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An infoshop is a place where alternative, subcultural or radical literature is distributed. Subjects often include activism, anarchism, animal rights, art, economics, environmentalism, feminism, politics, permaculture, socialism, vegetarianism and veganism. Additionally, infoshops often serve as a meeting space and resource hub for local groups and activists.
Contents
Infoshops can be free standing or take the form of a store front or a few rooms that act as distribution, reading, library and meeting space. Alternatively, they may be part of a larger social center that provides other functions.
Facilities
Often infoshops have a library of alternative, subcultural or radical literature. Infoshops also include a zine library, helping to preserve zine culture.
Location
Infoshops are particularly prevalent in Western Europe and North America, but can be found around the world.
Origins
According to an Utne Reader article, author Chris Atton describes British infoshops as having grown "out of the squatted anarchist centres of the 1980s, such as the 121 Centre in Brixton, London." Another big influence was the regular European-wide International Infoshop Meetings of the 1990s.
Writing in Maximum RocknRoll, anarchist librarian Chuck Munson places North American infoshops in the lineage of Vietnam War era peace and justice centers.
Networks
In June 2006, the Infoshop Network, a network spanning Canada and the United States, was formed at the Infoshop Gathering in Baltimore, Maryland.