Container donated by CASACOR is inaugurated as a Library in Vila Andrade

Libraries are educational spaces that foster the habit of reading and encourage young people to come into contact with art and history. More than that, they often play a transformative social role , especially in a neighborhood like Vila Andrade, which concentrates families in situations of need and vulnerability. The sustainability of the region was on CASACOR's agenda, which donated the " Caixa de Histórias " container, by Gustavo Martins, to serve as an entertainment space for children aged five to 11. The architect presented the project at Janelas CASACOR São Paulo 2020 , and described it as "a library of memories, of recollections." Read also: Story Box goes from home office to community library

Few changes were necessary to make the project, which was initially intended to be a modern home office , more comfortable and accessible for leisure activities. The carpet was removed, leaving the floor freer, and some more cheerful and colorful furniture pieces were added. incorporated – like the blue tables and chairs in the outdoor area. Esther Leão, manager of AMIS, says that having an exclusive space for books and being able to teach children about what a library is was an old dream , and that what she hopes most is that, with the opening of the space, children can develop and learn about different topics . "Children are open to receiving knowledge and want it, as they do not have access to many tools in their schools, such as a library and educators focused on helping them," he says.

Next steps

Esther says that the idea now is to develop a culture so that more and more children can use the library . Currently, in the pedagogical program, there is a voluntary reading circle that brings together around 200 children from the "Semear" Sócio Assistência project after school hours. "[For the future] we want to teach children how to take out books of their choice to read at home and how to use and care for books, and return them in perfect condition," explains Esther.