The art of putting the book in a box to unbox the dialogue. This is happening at Brasilia, 13-15, rue Caïs-de-Pierlas, where local residents write, every day, the chapter of a new social bond. Around a book box. A real library that can hold up to 250 Books. That residents and outsiders provide daily life by borrowing, bringing back, dropping off books. Like Roger, tumbling with the thick Da Vinci Codes by Dan Brown, which he stores carefully. Since the beginning of summer, the conviviality between residents and users of the five pale pink U-shaped buildings has been growing.
The author of this idea? A co-owner, Jean-Charles Ghiringhelli. Straddling Nice and La Rochelle, a town in Charente-Maritime “where we were already leaving a lot of books in the telephone booths. Here, at the co-ownership, I saw them on the blocks of mailboxes. Books which changed owners, which reappeared… However, residents were complaining of the scarcity of book boxes in the neighborhood, even in the city, while at the same time many books are abandoned to the fate of waste paper. I suggested the idea of a book box at the general assembly of. the co-ownership. The reception was positive even if I suffered some mockery..
All literary genres
The concept validated by most of the 129 co-owners, it was then necessary to find a piece of furniture. “I found it at a flea market. We repaired it, repainted it. All that for less than 100 euros.” Placed on a low wall, sheltered from bad weather, the bookcase with double mesh doors was then equipped with books. “I carried forty and it filled up quickly.” Of all literary genres. For adults and children. On the day of our visit, a heterogeneous cohabitation reigned between The cold stars by Michel del Castillo, The major affairs of the Fifth Republic by Philippe Broussard and Jean-Marie Pontaut, The Paris by Emile Zola, A summer with Paul Valéry by Régis Debray, The characters by Jean de La Bruyère, Speak english 4e seconde languea few Alice of the Green Library, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Honeymoon de Christine Arnothy, Culottes by François Dorin, magazines, etc.
Regular flow
A box of books now sailing at cruising speed. To general satisfaction. Roger is delighted: “I suggested this formula more than a year ago. For the sake of reading and discussion.” Because in front of the fashionable piece of furniture, we pass each other, we stop, we greet each other, we chat. Under the interested gaze of Steve, a cleaning company surface technician: “I think it’s great, it works, it helps a lot of people.” For Christiane, “this is an excellent idea, because these five buildings are occupied by elderly people who cannot travel too far”.
Diane and Ian, English secondary residents, love this piece of furniture to which they bequeathed works of British literature.
Anne was a bookseller. In Paris and Nice. She beams: “I’m happy to see that people are bringing and checking out so many books.” Henri, known as “Rico”, stocks the shelves with “books on the war in Algeria, Indochina, General de Gaulle, and also thrillers”.
Chairs?
Every month, a third of the books travel. Some come back. Others don’t. Or are replaced by new titles. Controls? None. Everything is free to access. Everything is free. For residents and others: “We have three nurses who come to provide care and borrow books. The postman does the same, notes Jean-Charles. Passersby ask if they can come in and pick from the box. The interest was also to create a meeting place.” And it was successful. Some residents would even like to be able to sit on chairs now…
