SAN FRANCISCO – “After many years of preparation and the travails of a pandemic, we are very pleased to announce that the Adocentyn Research Library is finally open!” said Don Frew, in a press release to The Wild Hunt. Frew currently serves as president of ARL.
The library is an extraordinary project with the ambitious goal of archiving, preserving, and disseminating all “available information related to Paganism—understood as all Indigenous, tribal, polytheistic, Nature-based, and Earth-centered religions, spiritualities, beliefs, practices, and cultures around the world and throughout human history.”
The ARL was designed for “researchers, scholars, and the general public” to use, and anyone can access its catalog online. It has collected occult and Pagan material from the Afro-Diasporan, Arabic, Asian, Euro-American, Indigenous, Inuit, and Pacific Islander traditions, among others.
In their press release to The Wild Hunt, the ARL said “The purpose of the Adocentyn Research Library is to collect, archive, preserve, and make available information related to Paganism—understood as all Indigenous, tribal, polytheistic, Nature-based, and Earth-centered religions, spiritualities, beliefs, practices, and cultures around the world and throughout human history. This includes a broad range of information on Pagan diversity, history, beliefs, adherents, organizations, and many related areas of study for use by researchers, scholars, and the general public.”
The library is an on-site use-only, multi-cultural, and inter-religious library serving the East Bay and the world. Founded in 2011, we are a California Nonprofit Public Benefit 501(c)(3) corporation. It is located in the San Franciso Bay area name derives from Latin, ad occidentem, or “to the West”.
As they write, “In the Hermetic dialogue called the Asclepius, Hermes Trismegistus prophesied that a time would come when the people would no longer worship Nature as a manifestation of the Divine and that the Gods would withdraw from Egypt to dwell in a city “to the furthest west from Egypt.” ARL adds jokingly, “San Francisco is about as far west from Egypt as you can get.”
Their extensive collection currently holds some 17,700 books as well as other material of interest to researchers. Don Frew added “We also feature many Pagan periodicals and special collections – such as historic artifacts and Tarot & Oracular decks. The Whealton collection on Egyptology is prodigious. We welcome donations of books, periodicals, ephemera, art, artifacts, and funds!”
For the past few years, the ARL team has been upgrading its website and continuing their work of cataloging its collections.
Most importantly, ARL is one of the places that ensure that Pagan history is archived and kept alive.
Before the advent of the internet, Pagan communities had to find alternative means to engage with their members and establish connections with other individuals and organizations. Typically, our reliance was on either in-person interactions or traditional printed newsletters. Within those newsletters lay the beginnings of significant debates within the Pagan community. Regrettably, as people relocated, these newsletters and flyers often met with loss, disposal, or destruction.
Frew announced that “Our starting weekly hours are: Thursday nights, 4-8 pm; Sundays, Noon-6 pm; and by appointment (email or phone below).” He added that ARL’s volunteer cataloging days will be “second Sunday, third Thursday, fourth Friday.”
Frew shared a virtual tour of the library’s reopening.
The view from Mezzanine (Booklets / Special Collections), looking over West Room [Courtesy]
Frew announced that ARL is also waiving library access fees for a few months.
But maintaining the library is expensive and the ARL can use the community’s help. As mentioned above, ARL welcomes the donation of material, but they also need funds. They need help with rent as well as furniture and shelving.
The ARL team can be reached at info@adocentynlibrary.org or by calling the Library at (510) 280-3911 – before dropping by.
Donations can be offered and library membership subscriptions acquired via Adocentyn Research Library’s website.
Editorial Note: Resources like ARL are part of the infrastructure that ensures the sustained presence of the Pagan community. The Wild Hunt congratulates the Adocentyn Research Library’s Team and looks forward to their continued success.
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