On January 11, the 100-year-old wooden cars on the A line of the Buenos Aires subte made their final run through the city. Porteños will not set foot in them again until March 8, when a few of them are set to reopen as tiny community libraries.
According to the Ministerio de Cultura Porteño, the plan is for 10 mini-libraries, consisting of 2 cars each, to be placed in various plazas around the city. The old wooden cars will be updated with wifi service and solar panels for power. The city will provide the first load of books for the cars, but after that the idea is to establish an informal lending-library, where visitors can take a book and leave one of their own. Library cards may be offered, but only as a way of signing up for notices regarding news and activities at the library.
This will definitely be an interesting project to watch if you’re in Buenos Aires this year!
For some Spanish practice, read more details about the subte library project here.