56a Infoshop

56a Infoshop is a self-managed social centre, archive, and shop based in Elephant and Castle, Southwark, London. Its collection centres around left and far-left materials including information on anarchism, anti-gentrification, to squatting.

History

56a Infoshop was founded in 1991 initially as a squat and a self-managed social centre. From here, it eventually had to accept an agreement in 2003 to pay a "peppercorn" rent by Southwark Council to remain functional within the area.

Services

The infoshop offers mixed, volunteered services from selling books, book exchanges, free bike workshops, squatter workshops, free meeting spaces, and a open-access archival collection.

Collection

56a Infoshop's collection of over 50,000 items (2021) focuses on collecting left and far-left radicial and anarchical materials ranging from books, leaflets, magazines, maps, pamphlets posters, zines, and other print material. Their collection mainly spans items from the 1980s up to the present day with an active focus on conserving ongoing, although they have materials touching on subjects as early as the 14th century.

They have an ongoing digitisation effort through their online catalogue and take on scan-a-thons to preserve collection material. External partners including other archival spaces like MayDay rooms. 56a Infoshop also operates the online resources Southwark Notes that "is a campaigning group and research project concerned with the impact of the regeneration and gentrification of Southwark".

Governance

The infoshop is run by volunteers, largely unfunded, and presents an informal, DIY archival and resource space.

References

External links

• 56a Infoshop website
• Catalogue