Libraries on beaches: Bondi Beach (Australia).
People who almost never read tend to do so on the beach, we don't know if for a matter of posture, for the relaxation that these places invite when summer begins or because it seems that everyone else does. Whatever the reasons, the truth is that the idea of installing libraries on the beaches It is a success that more than one city council has already begun to promote with the arrival of good weather but that, nevertheless, could be promoted on a much larger scale.
Books in the sun
#BiblioBeach Do you know her Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 16pm. Come and enjoy reading on Levante Beach. 📖 pic.twitter.com/Y0d6G5G08A
- Hotel Carlos I (@ hotel_carlos1) April 5, 2016
A few days ago, the Municipal Libraries Network of the Barcelona Provincial Council announced the inauguration of two library beaches in the province - one in Casteldefells and the other in Arenys de Mar -, in addition to 24 other library pools to be distributed in the form of shelves and bibliobuses. In turn, Valencia deploys its Bibliomar on Malvarrosa and Benidorm's Levante beach continues with its biblioplaya on the sixteenth anniversary of this initiative. Tourist cities that know the potential of literature as a complement to those sand and foam afternoons to which the thousands of tourists who visit their coasts succumb.
Regarding the international scene, the beach library sponsored by Ikea in Bondi Beach (Australia), is one of the most famous in the world, while Biblioteca da Praia, in Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), turns the exchange of books into an exotic experience accompanying the reading with tropical juices from a snack bar included in the stand.
More than inspiring examples of how books adapt to seasonal settings, a reality that is not always so easy to achieve taking into account the economic problems and scarce funding that libraries receive in certain countries, including ours. However, what the government cannot (or wants) to afford is possibly within the reach of the citizen through the simple act of sharing books on the beach, the perfect initiative for a fashion that would be nice to stay. If possible forever.
Shall we start?
If we had more libraries on the beaches possibly encouraging reading among people who do not (almost) never open a book would be more effective and lovers of literature would be happier.
Even beach flirts may be born from much more interesting conversations thanks to these initiatives. But that's another story.
Would you start such an initiative? Do you know another biblioplaya?
I don't know if it could be implemented in our beloved America, but it's a good idea.