Trasho Biblio

A private lending library with the hope to build a community of readers.

We will be not-for-profit with any money raised going towards adding books to the library.

07/09/2026

This incredible book has been on our shelves since the library started nearly 9 years ago - Patty Hearst: Her Own Story.

The Heiress, Kidnap victim (turn terrorist) and most importantly Dreamlander, tells her own tale of being kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army(SLA) at 19, joining their campaign, being busted by the FBI and having to navigate a hugely publicised trial. This is part of our John Waters Recommends collection. Also, we're lucky to have a signed edition!

We also have the incredible Death to the Fascist Insect in stock and both are available for library members to borrow 🖤

05/09/2026

A new addition to the library - Snake by Mary Woronov. Warhol Superstar, painter, scream queen and so much more - Woronov is mentioned throughout our library collection so it's great to add her novel. This will be part of our growing collection of titles from the legendary High Risk Books. You can see some of the others on slide 2. Publisher note:

"By the time she’s twenty-six, Sandra is living in Los Angeles, trapped in a bad marriage, dreaming of killing her husband. So when the neighbourhood drug dealer murders him and takes her off with him to his world of small hoods and Idaho survivalists, things don’t seem so bad. Stuck on the road together, Luke and Sandra fall in love, but they’re on the run and Sandra can’t stop dreaming of a clinic and a doctor who insists that she murdered her own husband. Unable to cope anymore, Sandra seeks refuge in a drug clinic and waits for Luke to come for her. Will he come?"

Massive bonus that this book has a cover quote from John Waters!

This will be available to all library members soon. We also have Woronov's memoir Swimming Underground for you to borrow 🖤

31/08/2026

An incredible new addition to the library - art, lies and videotape: exposing performance. Although it can be read as a standalone book, this was released to accompany the 2003 Tate Liverpool exhibition of the same name.

" It was the Tate's first major exhibition devoted to the history and continuing significance of the radical art form, whether they are never recorded or are staged exclusively for the camera. Written by some of the world's leading scholars of performance, the essays consider the complex relationship between 'event' and 'object', performance and document, and explore issues of artistic control and unconscious elements in performance events. Some of the most iconic moments of twentieth-century performance art are captured in the images in the book"

You'll see a host of artists in the book from Yves Klein, Oskar Schlemmer, Catherine Opie, Rene Clair, Yvonne Rainer, Gina Pane, Man Ray and so many more.

Available for all library members to borrow 🖤

Ps. Our 200 year old wonky and worn stoop proving to be a great background for pics.

30/08/2026

A new book for the library today - Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch. Picked this up in a charity shop recently:

"In Catching the Big Fish, internationally acclaimed filmmaker David Lynch provides a rare window into his methods as an artist, his personal working style, and the immense creative benefits he has experienced from the practice of meditation.

Lynch describes the experience of "diving within" and "catching" ideas like fish - and then preparing them for television or movie screens, and other mediums in which he works, such as painting, music, and design. Lynch writes for the first time about his more than three-decade commitment to Transcendental Meditation and the difference it has made in his creative process.

In brief chapters, Lynch explains the development of his ideas - where they came from, how he grasps them, and which ones appeal to him the most. He specifically discusses how he puts his thoughts into action and how he engages with others around him. Finally, he considers the self and the surrounding world - and how the process of "diving within" that has so deeply affected his own work can directly benefit others.

Catching the Big Fish comes as a revelation to the legion of fans who have longed to better understand Lynch's personal vision. And it is equally intriguing to those who wonder how they can nurture their own creativity"

This is available for all library members to loan out. We also have a BFI book about the legendary auteur which you can borrow too.

🖤

24/08/2026

It's been so lovely doing the 'Library as a Form of Resistance' talk in recent months.Talking indie libraries with so many engaged people has only spurred us on to do more. If you'd like us to talk at your event, bookshops or book club then just reach out. We'll set-up a donation link for the event with zero expectations. We're happy to do it for free - in person or online.

We can also switch around the talk to be less about how to run a library and more about Indie libraries in general or even talk about our collection. If this is something you'd like to tap into then just DM us.

📸 Front cover of Wittie Krant Nr 8 1967

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22/08/2026

We're lucky enough to have a host of books in our library from the legendary RE:Search publications. This is easily one of the most popular - Modern Primitives - An Investigation of Contemporary Adornment & Ritual.

"An anthropological inquiry into a contemporary social enigma - the increasingly popular revival of ancient human decoration practices such as symbolic/deeply personal tattooing, multiple piercings, and ritual scarification. 'Primitive' actions which rupture conventional confines of behavior and aesthetics are objectively scrutinized.nnnIn context of the death of global frontiers, this volume charts the territory of the last remaining underdeveloped source of first-hand experience: the human body."

This along with a host of other Re: Search titles are available for all. Library members to borrow 🖤

21/08/2026

This one has been in our shelves since the early days of the library - Baradla Caveva by Eva Svankmajerova. The legendary Czech surrealist painter turning to words for this incredible novel. We also recently posted about her collaborator and Husband Jan Svankmajer for those who want to indulge in both.

"Baradla is a living organism, both place (Prague) and person (a woman). With shifting language and voices--pseudoscientific jargon, common vernacular, metaphoric stream-- the author satirically explores maternity and femininity, the mother-state and consumer society. Her sense of the absurd is without limit, taking in all urban existence: durg addiction, murder, s*x crimes, corruption and dysfunctional family relationships as scenes of episodic s*xual violence alternate with humorous reflections on various ingrained customs and habits"

Available for all library members to borrow 🖤

16/08/2026

We were lucky enough to catch the Bart Simpson film 'The Mad World Harvey Kurtzman' today at Edinburgh International Film Fest and absolutely loved it. The film is an incredible deep dive on the legendary artist and founder of Mad Magazine. Make sure to catch it when it arrives at a cinema near you.

We don't have much from the world of comics or graphic novels in our library but I thought I'd highlight a few gems in these slides ➡️

Frederic Wertham's scaremongering book about the grim impact horror comics have on children. This 1954 book was described as:

"Seduction of the Innocent is a book by German-born American psychiatrist Wertham warned that comic books were a harmful form of popular literature and a serious cause of juvenile delinquency. The book was taken seriously at the time in the United States, and was a minor bestseller that alarmed American parents and galvanized them to campaign for censorship. At the same time, a US Congressional inquiry was launched into the comic book industry. Subsequent to the publication of Seduction of the Innocent, the Comics Code Authority was established by publishers to self-censor their titles. In the decades since the book's publication, Wertham's research has been disputed by scholars"

Seduction of the Innocence claimed this comic book illustration showed kids how to violently hurt people.

That middle caption says it all "There are pictures within pictures for children who know how to look" 👀

Alongside many other legendary artists and illustrators in the film, Robert Crumb popped up in a rare interview. Although his work appears in several books in our library, the only one of his is The Book of Genesis.

We can't talk about illustration, comics or magazines without bringing up the incredible John Kelly 🖤

We only have Issue 2 but I devoured this when it arrived (thanks to Sean Welsh ). I wouldn't do it justice with my own words so we'll use theirs:

"The Eisner Award-nominated second issue of Dummy looks at several notable examples of unauthorized (and inspired by) Mickey Mouse comics. It includes a deep dive into the notorious Air Pirates, with commentary by Dan O'Neil, Bobby London, Gary Hallgren, Ted Richards

09/08/2026

Adding an incredible book to the library today - High Risk 2: Writings on S*x, Death and Subversion. The collection of writing includes contributions from Leslie Dick, John Giorno, Stewart Home and a ton more.

"An uncompromisingly truthful, unfailingly adventurous companion to the hugely successful High Risk book, this daring and provocative collection of short fiction/poetry/essays includes pieces on AIDS, urban violence, s*x for money, drugs, and revenge, and su***de, among other topics. The book offers a perverse yet profound ways of looking at the world today"

We're lucky enough to have a small collection of other titles from High Risk from Cookie Mueller, Lynne Tillman and Jack Smith.

More new books soon. 🖤

05/08/2026

As today is the start of the Edinburgh Fringe, I thought I'd highlight this legendary pisstake visitor's guide from Irvine Welsh and Kevin Williamson. Published in 1993, the guide tempts visitors away from the usual sights to legendary Edinburgh spots such as Borlands TV & Darts shop, Newkirkgate Shopping Centre and Crewe Toll! The reviews on the back are perfect!

Aimed a little more at locals, this is a dynamite little publication from two of Edinburgh's most loved residents and literary heroes. This was released by cult publisher Rebel Inc - we have all 52 books released from them in our library for members to borrow. The guide is only for library visitors to sift.

We have two copies of this gem and we're going to giveaway one soon. 🖤

Address

88 Lothian Road
Edinburgh
EH3 9BZ

Website

http://trashobiblio.com/

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