Follow U.S. immigration and life in the U.S.: In the digital age, many people prefer reading e-books, using smartphones, or netbooks. However, in recent years, a trend of libraries has emerged in the United States: mini libraries are popping up like mushrooms after rain, available for everyone to borrow for free, as long as they remember the principle of "take one, leave one." These mini libraries not only spread the fragrance of books but also enhance communication among neighbors, becoming popular across the nation and spreading to other countries and regions.
Mini libraries do not have card catalogs, and there are no late fees for overdue books; there is only one principle—"take one book, leave one book." The returned book can be the one originally borrowed or any other book.
Philip Wahabi, a resident of Washington, built a mini library in front of his house this January. He found that new books appear almost every day in the mini library, most of which are related to politics, as this is the capital, and "many people are involved in politics." However, one neighbor donated a work of women's literature. Wahabi candidly stated that sharing reading is not the main purpose; he hopes to promote connections among neighbors. He set up a long bench next to the mini library for people to sit and read or chat.
In fact, the first mini library was born in 2009, built by Todd Bol from Wisconsin in memory of his mother. Bol's neighbors soon followed suit.
Bol stated that by early 2014, mini libraries were expected to reach 55 countries and regions, totaling 15,000.