A steady stream of cars turns into the yard of the old hardware store. Books are carried from the cars to the large hall in Cologne.
In the vast hall, visitors’ eyes wander along the colourful shelving metres. Thousands of books are arranged on wall shelves; in the middle of the hall stand stacks of books made into tables.
The annual Book Festival Week of the Wanha Rautakaupta House of Culture is underway in Myllykoski, Kouvola.
Many are currently doing spring cleaning
During the week, around 20 000 to 30 000 books are brought into the warehouse, which volunteers receive and sort one by one onto the six-metre-high, ceiling-to-ceiling bookshelves that line the walls.
– I had to start organizing a bit, and I was able to empty half of it now. Now it seems that information acquisition is done online, and books are no longer needed. It’s a bit sad to give up these when they’ve filled the bookshelf, says Toukkari
Not everything is taken to the book hall. Books in poor condition and soft covers, as well as books removed from the library, are not welcome.
– The warehouse is at its coldest in the winter, so Pokkari, for example, cannot withstand the changes in the weather, explains Tarja Tornaeus.
The twice-a-year book import week has gotten people moving even further afield.
The Book Hall is also suitable for a variety of events
However, the books are not just an attraction, you can take them with you free of charge.
– However, we appreciate a small donation to cover the maintenance costs of the hall, advises bookseller Tarja Tornaeus.
During the winter, the hall serves as a winter storage place for cars, motorcycles and boats for a monthly fee. In the spring, the hall is emptied and cleaned by the people of Talkoo.
Books can also be made into spatial art. The back wall of the stage built at the other end of the hall shimmers in the sunlight flooding through the ceiling windows in shades of gold, black and red.
– They are all books from the old book series and they have gilding on the back, which is no longer practiced in the printing industry. At the same time, this is also the preservation of printing technology, says Tornaeus.
Literary events, concerts, music clubs and film screenings are organized in the hall and courtyard during the summer.
– This is a really suitable space for music, for example, because the walls of books that reach up to the ceiling naturally bring very good acoustics to the entire hall, Tornaeus enthuses.
Book collection week is also an eco-action.
– We also have some books in poor condition here, which have to be torn up for paper and cardboard collection, but otherwise the books circulate just fine. This is a recycling act for the love of books, sums up Tornaeus.
Books will still be accepted today Thursday from 12 to 18 and tomorrow Friday from 11 to 16. The library is open during the summer.