The History of Writers & Books

Writers & Books began in 1974 as The Book Bus, a mobile bookstore and book distributor traveling throughout the northeastern United States, and playing an instrumental part in the growth of independent publishers in the 1970s. By reaching individuals, bookstores and libraries in its travels, The Book Bus introduced thousands of new readers to many unrecognized, but important, American writers.

As fuel costs skyrocketed in the late 1970s, the Book Bus came to a halt, but the energy the bus created continued to grow with outreach as a driving force.

If contemporary writing were to survive and flourish in America, it had to reach out to audiences beyond the walls of the classroom and campus. It had to establish centers where writing and reading were active pursuits for people of all ages, and where writers could meet with other writers and with readers.

In 1980, the Book Bus became Writers & Books, a storefront literary center in a commercial/residential neighborhood in Rochester.

In 1985, Writers & Books moved from this original location to a former police precinct station, a landmark building designed by Rochester architect and illustrator Claude Bragdon. In its new home, Writers & Books was able to greatly expand its programs.

In August 1986, Writers & Books was named one of New York State's "Primary Arts Organizations" by the New York State Council on the Arts—a recognition given to organizations that "make a substantial contribution to the state's cultural life." With this designation, Writers & Books came to be recognized, together with such distinguished institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York City Ballet, the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the Rochester Philharmonic, as among the state's most important cultural organizations.

In 1988, a benefactor gave Writers & Books the use of a house located in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Called The Gell House, it provided an inspirational setting in which to write, and an ideal setting for small conferences.

In 1991, title to the house and twenty-five acres of surrounding land was granted to Writers & Books, and a fund established at the Rochester Area Foundation to provide for ongoing maintenance and upkeep at the property.

In 1992, after extensive planning to determine how to best use the property as a literary resource, and with a major grant from the Gleason Memorial Fund, work was begun on the first phase of a new conference and residential facility at the newly-renamed Gell Writers Center of the Finger Lakes.

Recognition for Writers & Books in the Rochester community has come in the form of numerous awards, including Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester's 1988 award for "Significant Contributions to the Arts in Rochester," The Rochester Bibliophile Society's 1989 Award for "Significant Contributions to the Rochester Reading Scene," and the Rochester Institute of Technology's College of Liberal Arts 1991 award to "A Friend of the Liberal Arts in the Rochester Community."

Today, Writers & Books is thirty years strong and continues to grow. The addition of the new Laboratory for Language Integrating Technology, LITLab, allows participants to experiment and learn about digital technologies and the future of digital publishing. Another addition to Writers & Books includes its participation as a founding member of the Audiences for Literature Network, ALN, which is funded through the Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. Now housed at Writers & Books, ALN is a link between all of the Literary Centers across the United States.

Renovations to our primary location at 740 University Avenue were completed this year, thanks in part to donations made to our Capital Campaign. The renovated building is handicap accessible, with twice as much space for workshops and a community room where critique groups, reading groups and small performances are held.

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