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The Open Library

2011

The Symphony of Savamala

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Since our community is not used to free book exchange at a local level, the Goethe-Guerilla group set up the first Open Library object in the year 2011. In Knez Mihailova Street, the main pedestrian zone in Belgrade. This object was used for free book exchange and soon enough became accepted and recognizable among the citizens of Belgrade. The aim of the Open library was to promote reading, education and the meeting of different worlds through stories and free book exchange without the control of an institution, but with the idea of good will and greater good. Many individuals and institutions donated books so the program would continue to exist and progress. The Goethe- Guerilla organized events in order to maintain and promote this idea, such as exchanging books with students, organizing summits with young writers, poets, actors and musicians, many forms of street art and so on. From the experience gathered, it was noticed that there is a great interest in the idea of free book exchange, so the goal now is to stimulate the spreading of this concept through the citizens’ initiative. The first of many projects, which has the goal to spread the idea of the Open Library, is the Workshop for Design and Crafting Open Libraries. Keeping former experience in mind, the main conclusion was that the project should continue by physically and metaphorically deconstructing the first Open Library. The new object should therefore be smaller and easy to transport, so that the libraries could be moved from one location to the other and maintained in a more controlled environment. The best locations for placing small Libraries were semi-public or less exposed spaces, such as doorways of buildings. These mini Open libraries will become a part of our everyday lives, and thus become available to a wider audience, who would potentially continue with this project in some other part of Belgrade or in any other city. The Libraries are functional both on the outside and inside, are easily set up, placed at the chosen location and moved to another.  

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The Open LibraryBelgradeSocial ExperimentBooksSchool of Urban Practices

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