Welcome

The Brautigan Library is a different kind of library, offering unique and interesting stories from aspiring writers, each waiting to be read, and enjoyed. Inspired by 20th Century American writer Richard Brautigan, The Brautigan Library features three collections of unpublished manuscripts and literary artifacts, Original, Digital, and Special.

The Original Collection curates more than three hundred analogue manuscripts submitted by their authors from 1990-1996. Outside the interests of traditional, corporate publishing, these manuscripts are, says Brautigan, "the unwanted, lyrical and haunted volumes of American writing" (The Abortion 96). Nonetheless, each manuscript provides an interesting and unique story. Each was written by an aspiring writer with someting to say, keen to share her thoughts with readers.

The Digital Collection continues the mission of collecting and curating unpublished manuscripts, but in digital format to aid their sharing with interested readers. Since 2013, authors have submitted a growing number of unpublished digital manuscripts to The Brautigan Library.

The Special Collections include artists books, a collection of Brautigania, and papers and records related to the first iteration of The Brautigan Library.

The Digital Collection is available online, with each manuscript ready to be read online or downloaded to your computer. The Original and Special collections do not circulate. You have to visit The Brautigan Library to read them. The experience, patrons say, is worth the effort.

So, rather than a literary junkyard, The Brautigan Library is a positive, and yes, winsome, endeavor as it collects, preserves, and curates unpublished manuscripts and other literary artifacts, believing each has its own, unique story to share. You are welcome to explore. LEARN more.

Organization

The Brautigan Library's collections are organized into fifteen categories using The Mayonnaise System.
1). Adventure (ADV)
2). All the Rest (ALL)
3). Family (FAM)
4). Future (FUT)
5). Humor (HUM)
6). Love (LOV)
7). Meaning of Life (MEA)
8). Natural World (NAT)
9). Poetry (POE)
10). Social/Political/Cultural (SOC)
11). Spirituality (SPI)
12). Street Life (STR)
13). War and Peace (WAR)
14). Digital (DIG, added in 2013 for digital manuscripts)
15). Special Collections (SPC, added in 2018)

Explore The Brautigan Library

Learn more about The Brautigan Library
Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Browse the Original Collection
Browse the Digital Collection
Browse the Special Collections
Search The Library using interactive sorting tools (coming soon)
Submit your Unpublished Manuscript
Subscribe to The Brautigan Library newsletter, The 23 (coming soon)