Bookshelves or BookShares? Do you share books in your community?

Do you have a community library or bookshelves/share?

book sharing
an old telephone box converted to public book sharing facility

Last month the great author and philosopher Julian Baggini, published in article in the Weekend issue of Financial Times (11/12 September 2021), talking about reducing his library size. The article sparked a huge debate and letters to the editor in response to why people should not downgrade, declutter or basically reduce their library size.

Baggini’s argument was mostly factual and right. He argued that libraries have a decorative aspect and to many it is a show off and possibly even their claim to knowledge and intellectual faculty.  He adds that most people have not even read half the books on display and that he himself had many books which he simply had not had the time to read and as we are all mortal beings with an end of life tag, we have to make a clear and conscious decision of how we are going to spend the final remaining years, days and minutes of our remaining time on earth.  What books and work of arts will we dedicate our time to and what we should simply pass on or what has passed its read by date time.

It is a hard question to ask yourself and it is a hard exercise to complete.  We become attached to all things physical and we attach emotional value to many of these things, however what’s for sure we can take none with us and all that remains after we die, is inevitably given away or stacked in some shelves.

In 2003 I inherited or better said was gifted a vast amount of books along with the bookshelves from a friend who was leaving the country.  For a few years I did not really much care for those books, but in 2007 I started devouring that library and to date they are still serving me and many of those books that I have read have now found new homes and owners.  I am forever grateful to her, for those books have changed my life forever and I will forever practice the art of giving books away so that others can benefit before they turn to a dust collection on shelves.

Do you keep your books? Do you pass them on? Do you share and exchange?  I have seen many communities create libraries in their entrance hall and share books.  What about your community?   Create your free community website today: www.urbytus.com/ocm/

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