In Türkiye, garbage collectors create a library from books thrown in the trash – Rts.ch

This unique library is located at the house transfer center in çankaya, the most populous district of Ankara. Similarly, In the middle of the center. Meanwhile, between dump trucks and storage areas, there is an unusual administrative building, since it is installed in an old fully restored brick factory.

On the ground floor of the building. Nevertheless, under a long terracotta color vault where the brick ovens were once located, the famous library.

10. Similarly, 000 works and 24 categories – Türkiye, garbage collectors create library

It has 10,000 pounds, a third of the inventory of which is made up of works that the city’s garbage collectors found during their tours, thrown into the trash cans türkiye, garbage collectors create library or placed next to it. Furthermore, The rest comes from donations.

“Books are classified into 24 categories. For example, Among those that are most successful, there are children’s books,” said Eray Yilmaz, 27 years old and manager.

He adds: “Our colleagues. Consequently, like the inhabitants, come here to borrow books of stories or coloring that we give for free. On the shelves just opposite. here are two of my favorite categories, which are also the most recent: mythologies and philosophy”.

The colleagues brought me books almost every day, now it happens only one or twice a month.

The project was born eight years ago. when the garbage collectors of çankaya, encouraged by their superiors, had the idea of creating a small library with these books that they could not resolve to send to recycling. In 2018, the shelves were türkiye, garbage collectors create library already well garnished and the town hall opened the place to the public.

Thanks to word of mouth, the donations of books flocked, remembers Eray Yilmaz. “Before. the colleagues brought me the books they had found almost every day, now it happens only one or twice a month. It is incredible, that means that people do not throw books,” he rejoices.

In the library. everything is second-hand: the reading armchairs have been recovered in a coffee and restored, the lamps in lamps are blankets of encyclopedias too damaged to be read.

“Access to culture. a second life for books”

The garbage collectors, who have developed the premises, are the first to take advantage of it. They come türkiye, garbage collectors create library to take their noon break or leave the works at the end of the day. This is particularly the case of Sarp Cagdas Sahin, who borrows books for him, his friends or his little sister.

“It is an access to culture, a way of relaxing after work, it also avoids having to buy books. I like the idea that we give a second life to these works,” explains the garbage collector.

80 school libraries already created

The shelves are full, but the town hall continues to receive donations. More than 40,000 pounds sleep in the deposit. So, Eray Yilmaz regularly sends boxes to schools from all over Asia Minor. Because from the start, the objective was also to share these treasures with schoolchildren. “To date, our shipments have made it possible to create 80 school libraries, which represents around 20,000 pounds,” said the librarian.

A few years ago. çankaya’s garbage collectors had transformed an türkiye, garbage collectors create library old trash truck into a mobile library, to bring books to schools and neighborhoods that are most lacking. A project that Eray Yilmaz and his colleagues dream of restarting soon.

REPORTAGE RADADIO: Anne Andoer

Adaptation web: Lucie Ostorero