A Global Voice of Peace

2022.5.27

World's Most Unusual Libraries...

"A Novel Approach"

Inspires their communities to read

"Ships of the Desert" 

In rural northeast Kenya, camels were nicknamed “ships of the desert. Well-suited to the harsh terrain and hot summer temperatures in the region, camels were an ideal choice to transport hundreds of books along with a tent and reading mat to the area’s nomadic communities.



Norway's Floating Library

In 1963 "Epos" was built specifically to serve as a floating library. Unique to Norway, this bookboat operates the west coast of Norway, with its fjords and its islands. It carries approximately 6000 books, and visits 250 villages twice a year.

Colombia's Biblioburro 

For 25 yrs, Luis Soriano, a teacher from a rural northern Colombia town, loaded his 2 donkeys “Alfa & Beto” (Spanish for “alphabet) with about 70 books from his own bookshelves. His library, Biblioburro, traveled to local elementary schools, reading stories, inspiring young Colombian children with the joy of reading.

England's Chained Libraries

Chaining reference books to library shelves was common in medieval times to prevent theft. Although this practice ended in the 18th century, there are around a dozen chained collections existing in England. The oldest is the Francis Trigge Chained Library, founded in 1598. The largest chained library in England is located inside Hereford Cathedral; its oldest book dates back to the eighth century. 

France's Lire à la Plage

Each summer, Lire à la Plage (“Reading at the Beach”) brings the library to more than a dozen of Normandy’s coastal resorts. Though people are not allowed to take books away from the beach, the librarians are happy to make a note that you’re coming back the following day, mark your place, and put it aside for you.

Philippines’ Nanie’s

Reading Club

In 2000, Hernando “Nanie” Guanlao honored his recently departed parents for instilling in him a lifelong passion for reading. He placed books on his sidewalk for neighbors to borrow at no charge. Books were returned and people left their own books. 20 yrs later, Nanie’s Reading Club is more popular than ever. Now, Nanie rides to other Manila districts on a specially adapted “book bike” to spread his love of reading further.

Journey through A Global Voice of Peace www.agvop.com