Creating a library may seem expensive, but it can be created on any budget, even at no cost. All it takes is an empty room and some wonderful books to take us to different places.
A public education center in Bitlis, southeastern Turkey, is building a zero-cost library made from waste materials to instill literacy habits and nurture avid readers.
The library was created as part of Turkey’s Zero Waste Project led by First Lady Emine Erdoğan. The shelves are filled with books that are sent by donation.
“We created a colorful environment out of trash. We created our library at zero cost,” said center director Cemalettin Duman.
Idle cable reels brought from the warehouses of the provincial branch of Vangölü Electricity Distribution Inc. (VEDAŞ) were turned into library tables. On the other hand, old tires were used for the construction of shelves and decoration while wooden blocks became stools. The materials collected were painted by interns from the Public Education Center.
Duman also said they created the library in about a week.
Emphasizing that they provide a modern reading environment in the library created from waste, “Our library consists of materials such as pallets, coils, rubber tires and logs. While providing such a library to the service of our people, the goal is to bring our people as well as books into such an environment with the least expense. I would like to thank our teachers, administrators, staff and interns who have contributed to this process. We have created a such a library as part of the zero waste project initiated by First Lady Emine Erdoğan. Everyone, including our interns and teachers, will be able to benefit from this library,” Duman said.
The walls of the library also include drawings of some prominent names in Turkish literature.
Provincial Director of VEDAŞ, Bahadır Demir, who came to the library to see the final version of the inactive reels removed from them, also said he was happy to see the waste converted for the benefit of the public.
“As VEDAŞ, we try to participate in social responsibility projects as much as possible. We have sent the unused cable reels and pallets stored in our company’s warehouses to the public education center at their request. We are satisfied to see these materials used in an effective way. We will continue to support such projects,” he added.
Additionally, the “No Schools Without Libraries” initiative supported by First Lady Erdoğan has helped set up libraries in all schools across the country, especially those in remote areas. Since the launch of the project, 250 new libraries, made entirely of recycled materials, have been built across Turkey.
