Trashy Books

They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. I read a story this week where one man’s trash has become a treasure to many people thanks to some sanitation workers in Turkey.

In the capital city of Ankara, Turkey, workers from the sanitation department started noticing an increasing number of books being thrown away. Rather than let them end up in landfills, they began rescuing the books. At first, the workers began sharing the books with colleagues and families. As word of the collection spread, residents also began donating books directly. As the collection grew, they decided to create a public library in an abandoned brick factory and the library was born.

The library has been a huge success. It offers a wide range of books for patrons. With a collection now at over 6,000 books, there is also a popular kid’s section with comic books and an entire section for scientific research. Books in English and French are also available for bilingual visitors. The local municipality, Çankaya, has found room in the budget for a full-time library employee, and has converted a garbage truck into a mobile library that doubles as a donations truck. It’s become a community hub, a place to promote literacy and the joy of reading.

In a world full of terrible new stories, it is a blessing to read about people who care and share with others.