Despite the cuts and few investments that the world of culture, and specifically that of literature, has been weighing in recent years, it is always good to know that there are people and politicians interested in making books a priority.
This is the case of the town of Quintanalara, in Burgos, where the exchange of books has led a library of 16 thousand books available to the 33 inhabitants of this town turned into an example to follow.
The Spanish Hay-on-Wye
Quintanalara, a Burgos town of 10 inhabitants with a library of more than 16.000 copies, a beauty! pic.twitter.com/87ZuD5G0ME
- Eduardo Izquierdo (@izqasedu) June 11, 2016
Quintanalara is a town of stone houses located in the municipality of Revilla del Campo, 36 kilometers from Burgos, and famous for being one of the few places in Spain where charcoal is still made from oak logs. A rural enclave of 33 inhabitants of which only 10 live there all year round due to the presence of foreign people who take advantage of its natural charm during vacations or inhabitants who come and go taking advantage of the proximity of the capital.
However, those who from now on drop by this delicious Burgos enclave will discover one of the most curious libraries in the country, born as an initiative by its Culture Councilor, Román de Pablo, and the mayor, Rubén Heras, whose the idea of collect up to 10 books through donations in order to create their own library that would encourage bookcrossing and using old books that visitors can take while leaving others of their own.
By December 2015, the figure was set at 10 books with a view to opening the library this June, resulting in 16 titles that Quintanalara has finally managed to collect in El Potro, a curious rustic place provided by the Department of Culture and in the one that all those books eager for new readers have been deposited.
The idea, according to Pablo, is to make Quintanalara "a benchmark for bookcrossing in Spain" and "a unique place in the world." A successful initiative by this town which, despite its few inhabitants, has been promoting various artistic events for years, such as the Tordorock festival, or Tralara, a highly successful art show two years ago.
A town motivated by good intentions to revive the spirit of culture in a secluded place that could become the particular Hay-on-Wye (the famous Welsh town with more books than inhabitants) of our country.
What do you think of this initiative?
It seems to me a great initiative, something that many peoples should copy.