BOOKS are being tucked away into little libraries on every day streets around Australia.
The street library movement has well and truly caught on and residents of Rosewood and beyond are loving it.
Once a book’s been read and there’s no nostalgic ties, it typically ends up in a cupboard, on a shelf or donated to a charity shop.
There is another option and that’s for it to be part of a street library.
These little cabinets of books have been popping up everywhere.
The movement began in Sydney, NSW in 2015 when Australian Nic Lowe discovered neighbourhoods full of them in the United States.
He brought the idea home and established an Australian-based free library movement that encouraged literacy and community cohesion.
Nic said free libraries were a wonderful community project.
“I love books and I believe that books are the foundation of all knowledge,” he said.
“In these times of digital overload, we forget that long form literature can express complex and nuanced ideas, concepts and stories that enrich our lives in ways a 20-word Facebook post can’t.”
He said the project had grown faster than expected.
“People love it, and it’s a simple project that anyone can do and put in their front yard,” he said.
The premise is simple, put books you no longer need into a receptacle outside your home.
Make sure it’s known it’s a street library and people can take books from it to read.
People also add books to replenish what has been taken.
There are many street libraries in the area listed on the Street Library database.
The one at 108 Queen Street, Marburg, is quite the head turner.
There are three colourful, quirky boxes that sit atop a metal pole bolted to the ground.
Next to it is a refurbished outback dunny aka ‘reading room’.
This library was made possible back in 2022 when Marburg and District Residents Association received a grant for a street library from the Children’s Book Council of Australia.
Its eye catching set up has attracted visitors who come to take photos and share their enthusiasm for its offerings.
Some folk even use the reading room, strictly for reading of course, its original purpose is long past.
Then there are some residents for whom a little library has nostalgic value.
A resident on Lomandra Street, Deebing Heights said when she was a little girl, she remembered one being on a nearby street.
“I always said to myself one day I will do it and I finally did,” she said.
There is another library nearby, this one is on Sovereign Drive, Deebing Heights.
A blue library box is outside the front of the Leichhardt One Mile Community Centre.
This free library was installed by members from the Rotary Club of Ipswich North.
At 23 Grange Road, Silkstone is a little community library inside a house shaped box.
This one’s called Alice’s Wonderland of Books and if you come during the day, you could see characters from the book.
The people who live at 23 Petaine Street, Raceview have a large white cabinet full of books.
The residents said they became inspired after seeing little street libraries on social media.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to share books that need new homes rather then sending to them where they won’t receive as much love,” they said.
“Come visit and either swap or take a book if you don’t have one.”
There are more street libraries in the Ipswich area and more still not yet listed on the database.
You can list yours or one in your neighbourhood by visiting the website.
