biblioburros

[asakiyume]

I just learned from Little Springtime about the existence of bibioburros--like bookmobiles, only with burros instead of vans to carry books to isolated households on Colombia's Caribbean shore.

The program's founder, Luis Soriano, is a primary school teacher. His portable library started with just 70 books, but grew to several thousand volumes, thanks to donations. Soriano has two burros, Alfa and Beto, who carry the books. This Wikipedia article on bibiloburros tells of much excitement (for example, bandits tied up Soriano and stole the novel Brida, by Paulo Coelho, when they discovered Soriano had no money on him) and many ups and downs (Soriano had to have a leg amputated after an accident), but the program continues.


Luis Soriano and his biblioburros (Photo: Scott Dalton; Source: New York Times, article here)


(Also from the New York Times)

Comments

Life: Cooler than fiction

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

This has got to be one of the most awesome things I've ever heard of. Mr. Soriano, you rock!

[duccio.livejournal.com]

There is a wonderful guy.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

That is one of the coolest things I've ever heard about! What an awesome man!

Thank you for sharing.

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

That is pretty much the best thing I have seen all day.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

May Seshat bless him and preserve his remaining limbs!

[wakanomori.livejournal.com]

ファンタスティック！！ Really inspiring -- thank you both for sharing!

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing this.

[laetificat.livejournal.com]

That is AWESOME.

[pinkroo.livejournal.com]

I love stories like this--thank you!

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

What dedication to spreading knowledge. Three cheers for Luis Soriano for all he's done.

[dudeshoes.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful. I love that people still care are books and know how important it is to a child's future to share the love of books.