Argentine poet and writer Jorge Luis Borges once said that he "always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library". If you are a book lover, you will love the idea that Abigail Azzopardi came up with a few years ago - a 'book swap' where, for a small donation, you can swap as many books as you want.
Abigail was a book-lover from an early age: "I loved the idea that I could simply 'disappear' for a while in a realm of fantasy, of dreams," she smiles. "I used to read everything I could get my hands on - crime stories, classic novels and so on. Nowadays, I'm actually more into non-fiction such as biographies."
The idea for the Cherry Tree Bookswap came to Abigail a couple of years' ago when she was attending a 'frock swap' with her friends.
"I thought to myself - if we can swap clothes, why not books?" she says. "It's a brilliant way to purge your library of unwanted books while giving them a new life with someone else who will appreciate them."
All this sounds both environmentally-friendly and the perfect solution for someone who devours books and does not mind giving them back when they are done with them. But how exactly does it work?
"After the first couple of events, which went really well, I finished up with lots of books at my home. So I decided to photograph all the book covers I had and upload them on a Facebook page. Now, for a small fee of €5, you can simply browse through the books available on the page, send me a private message, and swap them with your unwanted ones," Abigail explains.
So now, you can contact Abigail pretty much 24/7 and ask her to reserve the books you have an interest in. She is generally fantastically prompt when it comes to replying to her messages.
The books are divided into categories, such as 'Fiction', 'Lifestyle', 'Autobiographies/Biographies' and 'Horror' but also according to popular authors such as Sidney Sheldon, James Herbert, Lesley Pearse, Paolo Coelho, Ruth Rendell and Danielle Steel. She also has a section of titles in Maltese for both adults and children, as well as some Shakespearian texts.
Nowadays Abigail has a tiny room - she calls it her 'Book Room' - in B.S. Buildings, Mosta Road, Lija where she stores all these books. Although it is not a shop as such, she welcomes people who pop in for a chat and to go through the books in peace and quiet.
"If you are interested in, say, 50 books, you can come over with 50 unwanted books of your own and swap them for €5," she says. "Or if you have transport problems, I can even deliver them to you and pick yours up."
School libraries are among those who contact Abigail so that she can fill their shelves with different reads. Most books that are donated are in very good condition, Abigail says, although she does get the odd 'bad apple' which she subsequently donates to charity shops or even schools who re-use them for craft activities ... nothing goes to waste.
And the best thing about this venture? Every single cent goes to charity. To date, donations have been made to a number of charitable institutions or NGOs including Dar Osanna Pia, the CSAF (Carers for Stray and Abandoned Felines), Puttinu Cares, AAA (Association for Abandoned Animals) and The Island Sanctuary. This year, all funds raised will be donated to RMJ's Horse Rescue.
Couples who are planning their weddings love the idea of giving away ethical souvenirs from Cherry Tree Bookswap for their guests on their special day, as they will not be only re-using books but also donating to charity in order to commemorate their union.
What happens if you want to hold on to your books and prefer not to swap?
Never fear! In the event of this happening, you can purchase any of the books you like for only €2.
Abigail meets a lot of generous and kind people who are ready to donate to the less fortunate without a second thought, but thanks to Cherry Tree Bookswap she can also give something back to these individuals, as they are purchasing beautiful books in return for their donations.
You can contact Abigail and check out the books she currently has in stock by searching Cherry Tree Bookswap on Facebook or by sending her an email on [email protected].