New bookcase in Nittel
November 8, 2022
Lovers of literature don't just throw good books away - instead, they can be shared by several bookworms. The citizens of Nittel now also have this opportunity. The new exchange for books that have already been read is located on the newly designed square at the Nittel community centre.
"As a partner of the municipality of Nittel, we not only take care of the energy supply, but also get involved in social and cultural areas. We're happy when the bookcase quickly develops into a meeting point for exchanging literature," explained Christian Nathem, municipal manager at Westenergie in the Trier region.
"The bookcase from Westenergie is a great offer with which we can revitalize the public space in our community and support the culture of sharing," emphasized the mayor, Peter Leo Hein. Mayor Joachim Weber from the Konz municipality added: “Many books are only read once, after which they sit unused on the bookshelf. That is why we support the installation of open bookcases in the region, such as here in Nittel, so that citizens can exchange the literature they have read, free of charge and without any complications."
Representatives from the local community and Westenergie jointly opened the new bookcase in Nittel. From left: Joachim Weber, Andrea Vitt, Lotta Oittinnen, Peter Leo Hein, Lisa Mich, Christian Nathem, Birgit Frieden and Patrick Zilliken. (Photo: David Kryszons/West Energie)
The system is very simple: someone puts the books they have already read in the cupboard, others take them out. The library is open around the clock, is made of weatherproof CorTen steel and, with its slim shape, blends easily into the public space. The doors close automatically so that the books are always protected from the rain. The lower compartment is intended for children's books, so that the little ones can easily reach the books.
Volunteer godparents keep an eye on the bookcases, regularly check that everything is in order and sort crime fiction, novels, non-fiction and children's literature appropriately. Sonja Gupta, Andrea Vitt and Lisa Mich are involved in Nittel. The new bookcase is initially equipped, so that the bookworms from the community can draw from the full right at the start of the swap meet.
Westenergie and the municipality of Nittel shared the costs for the purchase and assembly of the bookcase. The share of the local community was also reduced by the following other sponsors who were involved in the project: FWG Nittel e.V., Weingut Apel, Weingut Frieden-Berg, Weingut Matthias Dostert, Weingut Zilliken, Weingut Befort, Weingut Bernd Frieden, Dorfbäckerei Eppers, Winzerhof Greif and Weingut Nico Sonntag.
The more than 300 Westenergie bookcases are distributed throughout the company's core area: from Schwaförden in Lower Saxony in the north to Worms in Rhineland-Palatinate in the south, from Alsdorf in North Rhine-Westphalia in the west to Beverungen in the Weserbergland in the east. Interested parties can find more information and an overview of all locations at www.westenergie.de/buecherschraenke .
In addition to energy supply, Westenergie is traditionally involved in the areas of sports, culture, social affairs, climate protection and education in its partner municipalities. Through sponsorships and partnerships, the company supports both small initiatives and large clubs in order to shape the future together with local people, also on a social level. More than 10,000 voluntary projects have already been implemented through the “Westenergie aktiv vor Ort” employee initiative alone.