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Forty years ago, the book ordering service provided by Octopus, a New Left tabloid paper of the day in the Ottawa area, became too much for Steve Harris, the paper’s publisher, chief writer, distributor, bottle washer, whatever.

A small group of us, primarily graduate students, concocted — with Steve’s help — the audacious plan to spin Octopus Books off from the paper.  (Little did we know that we were pioneering in Ottawa the entrepreneurial model soon to be followed by Northern Telecom with SHL Systemhouse, Corel and dozens of others that have come and gone.)  We badgered friends and professors for enough start-up cash to order a few books, rent some dingy space and build a few bookshelves.

Amazingly, Octopus Books still exists.  (The high-tech firms mentioned above aren’t doing as well.)  Indeed, this Friday night, October 30, Octopus Books is celebrating its first 40 years with a bash at the Carleton Tavern (223 Armstrong Street in Ottawa).

Jean-Claude Parrot of CUPW fame will be there, reflecting on the last 40 years and on the political way forward; a local author and former Octopus staffer, Jennifer Whiteford, will read some of her newest work; and independent bands Brothers Creegan and Bidiniband will perform live.

Octopus Books is no longer a worker co-op, but it remains resolutely progressive, and a vital part of various movements in the region. Unlike the chain stores (in Canada: make that the chain store), Octopus orders and stocks material primarily on the basis on what might contribute to progressive and purposeful change, whether it concerns the exploitation and oppression of workers, feminist movements, anti-racism and anti-colonialism, environmental degradation or whatever.  And of course these issues are usually linked.

To add another link, it also stocks a wide range of kids’ books.  This is instead of stocking what will fly off the shelves quickly (hyped ‘bestsellers’ in particular), based on monthly sales per square foot of retail space, or the icy waters of capitalist calculation.

Octopus Books and others like it of course have to sell enough to pay the staff and the rent at modest rates.  In the Octopus case, this is considerably aided by those professors who order their required texts through the store.  The point however is that what’s there is based primarily on what’s deemed useful, rather than what can be turned over quickly.  This works not only for activist readers but also for progressive authors (whose works stay available) and for small, Canadian publishers (who avoid large orders that decimate their print runs, followed in weeks by large returns).

Octopus Books is well worth celebrating.  Join in the fun tonight if you can.

 

To contact Octopus Books, for several years now located at 116 Third Avenue in the Glebe, phone (613) 233-2589; or email [email protected] or [email protected].  The website is www.octopusbooks.org.