Azernews.Az

By Amani Nazarli
Azernews

Contemporary writer Lemony Snicket described the true idea of a good library when he wrote, “A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them.”

A small, lovely cabinet filled with books attracts many people as they discover the historical and picturesque corners of Azerbaijan’s capital Baku -- Icherisheher, also known here as the Old City. This is the very place to make a stop and delve into this world of important knowledge. Here, one can find a book of his or her interest without a doubt.

The cabinet is indeed a landmark in the city and even accepted as an attraction for many foreign tourists, especially those in love with this wealth of knowledge.

Since its establishment in 2013, the cabinet has hosted most of the Azerbaijani publications, as well as samples of foreign literature.

While promoting this wonderful project the organizers had only one purpose: to provide everyone with an opportunity to take one or more of the books for free use, or exchange them for any other book.

Azerbaijan Youth Foundation, Azerbaijani Student Network, and Global Shapers Community Baku jointly created this simple initiative, which originates from Europe.

This is really a unique opportunity for book lovers to exchange the books that they have read. You can drop books here for others to take and read them.

This free-for-all library is designed to serve everyone irrespective of age or education. One can come and benefit this brilliant opportunity without exerting excessive efforts.

The idea of this outdoor public bookcase is actually very attractive -- it is open at any time of day and in any weather. No registration or documents are needed to use this service, while no restrictions are set for the use of books, and the treatment of these bookcases is simply a matter of the individual decency of a reader.

This unique library serves the motto, “Take a book, leave a book.” Readers can grab from these free-for-all bookcases whichever book catches their eye, and also leave behind any book they choose for others.

Zeynab Jahan, a 25-year-old curator of this public bookcase, said “this bookcase project is necessary for Azerbaijani people, who are so fond of reading.”

The organizers say that the project aims to join the noble tradition of bringing reading to life and to inspire a young generation to read books in an extraordinary way.

This idea strengthens the culture of reading books and adds integrity to society, since the initiative encourages people to meet while exchanging their favorite books. By seeking access to books, people will step outside their restricted circles of friends and family, and interact more freely.

“The process of book exchange in some way unites the citizens, as people leave notes in books and in their margins. The most remarkable thing is that 99 percent of the books in the cabinet are someone’s book,” Zeynab explains.

Moreover, this public bookshelf has become a convenient solution for many who feel sorry for throwing books away because they lack necessary space or have exhausted their interest in them.

“Most of the books are useless or superfluous in the house of their owner. But the essential point is that one’s unnecessary book is essential for another,” she says.

The cabinet today not only encourages young people to read, but also fights for the right of books to exist and to get reprinted. Besides, projects such as “Bookcase” could easily become a relic in some years amid the increasing penetration of tablets and kindles.

Another purpose of the project is to protect the honorary place of books in our daily life and preserve their right to pass from generation to generation.

“We do not count missing books, on the contrary, we even rejoice when we notice the shortage of books -- it means that people cannot bear to part with one of them,” she says.

For now, the project is the only of its kind for “book storage” throughout the country and therefore is regarded as an "experimental case." What's remarkable is that people are anxiously waiting for the next bookcase to appear in the city, as feedback from residents testifies. Zeynab stresses that they have received many requests to see a second bookcase, which makes the organizers of the project really happy.

Now the organizers are working on expanding the project to other regions as well. Along with a plan to open a second, similar bookcase in the capital, they are keen to install book cabinets in other cities of Azerbaijan, for instance, in ancient Ganja.

"That will be an excellent chance for books to find their readers as well," the organizers believe.