It’s about tome!
A pair of Sunset Parkers built a book-loan box outside their 52nd Street home to bring neighbors together, according to one of the part-time librarians.
“I hope it strengthens the sense of community on the block and in the area. Engaging other people makes you happier it gives you a greater sense of community — less fear,” said activist Tony Giordano, who created the box with wife and Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District director Renee.
The pink-and-blue box — titled the “Sunset Parker Book Loan” — can hold up to 25 tomes, and the couple plans to pack with picture books for kids up to the third grade. Locals can take a book or put in some of their own for neighbors to check out — and there is no due date, the Giordanos said.
A sign on the bite-sized bibliotheque explains the process in four languages — English, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.
But the Giordanos have only been able to stock books in English and Spanish so far, but contributions in other languages are welcome, the pair said.
The book loan is an off-shoot of a community library the couple created in the Sunset Park Business Improvement District office, according to Renee. They started the program about two years ago, and since then, locals have donated about 800 paperbacks and hardcovers. The husband-and-wife team decided they could reach more people by setting up the satellite lending office outside their home, Tony said.
“We were thinking, ‘We got all these books, and they’re just sitting here, so maybe we can do something more with them for the community,’ ” he said.
Tony built the miniature house-like structure early September and plans to add a few finishing touches before fastening the tiny library fastened to a tree stump in their front yard next week so locals can access it from the street, he said.
E-readers are becoming a more readily available option in homes and schools than old-fashioned books, but Tony hopes the physical media he and Renee are putting on loan will rekindle folks’ love of the bound page, he said.
“There’s still that romanticism of holding a book in your hands,” the former teacher said. “Books have played so many roles in my life. You can write notes in them and find old messages, they can hold love letters, a flower. It’s sort of magical, you can’t do that with a Kindle.”
The “Sunset Parker Book Loan” (653 52nd St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues in Sunset Park). Free.
