Street libraries have taken off in Australia. You find them scattered throughout towns and cities. Oversized letterboxes, repurposed bookshelves, even old fridges, housing books of all shapes and sizes. Biographies, novels, history, religion, kids books, self-help guides. I’ve seen rows of Mills and Boon, plenty of Dan Brown, the occasional Harry Potter, and classics like Dickens or Tolkien.
But the idea of these libraries is bring one take one. What do you put in the libraries? The books long forgotten, collecting dust, taking up space? The rubbish you know full well you’ll never read or certainly never read again?
What about taking a book and replacing with an even better book? Why not leave something inspirational, valuable, influential, even transformative or life changing? What would that be? Is there something that you believe could really make a difference?
I’ve left a number of copies of Hope Beyond Cure in street libraries. I pray they’ll get picked up by someone who needs help and hope. With close to half the population experiencing cancer some time in their lives, I figure I can’t go too wrong. I’ve also left a Bible or two. With 100% of the population made by God and loved by God, I figure that can’t do any harm either.
Have a look on your shelves at home. What worthwhile reading material could you leave in a street library near you? Better still, if there’s something you really want to share with others, why not buy a few copies and leave them for others to read?
macarisms 