For some people, books are a perfect way to escape the stress of the world by losing yourself in a good story.
For Jose Alberto Gutierrez, books are an invaluable asset in connecting and educating his community. As a resident of South Bogota, Colombia, Gutierrez knew all too well how difficult it was for many of the people in his community to obtain books. For that reason, seeing books in the rubbish bins of wealthier neighborhoods during his rounds as a garbage man was almost unbearable for him.
When he found a copy of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina, everything changed. Saving that one book sparked a rescue mission that he happily continues today. Now, Gutierrez has collected over 20,000 books, and has turned his home into a free community library that is open to children every weekend. Gutierrez still adds 50-60 books per day to his massive collection, ensuring the children of his community never run out of new material.
Click HERE to learn more about Gutierrez’s library and the impact he has had on his community.
Need some good book recommendations? Why not pick up one of THESE nine novels that will soon be turned into movies?