By Davan 
In Ankara, Turkey, an unexpected and heartwarming trend began to emerge, capturing the attention of the city’s garbage collectors. They started noticing an increasing number of books among the discarded items left on the streets. While the sight of abandoned books was disheartening, the garbage collectors refused to let these literary treasures end up in landfills. Instead of simply throwing them away, they began rescuing the books, saving them from destruction. Initially, the books were shared among the collectors, their families, and friends. They found joy in passing these books around, reading and discussing them with one another. But as the collection grew, they realized that these books had the potential to benefit the wider community. What started as a small, informal effort began to blossom into something much bigger. Determined to give the books a second life, the group of garbage collectors decided to create a public library.
They found an abandoned brick factory in the Çankaya district of Ankara, a space that had been unused and overlooked for years. With some creativity, hard work, and a sense of purpose, they transformed the factory into a vibrant, welcoming library. The space was filled with shelves of rescued books, and soon, the library became a haven for local residents. The library quickly gained popularity and became an essential part of the community. It offered a diverse collection of books, from novels to educational resources, ensuring that there was something for everyone. People of all ages and backgrounds flocked to the library to borrow books, share stories, and learn. It became a place not just for reading, but for fostering connections, sparking new ideas, and cultivating a culture of literacy and learning. To further expand their reach and ensure that even those who couldn’t easily visit the library had access to books, the community leaders behind the project came up with an innovative solution: they converted an old garbage truck into a mobile library. This new initiative allowed the library to travel to different neighborhoods, bringing books directly to people who may have difficulty accessing the central library. The mobile library quickly became a beloved feature of the city. It traveled through various districts, stopping at parks, schools, and busy streets, offering books to anyone who wanted them. The truck’s striking appearance, paired with the sense of excitement it generated, drew crowds wherever it went. It wasn’t just a way to distribute books—it was also a symbol of the power of community, resourcefulness, and creativity. What started as a small act of environmental consciousness—rescuing books from waste—had blossomed into a widespread movement that celebrated reading, sustainability, and the power of community engagement. The library and its mobile counterpart became much more than just places to borrow books; they became spaces that promoted the joy of reading, encouraged lifelong learning, and connected people from all walks of life. As the project continued to grow, it became a model for other cities to follow. It showed that, with a little bit of imagination and dedication, even the most unlikely of places could be transformed into centers of knowledge and culture. The story of the garbage collectors who started this project is now one of inspiration, proving that no matter where we come from, we all have the ability to make a difference.