Poznan.pl, oficjalna strona Miasta Poznania

Now BiblioboXX is moving to another city. Since 18th June, the Berlin phone box doubling as a street library will be open for the residents of Zgorzelec. Several of the books which can be found there were donated by the mayor of Poznan, Jacek Jaśkowiak.

- This week, we have said goodbye to the BiblioboXX. Street library brought not only a lot of colour and joy to our city, but also a deeper message, not limited to the popularization of reading and increased access to books. This unique phone box was an example of sharing economy that we try to support in the capital of Greater Poland - says Jacek Jaśkowiak. - I would also like to extend my gratitude to all who were involved in this project and helped to promote Polish-German relations. My special thanks go to our partners and friends from Berlin. Thank you for an exquisite idea! Dear people of Zgorzelec and reading enthusiasts, now it is your turn to take care of BiblioboXX. Let the street library serve your city well - he adds.

In the BiblioboXX one can find many books that either are published in German, written by German authors or focus on Germany. Half of the collection is also reserved for Polish publications. Inside the BiblioboXX one can also listen to a total of eight Polish and German audiobooks read by e.g. Stefan Möller or Dorota Danielewicz.

The mobile library was created in 2016, when a group of technical high school students from Berlin, Wrocław and Szczecin refurbished a Berlin phone box during the workshops held in the capital of Germany. This was initially a purely vocational project for students learning occupational skills like glazing, electrics, mechanics or painting. The box is self-sufficient in terms of energy thanks to the photovoltaic panel installed on the roof. Graphical design of the bookshelves has been created by the girls of the school 'company' ickeDesign in cooperation with Joy Lohmann, an artist from Hannover. The result was a unique piece of urban public furniture that is very simple to use and maintain.

Cooperation between various people working on that project not only allowed to share different professional and scientific experiences, but also brought people together. The phone box and literature contained within connects the countries and cities located on both sides of the Oder. The exterior of BiblioboXX is adorned with the depiction of that river, with open books spanning both banks representing physical and cultural bridges between the two countries. The books contain various sentences in Polish and German that refer to the mutual relations, such as 'Books unite Europe' or 'Open the book and it will open you'.

Apart from manual skills, the project focused on building awareness of a sustainable social, economic, environmental, business and cultural development. German UNESCO Commission has already distinguished the microlibraries projects as a good example of 'education for the balanced development'.

Capital of Greater Poland was the fifth stop of this mobile library after Berlin, Szczecin, Łobez and Wrocław. Having officially opened in Poznań on 9th January 2020, it was scheduled to remain there until the beginning of spring, but due to pandemic, it has been moved more than a year later.

The presence of BiblioboXX in Poznan is a result of a cooperation with City of Berlin carried out by the City Development and Foreign Relations Department of the Poznan City Hall as a part of  the 'Oder Partnership' initiative.

There are about 20 similar microlibraries in Berlin and the project itself garners great interest. Everyone wishing to have a similar object in their neighbourhood can buy a phone box, adapt the interior, install the shelves and the BiblioboXX is ready. All around Germany, there are almost 3000 such free, public bookcases located in various places: in the corner pub, hotel or simply on a pavement.