April 27, 2015
Dreaming of summer? Check out these beach libraries from around the world
by Claire Kelley
Tired of the cold weather even though it’s supposed to be spring? Dreaming of the summer and lazy days on the beach? Then feast your eyes on these pictures of a wonderful concept: the beach library.
Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia
In Australia, IKEA staged a marketing event to celebrate the 30th birthday of its BILLY bookshelf, which is one of the company’s most popular. The company stocked the bookshelves with books for a day on Bondi Beach in Sydney, and visitors were invited to trade books or take a book for a donation, and all of the processed went to the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation.
Black Sea resort in Bulgaria
This beach library was a project located in front of the Hotel Kaliakra on the Black Sea in Buglaria designed by German architect Herman Kompernas. The shelves are made with a special white material that is resistant to the sun and wind, and a vinyl cover protects the books from the rain. All books are free and the “6,000 volumes in more than 15 languages” include “classics, thrillers, mysteries, romantic readings, and memoirs.”
Metzizim Beach in Tel Aviv
This beachside library on Metzizim Beach in Tel Aviv offers free book rentals in five languages: English, Hebrew, Arabic, French and Russian. Tel Aviv has 22 public libraries and a circulation of 400,000 books per year. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai told the Jerusalem Post: “It is our pleasure to open another library in the summer months for the enjoyment of the residents and visitors of the city,” Huldai said. “Now you can enjoy a good book at the beach as well.”
Another beach library in Sydney is located Coogee Beach. Mayor Ted Seng announced the installation of the library saying “Modern libraries are thriving educational and social centres and the Beach Library will bring our resources to even more members of our community to enjoy and learn from…. Imagine if the Coogee Beach Library is able to encourage even just one child to pick up a book and discover the joy of reading, then this project will be well worth it.”
Claire Kelley is the Director of Library and Academic Marketing at Melville House.