The love of books takes to the streets

Daniel Herd How old are you? 4 How old is a grown up?

When you can go on a motorbike and you can drive, about 43.

I’ve got a motorbike. Red ones are better

What are you really good at? Playing. I’ve got a sword and it’s real. I cut off the bad guys’ heads

If you could be a superhero, who would you be? A Sword Flash – he would kick the bad guys

If you were invisible, what would you do? I would chase after the bad guys and put them in gaol

What would be your best day ever?

everywhere

Favourite food? Best friend? What makes you laugh?

I’d go Watermelon

Archie because he wants his mum Music Instruments IN a first for our region, the Dubbo Uniting Church has joined a global reading movement and launched a simple concept known as a Street Library near its church.

The concept is a straight-forward one: swapping books.

“The idea of Street Library is to bring a book you’ve enjoyed reading and take one that is of interest to you,” said Dubbo Uniting Church member Anne Vail.

The idea began in the US city of Portland, with over 35,000 street libraries now appearing across the country. Australia is only new to the project, with just over 50 libraries in operation, mostly launched by schools.

The initiative was created for a few reasons: to recycle books, to increase literacy, and to encourage community members to interact and engage over a love of reading.

A Dubbo location was initially raised by a member of the church mission team.

“One of our members had been on holidays in Melbourne and in the USA and had heard of Street Library. His daughter had one in her area and [he] started borrowing and swapping down there and brought the concept to our meeting,” Ms Vail said.

After church member David Pattinson designed and built the waterproof library from a recycled metal laundry tub sourced from a council pickup, the children of the Pray, Eat, Play club spent a couple of hours one night painting it to be ready for use.

About 10 children, aged 8-18 years of age “painted the front with the Uniting Church emblem, and a symbol of dove and the cross”, Ms Vail told

“There’s some mad lightning on one side, books painted at top and an elephant because they have long memories. The children said if you read a good book you remember it for a long time.”

The library is free, and open to anyone at any time and is situated just outside the church on the corner of Church Street and Carrington Avenue.

“We’ve got big old trees and chairs. It’s the perfect opportunity to come, have lunch,