Volunteers carry out book transport for Waaslanders: “Books can be borrowed and returned in all Wase libraries” (Temse)

The new Biblio Waas book transport was launched on Thursday. This means that Waaslanders can request and return books from other Waas libraries to their local library. The transport will be done weekly by volunteers. “A good initiative, especially for school-going youth,” says volunteer Wini Van Overschelden.

The ten Wase libraries are moving up a gear and making it possible for Waaslanders to request or return their favorite book at the local library. Twice a week, volunteers drive an electric shared car past the ten Wase libraries to deliver the books. “Two loops are provided in the Waasland with the Sint-Niklaas library as a common point. The departure points are always at a location where an electric shared car is available. This is currently in Beveren, Temse, Stekene, Waasmunster and eventually also Sint-Niklaas,” says Jerina Vanstraelen of Interwaas, who coordinates the project. (read more below the photo)

“It is an additional asset that you now have access to the entire Waasland collection in the local library. Temse, for example, has a strong youth department, but for scientific documents you now also have access to other libraries,” says competent alderman Lieve Truyman (N-VA).

Good initiative

A total of eight volunteers have nominated to carry out the rides. On Thursday, volunteers and friends Wini Van Overschelden and Karine Firlefyn were allowed to start the first trip. It will take them about three hours to get all the books to the right location. “It is a good initiative, especially for school-going youth,” says Wini. “I am an avid reader myself and visit the library a lot. I recently retired and this is a nice activity to have contact with people,” says her friend Karine.