The Floating Library’s inuagural collection, 2013

The 2018 Open Call for Books is Open!

Calling book artists, zinesters, bookish graphic designers, comics drawers, chapbook-penning poets, and printed matter-makers of all stripes… 

When you are a maker of multiples, extras tend to pile up after a project. Maybe you have 1 or 100 copies leftover from an ambitious edition, or maybe just 2 or 3 copies laying around, but you’re so tired of looking at them. Or perhaps you are taking advantage of the fresh energy of spring and cranking the letterpress (or riso, or xerox, or squeegee) right now, soon to be holding a new brilliant bookish creation that you want to get out into the world.

No matter your situation, the Floating Library is here to help.

Each year we’re on the water, the Library conducts an Open Call for Books to refresh the shelves and give new artists an opportunity to have their works presented at the lake. Nearly all the materials in the Library’s collection come in through the Open Call and are donated by artists. This generosity is the backbone of this project. Without artists near and far who are willing to risk sand, lake spray and sunscreen to their printed matter, we’d have thrown in the (beach) towel years ago!

Take a read through the Open Call to see what we are and aren’t looking for, and mark your calendar for the May 25 deadline to submit.

We’re excited to see your books!