The Old Dog Discovers: New Life For The Poor Old Obsolete Phone Booth!
What Should be Done With The World's Telephone Booths?
A change in use that started in both London and New York is now taking hold here in Ticino as well. Again today, for the second time in the past few weeks I've come across a phone booth that's been turned into a miniature library!
The glory days of the once beloved phone booth are now over. I mean, when was the last time you actually saw someone use one? The reason for their disuse is obvious but are we really ready to let them become part of forgotten history?
I saw this little beauty today in Bellinzona. It's the second one I've seen so far! Photo by @kus-knee
Here's another example of one that's been embellished with a painting. it can be found near me in Morbio Inferiore. Photo Credit.
Telephone Booths as Miniature Libraries
It's uncertain whether or not this idea started in London but many of their famous red booths now contain books.
In New York, the architect John Locke didn't want to lose these iconic objects of the city and so he pushed for some of them to be reconfigured as miniature libraries. Locke discovered that the right location was important. His first version had all the books gone within 6 hours and within a week the shelving was stolen! Sad!
The idea with these libraries is that people are free to take books and to make other books available.
Here's an example of one of architect Locke's installations. Photo credit
Phone Booths In Switzerland
- As of 2018 a federal law requiring each township to have at least on public phone booth will be eliminated!
- According to a census done in 2015 0nly 1.8% of those queried had used a public booth in the past 12 months and none of them were between 15 and 29 years of age!
- At the end of 2014 there were 5,678 phone booth in Switzerland and at the end of 2016 that number was down to 3,105.
- In Ticino, the part of Switzerland where I live, there are now 16 phone booth libraries and counting!
The World's Least Used Phone Both?
The town of Braggio in southern Switzerland, which boasts 70 inhabitants was required by law to supply a public phone booth. On average, in 205-2016 it was used a whopping total of two times per year and brought in a grand total of about $1.60!
What About You?
- Do you like this idea?
- Have you seen one of these miniature libraries?
- Would you find them useful if there were any in your area?
- Would this type of honor system work where you live?
I hope that you enjoyed this article about "New Life For The Poor Old Obsolete Phone Booth!"
Until next time,
@kus-knee (The Old Dog)
Remember, if you upvote my post and leave a comment I will do my best to upvote it with some of my 41,000 plus Steem Power!
This at first glance looks like a good idea but could only be long term viable in a society composed of individuals who all had concern and respect for public property. A very small group of people or neighbors might be able to share tools, for example, but as soon as just one person abuses the tool or fails to return it to its proper place after using it, the benefits of sharing begin to break down.
Supporters of this initiative would be well advised to familiarize themselves with the concept of "The Tragedy of the Commons"
"The tragedy of the commons is an economic theory of a situation within a shared-resource system where individual users acting independently according to their own self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through their collective action."
Full article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
You make some very good points. It is true that a minority can ruin things for the majority. I enjoy associating with people that are striving towards altruistic behaviour and who make efforts to apply the "Golden Rule".
I have read that here on Steemit users of this social media platform are, on average, far less trolling than on other social media sights. One reason put forth for this phenomenon is the reputation system. Have you observed this as well?
I think that you are being extremely over optimistic when you say "a minority can ruin things for the majority".
Unfortunately, it is the majority of humans who cannot act in all circumstances altruistically, or for the benefit of the overall whole. Narrow self interest is the rule, not the exception.
oh it's amazing to find old phone booths turned into mini libraries
here they have that too
but like small houses on the side of the road with a glass door and anyone may just take any book or lend its up to them
or add new ones
in the club where i do the organic gardening they have them there in the gate before the Romanian Garden but I have never checked them books out
I'm an OC - i'm scared hahahahah
like sheldon - waahhahaha
the whole world is reading this
good night Old Dawg
tonight am sleeping very very happy and younger from LOLing
Thanks for your cool comment. You appreciate books, organic gardening, and phone booths....fabulous!
You're pretty reputable yourself, Old dog. Might want to start trolling more.
Totally agree, unfortunately we don't (yet) live in a world where sharing would work long term .
Exactly! So we best launch our initiatives based on the way the world really is rather than the way it should be or we would like it to be it to be.
In other words, stop voting for socialism LOL
Couldn't agree more. Let's stop pretending a little and give the people what they really want.
I've actually always voted anti-socialism :)
It won't work here in the Philippines. The whole booth and everything in it will be stolen!
Yikes, that's sad!
hahaha sad enough lol :D so there are also stealers there i thought it only happens in desi countries :P
Thieves are always around in countries where poverty is rampant.
Where will Superman go to change???
That is also my biggest concern. I might not sleep tonight!
Well you know me Buddy, somebody has to be concerned with the bigger picture! The utility of using them for books is fine (nobody loves books more than I do) but if Superman has to take a cab to his icy cave at the North Pole- he'll get back too late to save Lois and Jimmy!!!
Hahhaha!
Some guy writes me a comment on my last chapter saying "These stories give me the creeps :( " Why read them???
LOL!
hahahaha. Perfect.
What a great initiative the people have done to turn these communal phone booths into "extracurricular" booths. The designs and feel of it is really pleasing too, I love it!
Furthermore, this opportunity to embellish the towns as well as and more importantly educating , if not simply for the fact of exposing the crowds to different realms of thoughts and perspectives. Awesome!
Thanks a bunch for sharing and congratulations to you all! Namaste :)
Yes it is such a nice idea and one that I can use because we like to have books to read around my house!
I think it's a great idea...in fact my intention is to search one out and start participating...have lots of books that I won't read again and I haven't the heart to throw out , so an exchange would be perfect!!
Well one of the sites that I linked to above had a map with the locations! Problem half solved!
I love to read and I like to share and exchange my books... here in Giubiasco there is one... I discovered new authors and stories... super idea!
Hey wow, great. For a mannequin you are certainly no dummy!
We have a coool grafiti painted one in our town . I should take some shots of it
That's a great idea. You could do a series of posts about it!
so with 4th generation, these telephone booths have become obsolete....
so its great idea to convert those the telephone booth to miniature libraries....
its a good post something unique...in its own sense...
Thanks a lot...steem on & stay blissful....
Thank you for posting @kus-knee.
Lovely post regarding one of those nostalgic objects we wish could have a second life.....the telephone booth.
The idea of miniature libraries is delightful indeed. A company named Penquin does a lovely job of reprinting classics in paperback form including the original illustrations on the cover. Wouldn't you enjoy seeing one packed with such....I know I would. The paperbacks would hopefully be able to be afforable enough so that the honour system would be no problem.
All the best to you and yours. Cheers.
Yes some of the old book are so beautiful. I think that these mini libraries are stocked with people's used books.
Thank you for your reply @kus-knee.
Yes....love the idea of used books with a give and take honour system.
As you say....they are beautiful and the idea of them in a phone booth is the cat's meow.
Cheers.
Cheers.
I was thinking similarly <3.
I personally like the idea a lot, probably less expensive and better than elimate an old phone both! Saw one also in Tesserete
So did you take a book to read?