Gorgeous Photos of Readers from Across the Globe

The love of reading goes beyond national borders and envelopes the world. Acclaimed photographer Steve MCurry, best known for his shot of the "Afghan Girl" that made the cover of National Geographic in 1985, has taken photos of readers from across the globe for his blog.

A Burmese monk leans on a windowsill, absorbed in a book.
Photograph by Steve McCurry

The section of McCurry's blog that focuses on readers in India, Burma, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere is called To Fly, named after a quote by philosopher A.C. Grayling:

To read is to fly:

it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view

over wide terrains of history,

human variety, ideas, shared experiences and the

fruits of many inquiries.

Many of the gorgeous photographs were taken in Southeast Asia. But some of the pensive subjects were photographed in other Asian countries, the Middle East, and parts of Europe and North America. A shopkeeper in Yemen sits amid his spices and wares, drawn into a book. A sunbather in Thailand hoists a book above her as she lounges poolside. A girl in Germany huddles next to a warm stove, her brow deeply furrowed as she studies the book in her lap. Steve McCurry has captured so many beautiful images of lovers of the written word. Admire them HERE.

Self-Service Libraries a Big Hit in Beijing

For many, the limited hours of most U.S. libraries are an inconvenience. It can become a bit of a production to get to the library before it closes, especially if you work a 9-to-5 job and/or have school-age children. In the city of Beijing, China, a patron-pleasing solution to the problem of limited library hours has been found: the self-service library.

A man stands in front of a self-service library in Beijing, China.
Image via http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn

Scattered across the bustling Chinese city are massive automated machines that collectively hold 20,000 books that are available 24 hours a day to the public. To access these books, readers must use their IDs to register for membership at a public library. Membership isn't free, however; it costs 100 yuan ($16). Still, the service is proving popular with the people of Beijing.

"I can return or borrow a book anytime of the day, even early in the morning before I go for a stroll in the garden," said Li Anyin, a retiree in the Chaoyang district. "You no longer have to rush to have the books returned before the library closes." But this new technology also has its critics. "Leafing through the books, you can hardly find an English novel or fiction," lamented Wang Yue, a graduate student. This lack of variety has been addressed by library administration.

"Most of the books are Chinese fiction, biography, cookery, and horticulture," stated Tao Jung, a publicity officer at the Chaoyang District Library. "However, the library will consider catering for different tastes and including more books."

Each self-service library contains approximately 400 books, and people can check out a total of 5 books for up to 4 weeks at a time. Currently, 50 of these automated libraries can be found in Beijing. One hundred more machines are expected to be set up in the coming months.

To read more about this "new chapter in Beijing's libraries," go to this LINK.

Something Sweet for Your Next Book Club Meeting

Book cupcakes from Victoria's Kitchen.
Image via http://www.facebook.com/victoriaskitchen

OWS's Tactical and Symbolic Use of Books

Books have long been central to protest movements. Occupy Wall Street is no exception. In addition to its extremely resilient People's Library, OWS has found another effective way to incorporate books into acts of resistance: the book bloc.

Book blocs at an Occupy Wall Street protest in Oakland, California.
Photo via http://reclaimuc.blogspot.com

What are book blocs? They are shields that have been decorated to resemble books, particularly titles that have strongly political or revolutionary themes, such as The Wretched of the Earth, by Frantz Fanon; Assata: An Autobiography, by Assata Shakur; and Letters of Insurgents, by Fredy Perlman. Protestors hold these shields in front of them as they march. By doing so, they not only have some protection against flying police batons, but they also produce an incredibly striking image for the highly visual media. Book blocs were first seen in Italy in 2010. Since then, they have appeared in grassroots actions in Spain, London, New York, California, and elsewhere. On Governor's Island, OWS in New York recently held a workshop on making book blocs. It looks as if the book bloc will continue to be a regular visual component of OWS protests worldwide.

For a bit more on book blocs, and how OWS is using them, go HERE and HERE.

Published Authors and Their Permanent Ink

It shouldn't be surprising that many authors are tattooed (some more prominently than others!). Perhaps their inward drive for creative expression also manifests itself on their exterior selves. Or it could be their desire for permanence, whether it's on bookshelves (more preferably, I'm sure) or on the skin. Or maybe it's simply a love of ink, whether on the printed page or the printed flesh.

Kathy Acker (April 18, 1947 – November 30, 1997). 
Photo via http://kimstringfellow.photoshelter.com

Among the published authors who have permanent ink (or had, in the case of notable writers who are no longer with us, such as Kathy Acker) are Patti Smith, Rick Moody, John Irving, and Jonathan Lethem. These are just a few of the stars of the book world (and beyond, in the case of Smith) who Flavorwire chose to spotlight in its July 23 article "Literary Ink: Famous Authors and Their Tattoos." To take a look at all the authors and their tats, go HERE.

Free Lunches with Free Books at D.C. Public Libraries

This summer, the public libraries in Washington, D.C., are more than just places where people can enjoy books in air-conditioned comfort. They also are where kids can get free, nutritious meals.

Eleven branches of the D.C. Public Library are participating in the Free Summer Meals Program (FSMP). From 1 to 2:30 PM Monday through Friday, children age 18 and younger can enjoy a free lunch at these libraries. No ID is required.

"Librarians, just as teachers do, know that people are coming in hungry," said Eva Poole, chief of staff at the D.C. Public Library. "This is an opportunity for us to actually combat childhood hunger and summer reading loss."

The Free Summer Meals Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is sponsored by the D.C. Public Library Foundation, the D.C. Public Library, D.C. Hunger Solutions, and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The 11 participating branches are:

• Anacostia Neighborhood Library, 1800 Good Hope Road SE
• Dorothy I. Height/Benning Neighborhood Library, 3935 Benning Road NE
• Capitol View Neighborhood Library, 5001 Central Avenue SE
• Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library, 3660 Alabama Avenue SE
• Juanita E. Thornton/Shepherd Park Neighborhood Library, 7420 Georgia Avenue NW
• Lamond Riggs Neighborhood Library, 5401 S. Dakota Avenue NE
• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street NW
• Petworth Neighborhood Library, 4200 Kansas Avenue NW
• Southwest Neighborhood Library, 900 Wesley Place SW
• William O. Lockridge/Bellevue Neighborhood Library, 115 Atlantic Street SW
• Woodbridge Neighborhood Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NW

The District's Free Summer Meals Program will run through August 10, 2012. In the meantime, young patrons such as 5-year-old Jose Walters are enjoying it. "It's really good," he said while finishing a lunch consisting of a peach, baby carrots, a turkey sandwich on wheat bread, and a carton of non-fat chocolate milk, served at the William O. Lockridge/Bellevue Neighborhood Library. After eating, he scampered off to join his mother in picking out books.

To read more about the free lunch program in D.C.'s libraries, go to this LINK.

The American Bookmobile: A Brief History in Photos

Like the ice cream truck, the bookmobile conjures up many wonderful childhood memories for millions of Americans. This "library on wheels" was once a familiar site on country roads, suburban streets, and even city blocks.

The New York Public Library's bookmobile visits a Bronx neighborhood in the 1950s.
Image via Book Riot

The bookmobile has undergone a series of changes throughout the years, but its mission has remained the same: to bring literacy and the love of books to the masses. Book Riot, a website dedicated to books and reading, recently offered "A Brief History of American Bookmobiles...in Pictures." Go to this LINK to take a look at the bookmobile, from its earliest form as a book wagon to today's cybermobile.