The world can never have too many books. But unfortunately libraries are running out of space for the sheer volume of book that are being published. There has to be a solution for this and the Australians have come up with the most remarkable answer.
Libraries regularly get rid of books that aren’t being borrowed to clear space on their shelves for new arrivals. It is alleged that libraries in Australia dispose of around 5 million books every year, with the majority of these going to landfill. Meanwhile, people living in some of Australia’s most remote communities can’t get access to books. Only one third of remote communities have access to a library. Many schools in these regions also don’t have the funds to purchase books for their students.
Aussies have started a charity Books n Boots is rescuing used books from landfill and donating them to remote Indigenous communities. The charity was set up by Aussie couple John Harding and Tara Newen after they learned schools in the Torres Straight Islands didn’t have access to picture books. John Stated that “I saw a post [online] from a woman who put out a request for people to donate books, the schools don’t get any money for picture books.”
The couple reached out to libraries and asked then to donate used books when they are doing clean-outs. One local library now donates 1,200 books every year. John and Tara also collect used books from homes and schools and redistribute them to communities in need. The project hopes to improve literacy rates in Indigenous communities by ensuring remote areas have access to books. So far, the charity has donated over 6,000 used books to communities in Shepparton, Cherbourg, Murwillumbah, Toomelah and the Tiwi Islands.
