Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Melbourne's Little Library.

Amongst the busy retail shops in Melbourne Central Station, people rushing by in between lunch shifts, or catching transportation, or picking up errands, or window shopping, is one of my favourite little shops. It's not really a shop as there is not cashier, nothing to buy, nothing to return, nothing to try on. It is in-itself its own display case, its own shop window. You take two steps inside and then can only walk a few steps to the left or the right, shuffling. Another person within the doors would make it crowded. The Little Library, is literally, a little library. With just shelves lining the back wall and more shelves in their shop window, the Little Library is publicly surrounded by busy shoppers passing by yet feels very intimate once you step inside and read their philosophy. It could be easily overpassed, but you'll be glad you stopped in. Their philosophy is that everyone should enjoy reading, to feel free to take a book, but donate a book in return - based completely on an honour system. The first day I stumbled upon it there was a wide selection of books, but looking a bit sparse. I was eager to donate. On the top shelf, almost protected was the entire Twilight Series (or was it Hunger Games? Or the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?) I took one book, Animal Farm, but I was more delighted in having a place to dump some of the books I had out of my backpack, lighten my own load while providing some amusing free indulgence for others. 

No comments: