Have you ever wondered when a book dies? Is it when it gets dirty? Torn? When it loses its relevance? Or do books end their lives when they are forgotten and unread gathering dust on the shelves? This year, the Đžuolynas library, for the fourth year in a row, is organizing ““Blind date with a book” campaign, not only raises the question of when a book ends its life cycle, but also invites you to resurrect books imprisoned on the shelves for a second life.
“Last year we broke the record – we collected more than 1,200 books, which went to the homes of new readers during the festival “Kaunas literature week” organized by our friends Vytautas the Great University. Observing the popularity of the promotion, we once again made sure that sharing books not only makes readers and book lovers happy, but also brings back the relevance of even slightly “older” books,” says senior methodologist Ala Volkova, the organizer of the promotion.
A book lives as long as it is read
“Blind date with a book” invites you to abandon prejudices, recommendations of famous people and choose books not by their cover, but by a personal message left by a stranger. The campaign encourages giving books a second life by sharing them to extend their life cycle. The main goal of the Đžuolynas library is for each date participant to rediscover the relevance of the book and get inspiration.
“Resisting from the library’s motto, ‘Respite and inspiration’, we invite you to return to nature and feel the harmony, inspiration, harmony and cyclicity that exists in it. In nature, every form of life has its own purpose, it is not wasted, everything goes around in a circle, what came comes back. With these thoughts in mind, we urge people to take a look at the shelves and closets of their homes – perhaps there are long-forgotten, “worn out” books lying there, which have paid their tribute to their owner, and could really live their lives in other hands, delighting and enlightening others,” says the organizer of the campaign. library cultural project manager Akvilė Jankauskaitė.
How to prepare a “Blind Date” book?
- Choose one or more books from your personal library that you would like to share with other reading enthusiasts.
- Wrap it in newspaper, magazine, wrapping paper or other material that disguises its cover and name.
- Briefly describe your personal story, feelings or favorite quote related to the book. If the book is written in a foreign language, we invite you to write a message in that language.
- Mention more details about the book: Is the book for children or adults? What is its genre?
- Until May 10 to bring to the box in the Ėuolyna library. Radastu St. 2 you will find them in the library 1 a. and 2nd century, and K. Donelaičio st. 8th – 1st century
Book packing workshop
The campaign organizers invite you to join the joint book packing workshop, which will take place on April 11, 16, 18 from 3 to 7 p.m. The library staff will provide all the necessary tools to pack the books you bring. “Not only the date itself can be inspiring and pleasant, but also the preparation process,” say the organizers of the campaign. – Especially when it takes place as a community, in a specially prepared space – surrounded by plants, with the music of nature playing.” Small surprises await the participants. The workshop will be held at the Inventions Headquarters of the Ėžuolynas library (Radaštų st. 2, 1 a.).
Mushrooms growing from books and “revived” books during the Kaunas Literature Week
Already on May 11 During the “Blind date with a book” that will take place during “Kaunas Literary Week”, books brought and packed by people will be distributed free of charge in the Student Square. Residents and guests of the city of Kaunas will be able to choose a book that someone has already read and donated to their future life, without seeing the cover, using only intuition and short hints and personal messages left on the packaging.
At the same time, in an installation specially created for the event – in a forest oasis where, in addition to traditional natural accents, you will also find books covered with mushrooms – the library will invite passers-by to discuss the natural beginning of books and humans and the second breath necessary for both. The installation will raise questions and tell stories about the life cycles of a book – when it really lives and is food for the mind and soul, and when it becomes unnecessary decoration or food for other life forms – extending its life in alternative ways.
On the same day from 14:00 to 17:00. Ažuolynas library will invite you to a meeting with “Living Books” – people who will share their experience and invite you to talk about a specific topic. When you come to Students’ Square, you will become a reader and from the “Live Books Menu” you can choose a topic that interests you, and perhaps a provocative one, and invite its author for a 30-minute date.
“That’s why we invite you to revive the books that have fallen off the shelves, decorate them with masking paper, personal messages and send them to a new life – a “Blind date with a book”, which will give fellow bibliophiles respite and inspiration”, the organizers of the event encourage you to join the campaign.
Friends of the promotion: Kaunas Literature Week
Campaign sponsors: Mushroom House Mushi Mushi
Kaunas County Public Library – its information and photos.
