe that any of Carol's stuff that relates to regional radical history deserves to be in the Wilcox collection at the Spencer Research Library. Here is the URL:
http://spencer.lib.ku.edu/kc/wilcox.shtml
I would like to visit with you about this and much more. Please contact me at jmason15@cox.net

Anonymous said...

Damn, Jim, that sure is shady to try and pull the rug from underneath a member-funded organization for KU's library. What compels you?