In the age of the Kindle, the Nook and all things electronic, I really thought the end of the paperback book was near. It seems so easy. I can have digital versions of all my favorite books and save a lot of space. I was beginning to think this was the new way of the world, but this does not seem to be the case, especially downtown. In fact, the exact opposite seems to be taking place. A literary revolution has begun.
Our beautiful Central Library has now gone back to operating 6 days a week, and our beloved The Last Bookstore isn’t showing any signs that their ginormous store will stop growing anytime soon. It is quite comforting to see that turning a page is not only still cool, but it is an ever-growing obsession. We love to read! Even if we don’t, at least those unread books are a great design aesthetic in your bookcases! You’ll get to them eventually.
As many know, there are more and more people coming downtown as time goes on. Tourists, workers and residents have filled the buildings and filled the streets with electric energy. With a growing comes a demand for services such as our library and bookstore. We then desire an urban oasis to pause, relax and dig into our latest novel. I am so excited that we now have both, and Grand Park has managed to create a one-stop shop for this literary revolution. Little Libraries are what you call them, and they have been added all throughout the urban oasis. Intrigued? Little Libraries are these ridiculously adorable pink dollhouses that have been filled with a variety of books for all ages. You can find these pink dollhouses near Starbucks, on Olive Court, near the Metro station, and across from City Hall. Some things just don’t need much fuss in life. Lending libraries are one of them. They operate on 3 basic principles:
- You take a book…or…You leave a book
- You read the book (preferably on some park furniture or under a leafy Grand Park tree)…then
- You do it all over again
Find’em, fill’em, love’em!
Little Libraries are meant to be a never ending cycle of discovery. Whether you have one in your neighborhood, are inspired to put one in your front yard, or passing through Grand Park to drop off your newly cleaned bookshelves, it is about sharing, connecting and learning with other people. If there is anything that I have come to find out over the years, it is that Angelenos are more connected to each other than ever before. We learn from each other and we grow every day. This is the essence of our city and it begins downtown.
–Joshua Levi, special to Grand Park, Downtown With Me