Even in these modern times, with all kinds of gadgets and devices to keep us entertained, there’s still nothing quite like a good book. Whether we’re losing ourselves in a fantasy world, connecting with well-written characters in a classic from the past, solving an intriguing murder mystery, being spooked by something scary, or discovering something we never knew in a work of non-fiction, books can inspire, amaze, entertain, and educate people of all ages, and their importance should never be overlooked. Over in Colombia, one man’s love of books has helped him become an international sensation.
57-year-old Jose Alberto Gutierrez lives and works in Bogota, Colombia. He’s a garbage man, spending his days hauling trash around, but one incident, over two decades ago, changed the way he worked forever.
Jose was doing his usual rounds when he spotted something special in the trash. Most people wouldn’t have noticed it, but as a lover of the written word and an appreciator of fine literature, Jose simply couldn’t fail to spot it: a copy of Anna Karenina by the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, often considered one of the greatest novels ever written.
For Jose, seeing that book in the trash was just the same as seeing a beautiful painting abandoned in the street.
Not wanting to let such a wonderful piece of art go to waste, he picked it up, separating it from the rest of the garbage and taking it home with him. And thus he began a collection that has since grown to an extraordinary total of more than 25,000 books, with the vast majority being personally rescued by Jose or his fellow garbage men from the trash and stored in his own home.
As Jose’s collection began to grow, with more than 50 books collected each day, the ground floor of his house effectively began to transform into a library!
Books now cover up most of his home, stacked up high and stretching out as far as the eye can see. Then, as people started to hear about Jose’s story, he began to get demands from local members of the community.
People started asking him if they could borrow a book or two for their children, and eventually, Jose’s collection developed into a true community library, known as “La Fuerza de las Palabras” (The Strength of Words).
Jose’s family helps him to keep the library running, inviting children and book lovers of all ages in to find new stories to fall in love with, as well as donating books and reading materials to schools in the area.
Not only is it a great way to bring the local, low-income community together, but it’s also helping children enjoy more learning opportunities. Jose’s local school didn’t have a library of its own back when he began his collection, but now it does, and it’s all thanks to him.
He’s donated books to 235 different schools and communities, and that number is growing higher all the time.
Nicknamed “Lord of Books”, Jose is thrilled to be making such a vital contribution to the local area, inspiring children to read and hoping to give them all a brighter future too.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Jose explained that he grew up in the area and was forced into work at an early age due to a lack of educational opportunities. He wants to provide those kinds of opportunities for the underprivileged children of his city, and he’s doing an inspiring job! Learn more about his story in the video below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
A garbage collector in Colombia has his own library for children. All the books come from the trash.
Posted by AJ+ on Monday, 27 February 2017
