Just Books
Just Books’ history in Belfast stretches back to the opening of the original Smithfield shop in June 1978 by the Belfast Anarchist Collective.
While the shop closed its doors in June 1994, the Just Books Collective continued to provide stalls at Belfast's annual May Day celebrations and Belfast and Dublin Anarchist Book Fairs.
In March 2010 Just Books opened its premises in a shared space with the Warzone Collective on Clarence Street, Belfast.
Since May 2016 it ran a bricks-and-mortar shop at the Belfast Solidarity Centre at 22 Berry Street, Belfast, BT1 1FJ.
As of 2020 Just Books was selling from (A) Centre at 6 Wellington Court, Belfast, BT1 6HQ.
Throughout its time at various premises, Just Books ran movie nights, hosted campaign meetings, provided space for groups like Larne House Visitors Group, held social events, book launches, meetings and workshops and operated a drop in, library, silk screen printing workshop, and an anarchist bookshop.
Its specialist subjects were on Ireland, anarchism, feminism, socialism and the Irish language. Some of their bestselling books were: Beating the Terrorist, Anarchist books from Cienfuegos Press, Protest and Survive and 'A Woman's Choice', a Belfast woman's pamphlet on abortion. They also provided a discounted book service to prisoners.
The Belfast Anarchist Collective is currently affiliated with the anarchist group, Organise! and runs an online bookshop page on Organise!'s website and is publishing books looking at anarchist movements in Russia. Just Books are members of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers.
Sources:
'Welcome new ARB member Just Books of Belfast', Alliance of Radical Booksellers, 01.02.2017 [https://www.radicalbooksellers.co.uk/?p=406, accessed 22.05.25]
Organise!
Spite Record
The Radical Bookseller, No.4, Jan/Feb 1981; No. 67, 1990; No. 75, 1991
