Civic Media Center
Infoshop and library in Florida, U.S.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Civic Media Center (CMC) is a nonprofit infoshop, library and reading room in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It was set up in 1993 and in 2009 received the book collection of activist Stetson Kennedy.
| Civic Media Center | |
|---|---|
Logo | |
 Exterior of CMC in 2009 | |
 Interactive map of the Civic Media Center area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 433 South Main Street, Gainesville, USA |
| Relocated | 2009 |
| Website | |
| civicmediacenter | |
History
The Civic Media Center (CMC) was set up as an infoshop and library in 1993 in Gainesville, Florida.[1][2] Founded as a nonprofit organization, the center was first located at 1021 West University Avenue, near to the University of Florida and housed a library cataloged by the American Council of Learned Societies. It was financially supported by benefit campaigns and member donations.[1] It held its eighth birthday party at the Thomas Center in 2001, with folk singer Doug Gauss.[3] For its twenty fifth birthday it hosted a talk from Amy Goodman.[4]
The CMC began an annual fundraising dinner program in 1999 called SpringBoard. Guests pay from $10 to $20 for a dinner cooked by volunteers and speakers have included Diane Roberts, Nadine Smith and Ann Wright.[5] The CMC moved location again in 2009, to 433 South Main Street in Gainesville.[6] It then became the repository for Stetson Kennedy's personal library, which contained around 2,000 books and publications collected over his career as a folklore archivist and activist.[6][7] It took several years to catalog the collection.[8]
As well as being a library, the CMC developed into a community resource as a meeting space, music venue and arts center.[9] It hosts film screenings, talks and meetings.[10] It also has a zine collection.[11]