Footpath library opens in Port Macquarie to provide books for the homeless
The Rotary Club of Port Macquarie and Orange Sky Laundry have set up a footpath library in Port Macquarie, reports the Port News.
Initially founded by Sydney woman Sarah Garnett in 2003, the footpath library movement aims to enrich the daily lives of people experiencing homelessness by providing them with free quality books through mobile libraries. The mobile services have so far operated in Sydney and Perth.
Port Macquarie’s new footpath library will initially be set up as a three-month trial and will continue on a demand-driven basis.
The Rotary Club and Orange Sky Laundry, which offers a free mobile laundry service for homeless people, hope to connect with other mobile service providers, including soup kitchens and St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol, to assess the demand for books for those experiencing homelessness in Port Macquarie.
Orange Sky Laundry vehicle manager Carly Bullard said: ‘Days are long and if any of our friends doing it tough don’t have something planned for the day, a book can keep them occupied … The project is encouraging and I think we are all keen to see how it goes at other shifts and into the future.’
Tags: footpath libraryhomelessness
Category: Library news
