Library conventions are always special, because libraries are special. A library is a place where many roads begin and end, where ages and races real and imagined meet, where everything is possible. A good librarian is a master navigator, researcher, archaeologist and magician, who can start you on your journey to anywhere – distant galaxies, GCSE German, physics superstardom or curtain-making: no step so small, no query so trivial that it can’t be the beginning of an adventure.
And I’m going to a library convention in Gateshead in a couple of weeks.
Anime Attacks is a well-established event with a five year track record – Geordies love Japanese culture, as that excellent local blog Geordie Japan confirms. And there’s plenty on offer at Anime Attacks, with talks, events and activities, a manga lounge and screenings, followed by a club night with local DJs.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local library that encourages fans to get involved in running events like this, support the event and help out wherever you can. And if your local library hasn’t tried running an event like this yet, why not ask the librarians if they’ll meet you to talk about it? If you offer to help organise, publicise and get people in to the library, you might find you’ve got a whole team of wizards on the side of anime and manga in your area.
See you in Gateshead – or maybe at an anime con in your local library next year.
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