Hidden libraries : the world's most unusual book depositories

« A revelation and a delighful surprise »
Nancy Pearl

Libraries are sanctuaries: for books, and for humans. But they do not come in one standard size; they adapt to the people and circumstances they serve. In the rural villages of Ethiopia, a Horse Library brings books to children living on impassable dirt roads. At the Lonely Library in Qinhuangdao, China, books are an extension of the sea, and they stare into its vast expanse.

In Hidden Libraries, discover 50 of these unique destinations around the world - some tiny, some in the infinity of space and some in refrigerators; these are places where humans went to great lengths to assure access to books. Each entry describes the library's purpose and its impact on the local population, tells unique stories from its resident caretakers and includes engaging photography.

Even at the ends of the earth, even in the narrowest alleyways, even where books aren't politically safe to harbor, this is a true celebration of the persistence of literature.