Llibreria Documenta

Llibreria Documenta is an independent bookshop in Barcelona specialising in the humanities — literature, art and the social sciences. It was opened in June 1975 by Josep Cots and Ramon Planes at Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, 4, in the city's Gothic quarter, and has since become one of the reference points of Catalan literary life. In 1980 the shop launched the Premi Documenta de Narrativa, an award for writers under 35 that has helped bring several Catalan authors to public attention. After Ramon Planes left the business, Josep Cots ran Documenta alone for many years. As his retirement approached and the rent on the original premises rose, Cots announced in 2013 that he was looking for a successor. A preferred-share issue and a crowdfunding campaign allowed Èric del Arco to join as a partner and to refound the bookshop in a new 200 m² space at Carrer de Pau Claris, 144. The new Documenta opened in June 2014; the film critic Núria Vidal made a documentary recording the whole moving process. On 9 January 2015 the shop held a party to mark the project's 40th anniversary. Today Documenta operates as a general humanities bookshop with a strong programme of literary events. Its website presents new titles in essay and fiction, staff recommendations, reading clubs (including a club with translators and the Meteora club), literary courses and cycles such as the Docunens storytelling cycle, a year-long reading of Dante's Purgatorio and Paradiso, an 'Aula literària' with Ana Pineda, and guided literary trips. The shop sells both Catalan and Spanish editions and ships online, with product pages listing ISBN, publisher, collection, price and availability. The bookshop remains a private, independent business rather than part of a chain. Its identity is closely tied to Barcelona's publishing ecosystem: it stocks imprints such as Alianza, Libros del Asteroide, Random House and Anagrama, and its events and prizes connect readers, translators and authors. The annual Premi Documenta de Narrativa continues to be one of its best-known public activities.

Llibreria Documenta was founded in June 1975 by Josep Cots and Ramon Planes, who opened a bookshop specialising in literature, art and the human sciences at Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, 4 in Barcelona. The shop quickly became associated with the city's literary and intellectual circles. In 1980 Documenta convened the first edition of the Premi Documenta de Narrativa, an award reserved for writers under 35. The prize became a recurring fixture and helped establish the bookshop's reputation beyond its immediate neighbourhood. Ramon Planes later left the company, and Josep Cots continued to run the business on his own. By 2013, with Cots approaching retirement and the rent on the original premises rising, he announced that he was looking for a successor. A preferred-share issue and a crowdfunding campaign made it possible for Èric del Arco to join as a partner and for the bookshop to be refounded in a new 200 m² location at Carrer de Pau Claris, 144. The new Documenta opened in June 2014. The film critic Núria Vidal made a documentary to record the whole relocation process. On 9 January 2015 the shop hosted a party to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the project. Since the refoundation, Documenta has combined bookselling with a dense programme of cultural activity. Its website advertises reading clubs (including a club with translators and the Meteora club), literary courses and cycles such as the Docunens storytelling cycle, a year-long reading of Dante's Purgatorio and Paradiso, an 'Aula literària' with Ana Pineda, and guided literary trips. It presents new essay and fiction titles, staff recommendations and product pages with full bibliographic detail, and it sells both Catalan and Spanish editions online.

• 2015

  Party on 9 January marks the 40th anniversary of the project.

• 2014

  New Documenta opens in June at Carrer de Pau Claris, 144, in a 200 m² space.

• 2013

  Josep Cots announces he is looking for a successor; a preferred-share issue and crowdfunding allow Èric del Arco to join as partner.

• 1980

  First edition of the Premi Documenta de Narrativa for writers under 35.

• 1975

  Josep Cots and Ramon Planes open Llibreria Documenta at Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, 4, Barcelona.

Independent, curated humanities bookshop and literary hub in central Barcelona.

• YESTERYEAR by Caro Claire Burke

• ÚLTIMA ESCALA by Marta San Miguel Flores

• LOS FABULADORES by José Ignacio Carnero

1. 1Llibreria d'humanitats de Barcelona: assaig i ficciódocumenta-bcn.com
2. 2YESTERYEAR | 9791387596415 | BURKE, CARO CLAIREdocumenta-bcn.com
3. 3ÚLTIMA ESCALA | 9788410178403 | SAN MIGUEL FLORES, MARTAdocumenta-bcn.com
4. 4LOS FABULADORES | 9788439741909 | CARNERO, JOSÉ IGNACIOdocumenta-bcn.com
5. 5Llibreria Documentawikidata.org
6. 6Llibreria Documentaca.wikipedia.org