Solange Knowles is already known as an insanely talented and creative singer, songwriter and actress. Now she’s added another title to her impressive resume – librarian. Knowles is the Founder and Creative Director of The Saint Heron Digital Archive Library, a uniquely curated collection of out-of-print, rare, and first-edition works by writers and artists of color.
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While some conservatives are doing their damnedest to keep the works of Black and Brown writers out of circulation, the “Cranes in the Sky” singer is doing her part to preserve the culture, making rare content that is usually only accessible at university libraries or in some millionaire’s personal collection available to the masses. And the best part of all is that the whole thing is completely free for users.
The library works on the honor system. Readers based in the United States can register online to borrow one title at a time from the collection that they can keep for up to 45 days. The Saint Heron covers the cost of shipping and returning the books. According to the terms listed on the library’s website, users who lose or damage works in their possession will be charged market value, with credit card information the library keeps on file.
The collection, which will be updated on an ongoing basis, currently features more than 60 titles, including “Clay’s Ark,” a dystopian novel written by “Parable of the Sower” author Octavia Butler, “Mad at Miles: a Blackwoman’s Guide to Truth” by Pearl Cleage, and Gwendolyn Brooks’s “Children Coming Home,” a collection of poems about the experiences of Black children she encountered on the south side of Chicago.
Solange announced the launch of the library on Instagram, writing in part, “We would like to play a small part in creating free access to the expansive range of critical thought and expression by these great mindsss.”
Fans who already have so much to love about Solange are shouting her out for helping to keep Black and Brown art alive.
“Love seeing artists use their platform for good like this. This is really dope,” wrote a user on X.
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