Garbage collectors in Ankara, Turkey, noticed a trend of people throwing out their books on the garbage routes. As the digital age has kicked in and more and more Turks are reading their news and books on phones, computers, and e-readers, old books don’t have much use – or so it seemed.
A few of the garbage collectors began to bring the books back to their office and loan them out to fellow employees and their family members, but as the library grew, so did the interest in the number of titles being collected.
The unique book collection grew so big that the mayor of Ankara worked with the garbage workers to open a library where everyone could enjoy the books. The library opened in 2017 and has over 6,000 books.
Unfortunately, there are so many amazing books that have already been thrown out and will be lost forever. This is just one of the reasons why in 2023, BTJ launched Underground Publishing House, a publishing company that focuses primarily on publishing unique books that should never be forgotten. There are many books that have been written over a hundred years ago by Christians and their words still carry powerful messages for our generation. Because of Underground Publishing House, many of those books are once again being given a voice to speak to us once again.
To learn more, click here.
