The Capital's First Vinyl Lending Library

Pending Lending

The space for the library

Stoke Newington sees the opening of The Vinyl Library, a lending library at the start of next month. Scratches are inevitable, but at the same time what a joy! Yet is the survival of vinyl ensured? Not at all. Just like the form of the library itself, everything is in danger of being subsumed by virtual reality.

However, the this initiative adds to the one thing that has made vinyl an enduring form outside the world of DJing and scratching, and that is the fetishistic interest in its vintage form.

There is of course a crowd of people whose ears are attuned to the soft warmth of sound vinyl offers and which CD never has, but mainly it's about the form. Look at Haroon Mirza's installations for example. It's the eras they evoke as much as the rarity that keeps this very necessary fetish
alive.

So 1st July, founders Sophie Austin and Elly Rendall will launch their not for profit space, “We want to create a sharing space for people to learn from one another by exploring vinyl in all its gloriousness”. The savvy duo offer free membership to anyone donating records to the collection, and the venue is set host to DJ live performances and talks. Expect anything from 1970s Afro-rock and vintage disco to UK garage and contemporary techno.

There's no website as yet. Guess you'll have to embrace old school fully, and get your feet down there in person...
The Vinyl Library, Unit 1, Foulden Road, Stoke Newington, NI6 7UU, London.

The not-for-profit venture will open to the public on 1 Jul, charging a monthly fee to become a member – or offering free access to those who donate records themselves.
Promising to offer everything from “70s Afro-rock to UK garage”, founders Sophie Austin and Elly Rendall told CMU: “We want to create a sharing space for people to learn from one another by exploring vinyl in all its gloriousness”.
- See more at: http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/vinyl-lending-library-to-open-in-london/#sthash.w75Z2PCr.dpuf