In a period in which inflation weighs more and more on family budgets and even culture risks becoming a luxury, a project is born in Milan that tries to change the rules. In the Calvairate–Molise–Ponti district, BAOL has opened, the first free library in the city: a space designed for those who love reading but struggle to afford the cost of books. The key word here is accessibility, because reading should not be a privilege, but a right for everyone.
A library different from the others
BAOL is located in viale Molise 47 and occupies a space of approximately 35 square meters, with a window overlooking the street that invites passers-by to enter. There are already over six thousand volumes on the shelves, including fiction, essays and books dedicated to girls and boys. The way it works is simple: anyone can request a free card and borrow up to five books a month, just like in a traditional library. But there is also another possibility: purchasing a book by leaving a free offer, even a symbolic one.
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A project born from the neighborhood
The idea was launched by the Calvairate–Molise–Ponti Tenants Committee, an organization active in the area for over thirty years. Coordinating the initiative are Grazia Casagrande and Massimo Gentili, who transformed a passion for books into a social project. The library lives thanks to the commitment of volunteers, who guarantee the opening several times a week and welcome curious or regular readers. BAOL is not just a place to get books, but also a space for meeting and community in a neighborhood where economic difficulties often overshadow cultural activities.
Many donations from publishers and writers
The library’s assets grew rapidly thanks to the generosity of publishing houses such as Solferino, Marcos y Marcos and Feltrinelli, who donated numerous titles. Several Italian writers also contributed to the initiative, including Andrea Bajani, Alessandro Robecchi and Gianni Biondillo, offering copies of their books and making themselves available for meetings with readers. The funds raised through the offers are used to cover management costs and to purchase new volumes, keeping the catalog always updated.
A culture accessible to all
BAOL is inspired by similar experiences born in cities such as Bologna, Naples and Rome, but represents something new for Milan because it combines free lending and free offer sales in the same space. The goal is simple but ambitious: to bring books back into the hands of those who put them aside for economic reasons and create, step by step, a new community of readers. In a time dominated by price increases and difficulties, BAOL demonstrates that culture can still find alternative ways to reach everyone.
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