Chennai, Dec 18: Chennaiites can now borrow and read books without paying a penny.
Little free library, an organisation that promotes reading and exchanging of books among the community has come up with the initiative. The library has its presence at Alwarpet, Egmore and Mylapore.
World’s first little free library was started in Wisconsin, United States. Shanon Zirkle-Prabhakar, an American journalist was inspired by the concept of community-run libraries and opened one at her cosy apartment at Egmore in 2014.
”The objective behind this is to encourage reading and sharing of books by setting up small libraries at cafes, shops, where people can grab a book and drop another in it’s place,” says Hichem Osman, who runs the little free library in his Silkworm Boutique at Nungambakkam.
Osman adds that his clients for the boutique love to read and donate books. Hence, he collaborated with Shanon to set up the little library at his store. ”This is not a business, but rather a hobby of reading, collecting and donating books,” Osman says.
Moina, who works as the steward of little free library at the Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory, Alwarpet says, ”We don’t need anything to construct. We just leave a box full of books or place a bookshelf at cafes.”
About book collection, she says, ”We accept what we get. But, I’m trying to make it more children friendly in the future because reading habit should start from a very young age.”
To grab a book for yourself drop by at Silkworm Boutique, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam (Hichem Osman 044 2833 1991) and Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory, Alwarpet (Moina 98848 51759).
(Story inputs by Sureka R)