Why Does It Matter?
What’s black and white and read all over…and over… and over? The very reusable books and other items at your local library!
Of course we have hailed the merits of books and the fact that they are some of the most useful reusable items there are, but what we haven’t yet covered is that our local libraries are waste reduction machines.
The libraries in Hendricks County loan about one million items per year! Some books will be loaned as many as thirty times annually. That means that over the years our local libraries have kept literally millions of books, magazines and videos from ending up in the trash. That’s a lot of reusing!
Many libraries are blessed to have a “Friends of the Library” program. These groups routinely host book sales and sometimes even give books away to avoid trashing them. And those books that can no longer be useful, are recycled by the libraries.
What Should You Do?
· Instead of buying books that you might read once and then have to throw away or figure out where to store, support your local library. Get each of your family members a library card, support the friends of the library books sales, borrow an e-book, listen to an audiobook, watch a classic movie or participate in one of the many library programs.
· Bring a large reusable bag with you to carry all of those books you will surely find.
· Consider making your very own lending library with friends, neighbors, co-workers or classmates. If you have books on the shelf that you are no longer reading, loan them to a friend and vice versa. You could even set up a shelf in a classroom at school or the lunchroom at work just for that purpose.
Dig Deeper.
For many of us, books hold a special place in our psyche. They conjure up images of quiet, solitude, adventure, learning and imagination. Have you considered repurposing old books as decorations for your home or office to convey those same feelings and memories into new spaces?
A quick internet search for “repurposed books” will result in lots of very creative ideas of how books can be reused into everything from lampshades and photo mats to chairs and bookcases (…yes, a bookcase made from books…). Explore, reuse and create!
Next Edition…
In our next issue we will highlight some Reuse going on at our local libraries that may save you some cash and some headaches. Libraries have multi-media equipment that can be used for things like scanning photos, turning old slides into DVD’s, making movies, etc. Stay tuned…
