reply to u/rjekyllhyde at https://old.reddit.com/r/Libraries/comments/1vruija/typewriter_request/
Librarian Suzanne LaPierre wrote an article last year about typewriters in libraries. I'll link it and some additional references below for those who are curious.
The Los Angeles Public Library has recently been doing some events with LA poet laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace who creates on his typewriter: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXufGLmgRB3/
There are more than a handful of typewriter enthusiasts who have been holding "Type-Ins" at libraries in the US over the past 5 or more years. I've held a couple of these at a nearby bookstore in Pasadena, CA and we had over 200 people stop by at both of them. (I'd have held them at a local library, but our main branch is undergoing a huge renovation and some of our other nearby branches have been affected by the Eaton Fire in January 2025.)
I know one collector who recently did a display at a library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJqYPVOb2Ss
I've run across one or two libraries that have typewriters as part of their Library of Things collections along with other analog materials like sewing machines, binoculars, and telescopes.
There are still lots of reasons to want to use a typewriter including for creativity, distraction-free writing, getting away from screens and having a more analog writing experience. Woz Flint has a relatively recent book about using typewriters to create first drafts of writing projects. In the last five or so years a lot of children in the 7-21 year old bracket have been drawn to typewriters as a means of getting away from their computers and screens and allowing them to concentrate better on their writing work. Richard Polt, a typewriter collector and professor of philosophy at Rutgers, wrote a book about the resurgence of typewriters. A handful of college professors have recently been reintroducing typewriters to their pedagogy. Creating art with a typewriter is also still a thing. Taylor Swift has been using typewriters in her songs and videos which adds to the cool factor, especially for the kids.
Is it worth mentioning that Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on a typewriter at the UCLA Library which was coin operated?!?
I've personally got a small collection of typewriters as well as a list of articles and resources on them for those who may be interested in considering them. I'm happy to chat with any librarians who might consider adding them to their collections.
Happy typing!
References:<br /> * LaPierre, Suzanne S. “BiblioTech: Typewriters in Libraries.” Computers in Libraries 45, no. 2 (March 2025): 24–26. https://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/mar25/index.shtml. * Polt, Richard. 2015. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press. * Flint, Woz Delgado. 2023. The Distraction-Free First Draft. One Idea Press. https://www.oneideapress.com/product-page/the-distraction-free-first-draft.
Photo of Richard Macksey's Library by Will Kirk