Esoteric Archive of Rochester

The Esoteric Archive of Rochester is a tiny, mostly digital, guerrilla library. However, we have big dreams. The EAR plans to be a brick-and-mortar entity that serves as an esoteric home-base for Western New York seekers.

Read on to explore how we envision our future.

We aren’t building a legacy

Esotericism is an inward journey, and while this organization attempts to collect and study as many tools as we can find which support that journey, they are, at the end of the day, just tools. Each of us already has all the power we need. Therefore, this archive doesn’t aspire to inhabit a bespoke landmark building emblazoned with our corporate name. We want to meet the community where they are. We want to meet you where you are.

So, what this archive looks like in the future could be all kinds of things. On this page, we want to share with you two visions: One that’s flush with cash, and another that’s much more humble. These visions are not intended to represent a binary, but instead are two points on a spectrum of what our existence looks like. Both of these visions involve a publicly-accessible space, something we currently do not have, and something that is essential to utilize the growing collection.

Even a little support can make an enormous difference.

Imagine walking down a dark alley in downtown Rochester. A flock of pigeons mills around the street ahead of you, but you’ve already arrived at your destination. Affixed to the nondescript door before you is a tiny plaque engraved with “Esoteric Archive of Rochester” and its hours.

You press the door open, entering the warmly lit space. Before you are several shelves packed with books, a few computers, and, in the corner, a man smiles to welcome you, then goes back to his work.

In this smaller vision, we see the Archive not only as a membership-library, but as a members-only experience. Visitors will have to research the location online, or via guerrilla marketing, to find it.

A simple 500-1000sqft unit will provide ample space for the growing collection, as well as space for events, private rentals, retail, and more. We expect that 1000sqft would suit us for several years, at least.

How can we make this happen?

The primary thing we need in this vision is a space. A small room would need very little for the EAR to move in for the long term.

  • Size
    • 500-1000 square feet
  • Access/Zoning
    • Must be accessible to the public from the street
      • That is, if the entrance is not private, the public must be able to enter the building and navigate to the correct floor on their own
    • Zoning must allow on-site retail transactions
    • Must include a ramp inside/outside building, and/or an elevator, if necessary
    • Therefore, must include at least one public accessible bathroom
  • Environmental Controls
    • While we don’t need state-of-the-art heating or air conditioning, we will note that a space that gets very hot, very cold, swings between the two, and/or leaks is not going to be an appropriate place to store delicate books
  • Low-Profile
    • We are looking for what most folks would describe as an undesirable space. Something with very little curb appeal, few windows, or in some forgotten corner of an old building just starting its restoration journey.

How can I help?

Your support is invaluable in the growth of the Archive. We welcome your support in the following ways:

  • Support the EAR
    • Support our cause monetarily by donating or supporting us on Patreon, share our content with your friends and followers, or simply reach out and chat!
  • Donate a space to us
    • If you are a property owner looking to fill a problem area or if you’re interested in supporting our mission, please contact us. We would love to talk to you about available options.

At it’s heart, the EAR will always be a library. But with enough support, it could be much more.

The library of esoteric thought from across the globe will serve as the foundation on which we can build a community center which focuses on the public good and practical application of esoteric spirituality.

The library itself will consist of a completely free-to-access digital collection, a publicly accessible circulating collection, a non-circulating reference collection, and a rare book collection, available by appointment.

In addition to the library, we envision a generous reading room where the community can quietly study, adjacent to a small public-facing cafe.

We see a simply decorated salon available to host local classes and events, small private rooms for meditation or private study, and even a temple or lodge space that can host fraternal organizations.

A small retail shop will further compliment the mission of the EAR.

Let’s walk that out.

The Library

The first branch of our mission is: “To record and document esoteric and spiritual/fraternal movements in and around Rochester, NY, as well as across the globe.” The library is the answer to that promise. All the collections below would continue to conform to our existing collection policy. We currently see the library consisting of four main collections:

  • The Digital Collection
    • This collection will exist largely as it does now, consisting of public domain works digitized as PDFs.
    • These will be available to view and download from our main website, as well as on dedicated computers within the EAR building, available to the public.
    • We will work toward being able to digitize our own public domain works to add to this collection, as well.
  • The Circulating Collection
    • The main collection. These books, card decks, and other objects will be available to the public to browse and explore in the building. In order to borrow these objects, a person must become a member of the EAR and/or apply for an EAR library card.
  • The Reference Collection
    • This collection will consist of dictionaries and encyclopedias, as well as copies of commonly accessed works, to ensure they are always available to guests.
    • These works will be available to the public, but cannot leave the building.
  • The Rare Book Collection
    • This collection will hold delicate and valuable works that should not be regularly handled, and will only be available by appointment to members/card-holders, with the assistance of a staff member.

Already the library collection holds several objects that are not books. Moving forward, we plan to collect a variety of objects and other ephemera having to do with esoteric spiritual thought, especially local practices, and to exhibit them to the public. These exhibits will be produced and cared for by the EAR staff and will be displayed in an area that is freely accessible to the public.

The Reading Room and Cafe

The second branch of our mission is: “To provide a space for the general public to use this collection for research and personal use.” The library website, the physical stacks, and the Reading Room and Cafe fulfill that goal.

The Reading Room will be a quiet community space, perfect for individual or group study. Sturdy tables, comfortable chairs, and adequate lighting will encourage guests to settle in and spend an afternoon reading and chatting.

Adjacent to the Reading Room will be a small Cafe, ideally serving as another entrance to the space. The community can enter and exit the cafe without moving through the library space to purchase local drip coffee, teas (hot or iced), as well as locally-produced pastries. A sheltered outdoor seating area extends the cafe in warmer weather, and allows members/card-holders a relaxing location to study their books.

The Cafe will open to the Reading Room, allowing the cafe to potentially remain open when the library is closed, or for the library to function while the cafe is closed.

The Salon and Private Rooms

The final branch of our mission is: “To place these esoteric, spiritual, and fraternal movements, orders, and writings, in their rightful place in historic legitimacy.” Community spaces centered on education fulfills this goal.

The Salon is a simple space designed to host small events, such as classes, meetings, and lectures. Similar to the Cafe, this space will have an exterior entrance, allowing people who use that space to do so privately. An interior doorway will allow the space to operate within or without the library. For example, an EAR event may use the interior doors, while a private event may use the exterior doors.

A single accessible bathroom will be available in this space, as well as furniture, outlets, and internet access.

Events held in this space must conform to the ethical code of the EAR, and preference will be given to events that offer free or low-cost education to the community.

A few Private Rooms will be available to members/card-holders for private study, meditation, or ritual. Access to these rooms will be a feature of membership, and can be signed out in one-hour blocks. A desk and chair will be included in each room, and other ritual items (incense, mirror, candles, etc.) will be available for a small fee.

The Temple/Lodge

This dedicated space will be available to members of fraternal spiritual orders or groups, such as Rosicrucians, Freemasons, etc. It will serve as a home-base for practitioners and students who do not have access to group study and ritual due to distance. Members of these orders can work with their governing bodies to set up local study groups and rituals, accessible to anyone in Western New York.

It is our hope to develop long-lasting and sincere relationships with as many esoteric orders as possible to utilize this space and provide a dedicated location for students of The Mysteries to learn and develop.

The Shop

A small shop accessible from inside the EAR will offer branded merchandise, a small selection of ritual supplies, new thematically appropriate books, as well as materials weeded from the collection.

Location

It’s of the utmost importance that the EAR be located within the city of Rochester, and on an accessible transit line. The goal of the EAR is education and community, and we cannot have those things if we operate far from population centers.

We don’t yet have a building in mind, or a location preference. However, we’d like to be as close as possible to downtown Rochester to make access simple and painless. It should be easy for anyone to walk, bicycle, or bus to our building. Downtown Rochester has several large parking garages and ample on-street parking, making it the obvious choice for almost any type of gathering place.

Why?

What is the community need for these services?

Despite being a mid-size city at the heart of the burned over district, Rochester has no esoteric temples, and only one masonic temple. Folks interested in freemasonry are forced to go to the suburbs, which are almost completely inaccessible to users of public transit. Members of esoteric orders like The Rosicrucian Order AMORC, the Confraternity of the Rose Cross, the Builders of the Adytum, the Traditional Martinist Order, and many more, have to study their materials alone via correspondence course. Temple and study groups can only be found in large cities like New York or Toronto. While traveling a great distance for an initiation can be a powerful journey, it is also only available to those with means.

Our shared temple space is a potential solution for members of these orders who aren’t able to travel across the state or country.

However, those students who do prefer to be alone, but who may not have privacy in their home, can use our private rooms for their regular study/ritual/meditation sessions.

Rental prices across Rochester and the rest of the country can be prohibitive, and many places don’t want to rent space for events they don’t understand. Classes or discussion groups around esoteric topics such as tarot, ceremonial magic, meditation, yoga, Qabala (or Kabbalah), mediumship, or reiki can be held in our spaces for low or no cost.

In a similar vein, we plan to work with social and political action organizations to offer educational events and meeting space for them, as well.

Our cafe is an important part of this plan, because Rochester, like many 21st century American cities, has a severe lack of third places. Our cafe will be open to the public, welcoming to all, and will have expansive hours.

The library and all of its collections will, of course, be the most important part of this project. Archives of esoteric thought are hard to come by these days, and are frequently private or locked behind high fees. Local and university libraries in Monroe County have, as one might expect, very little in the way of serious esoteric materials. Any member of the public will be invited to enter our space and read and learn about any esoteric practice, be it something locally founded like Spiritualism or Mormonism, or something from beyond Rochester, like Rosicrucianism or Martinism, Tarot or Alchemy.

Our small shop will fill an important void found across the country: the unavailability of books outside of massive online corporations. Visitors will be able to purchase hard-to-find esoteric works and enjoy bargains on used materials weeded from the collection.

Above all, the EAR will serve as a community gathering space for people who currently don’t have such a place. Typically, the only type of gathering place you see for esoteric spiritual interests are witchy or new age shops, places where you’re expected to buy things and where you may not be welcome to just hang out. The EAR serves to welcome visitors freely, and allow them to stay as long as we’re open.

Financing

While we plan on raising funds through daily operations, we will have to depend on philanthropy and giving to fill the gaps.

The EAR could earn revenue in the following ways, depending on the situation:

  • Membership
    • Yearly membership at multiple levels and benefits will be the main income source.
    • Membership will continue to be required to borrow materials.
    • We can envision situations where membership may be required to enter the building, but this would be dependent on a variety of other factors.
  • Shop
    • EAR merchandise (branded materials) will be available in store and for sale online.
    • Books, both new and used, will be available in store only.
  • Cafe
    • Simple and local offerings will allow sales to more-than-support the operation costs.
  • Room rentals
    • Renting the salon, the reading room, the cafe, or the temple will involve a reasonable price that will be contingent on the type of event. For example, a free event will cost less to book than a paid ticketed event.
  • General donations and fundraisers
    • The EAR will solicit donations onsite. Instructions for cash and digital donations will be located throughout the building, and anyone making a transaction will be asked if they want to add a donation.
    • Regular fundraisers will be held for members and the general public to support the mission of the EAR.

While we expect these funds to be able to pay for a significant part of our regular operating expenses, we understand that it is extremely unlikely that these income streams will be sufficient. It will be imperative that we develop good relationships with donors, locally and abroad, to ensure an endowment that the EAR can depend on. This list of revenue-generating ideas can be adapted to any project scale.

Next Steps:
Support the EAR

In order for us to manifest our plan, we need your support, both financial and social.

Become a Patron of the EAR – This is the best way to keep up to date with the work being done, and it is also the only way to become a member with borrowing privileges. Patrons who join at the Theoricus level or higher can borrow books and materials from the Guerrilla Library in downtown Rochester, NY.

Connect with us! Follow us on Bluesky and share our posts. Follow us on Mastodon and share our posts. Join us on Discord. Use the resources on this website to add clarity and beauty to the world.

Support us via Bookshop.org. Buy book for yourself through our affiliate shop. We, for the most part, add books that are part of our Guerrilla Library. Donate books and materials to the Guerrilla Library by purchasing from our registry. Create your own registry on Bookshop.org by using our link. Registries created via this link will attribute all sales commissions to the EAR Bookshop.org account.

Our goal is to grow into a thriving community of like-minded seekers and academics, united in our love of the esoteric. While part of that goal is to occupy a physical space, that isn’t to suggest that we’re waiting for that to happen before we start our work. Connect with us and support us in whatever way you can and learn about the work we are already doing.

Contact the EAR

archivist at esotericarchive dot org