Practical Witchcraft

A Collaboration between a Special Collections Library and a Public Library

Abstract

This article argues for the usefulness of collaborations between academic and public libraries for community outreach and engagement. After an overview of the problematic history of special collections institutions as inaccessible gatekeepers of culture, the article argues that in the twenty-first century, special collections must become members of public communities and actively involve themselves in community work in order to foster mutual understanding and values. A case study of a shared event, a witchcraft lecture that went viral on the internet, is described.