The Roffaswing Library
The Roffaswing Library is here!
Books are such a great source to study more deeply the dances that you enjoy, and to learn about the history and the cultural context of African-American dance and music. Roffaswing believes it is meaningful to support its community of dancers in providing extra learning outside of dance classes, workshops and socials.
Lindy Hop and other swing dances are more than a collection of steps and moves and finding the beat. Lindy Hop comes from a rich culture that was created under difficult conditions in hard times. When you take the time to learn in different ways, you may be able to connect even more with the dance, and the dance will become more meaningful to you.
The library collection
There are books on dance, dance history, plenty of books on music like jazz and blues, books on history subjects like the city of New Orleans, or colonialism and the slave trade, literature and fiction like African-American classic novels ‘To kill a mocking bird’ or memoirs of writers like Langston Hughes or James Baldwin.
A community library
The Roffaswing Library is a true community library for and by dancers.Roffaswing dancers can borrow and lend their books from and to other dancers, who will take good care of the cherished book. And the intention is to have it working for free! The library will work as an honour system based on trust and responsible use of borrowed items.
How we build it
The Roffaswing Library can be built in two ways: the majority of books will remain in the possession of their dancer owner. Next to that we hope to build a small collection of physical books that will live on the shelf at the Swing in Rhythm studio. This physical library will be created from donated books and purchases from donated euros.
Are you happy to lend an interesting book(s) to another dancer? Propose your book(s) to the librarian. Even if a book is already in the library, it can be useful to have multiple copies available. You can also consider donating a suitable book to the bookshelf in the Swing in Rhythm studio. We’d like to create a wishlist for books and be able to purchase some books from donated euros, or you can donate a book which is on the wishlist. Funds can be used to replace books in case of unintended damage or loss.
It would be great to make a wishlist for books, and be able to purchase some books from donated euros. If you feel generous, you can also donate one of the books mentioned on the wishlist.
Funds can be used to replace books in case of unintended damage or loss.
Membership
If you want to join the library to lend, borrow, donate or all of that, you can sign up via the registration form.
If you have any questions, send an e-mail to roffaswinglibrary @ gmail.com
Browse the Roffaswing Library
All the books are on display in the app Library Thing. You can virtually visit the collection via a browser or via the app: Library Thing. To have access to more viewing options (availability and location of books), you need to log in with a (free) LT account.
Borrowing a book
• If you found a book you like to borrow, send an e-mail to roffaswinglibrary @ gmail.com
• We’ll put you in touch with the owner of the book to arrange an appointment for a hand-over, for example at the Swing in Rhythm Studio.
• You can borrow one book at a time for a month. Please respect the deadline.
• Please treat the books as your best friends, as these are cherished items from somebody else. So be careful with eating and drinking when you read. Don’t make dog ears, use a bookmark like an old Roffaswingflyer instead. Make notes in a separate notebook.
• Send an e-mail to the Roffaswing librarian to set an appointment to return the book at the Swing in Rhythm studio.
The Roffaswing librarian will let the book owner know the book is ready to go home again.
Liability
We expect you to take utmost care for books as we don’t have the means to replace damaged or missing books at the moment.
Information:
roffaswinglibrary @ gmail.com
Happy reading!
