Solange Knowles launches Saint Heron Library to archive rare and out-of-print books by Black authors

Solange Knowles launches part 1 of The Saint Heron digital archive library, with part 2 rolling out in the coming weeks. 

If you’re on the hunt for a rare, out-of-print title by a Black author, Solange Knowles has got your back.

On Thursday, September 25, the 39-year-old singer and multidisciplinary artist announced she was launching the Saint Heron Library in an Instagram post.

“The [Saint Heron] digital archive library part I. Liiiive today,” she wrote in the caption of a post on Instagram. “The Saint Heron Library is home to our archival collection of primarily rare, out of print, and 1st edition titles by Black [and] brown authors, poets, [and] artists.”

Knowles, a Grammy-winning artist and creative force, founded Saint Heron as a multidisciplinary cultural hub dedicated to celebrating and preserving Black and brown artistry. The Saint Heron Library extends that mission, offering readers free access to literary works that might otherwise remain inaccessible. By digitizing and archiving these texts, the project seeks to protect cultural legacies while ensuring they continue to inspire future generations.

This isn’t the first time Knowles has introduced a library through Saint Heron. Back in 2021, she launched a free community library as a seasonal project, spotlighting rare and out-of-print works during a limited run. This new version builds on that foundation by expanding it into a more sustained and structured system. 

Visitors to the virtual resource will find a range of works centered around Black art, including “An Ordinary Woman” by Lucille Clifton, “American Negro Art” by Cedric Dover, “Black Artists, Vol. 1” and Vol. 2 edited by Ruth Waddy, “The Black Unicorn” by Audre Lorde, and “The Theme Is Blackness” by Ed Bullins.

The Saint Heron Digital Archive Library operates on a free, honor-based borrowing system, according to the site’s terms. Open exclusively to U.S. residents, each borrower may reserve one book at a time, with requests fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. Books are shipped directly with complimentary shipping and return postage, and must be returned within 45 days. Lost or damaged books are subject to market-value charges, ensuring the sustainability of the archive while keeping it free for readers.

It appears to be a smashing hit already. Live for not even 24 hours, and many titles were already under the “borrowed” status.

In the caption of her post, she continued, “As the market and demand for these books, zines, and catalogues rises, we would like to play a small part in creating free access to the expansive range of critical thought and expression by these great mindsss.” 

She added that part two of the project will roll out “in the coming weekssss.”