- PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
- The Secondhand Librarian owner Taylor Thomas has launched Archivist Books, a mobile book business that will tour and co-host literary events.
That purchase took place in early July. For now, Thomas is raising funds through pop-up book sales in Rochester and planning renovations to the trailer, as well as colluding with authors for live reading events Archivist Books will co-present next year. The launch is planned for January 2024.
- PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
“It wasn’t supposed to be a full-fledged business,” Thomas said, “this was like a hobby that’s gone rogue.”
Thomas began selling gently used books — a highly curated collection that’s wide-ranging with a mini focus on queer fiction — online as The Secondhand Librarian and through pop-ups at area businesses in 2020. A voracious reader (Thomas estimates they’ve read 65 books so far this year), they wanted to pass books they’ve enjoyed to others, for a fraction of the dollars they spent.
“It was a way to offer readers books that were current and relevant, for a cheaper price,” Thomas said. What started as downsizing their massive book collection has expanded to include new books sourced through distributors including Penguin Random House and Ingram Books.
The trailer will offer popular fantasy, thrillers, and a sizable kids’ book selection. Thomas will also partner with small POC-owned presses.
- PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
Once the trailer is renovated to include rows of shelves and a new paint job, Thomas will tow it to different spaces, like cafes, parks, or schools so patrons can browse the stacks. The January debut will focus on locations in Rochester, but Thomas has begun to book events outside the city, including a February event featuring a queer romance author. Details will be posted at instagram.com/archivist.books.
Rebecca Rafferty is an arts writer for CITY. She can be reached at [email protected].
