A special bookstore has recently opened in Rome. Its purpose is to promote a love of reading among the general public, especially people who are hesitant to purchase books because many volumes are out of their price range. The project, entitled “Recycling Books,” is being promoted by an association of volunteers that encourages free access to culture precisely through the dissemination of recycled books at a symbolic price. The initiative works very simply: anyone can come into the store and take up to 3 books per visit, leaving what they can afford in payment. This purchasing method, which places the desire to read and acquire knowledge above the logic of profit, is designed to meet the needs of all the store’s clients, regardless of their financial situation.
The new bookstore contains a wealth of recycled reading material: classics, fiction, detective stories, art, theater, essays, school texts, children’s books, comics, etc., donated by libraries and private individuals. Even prospective buyers can bring with them texts of their own to donate to the association, which will make them available to prospective purchasers since all the volumes it receives are placed at the disposition of the public. What a beautiful initiative!