An international library in boxes
Now that Saint George's Day is approaching, Book Day, it is a very appropriate time to remember the fund of an important library on Formentera. 27,000 books published in a dozen different languages that since 1997 have been in boxes in a store waiting to be placed in the right shelves!
What is the origin of this story? A North American architect, Robert Lewis Baldon, popularly known as Bob Baldon, went to Formentera to recover from a serious motorbike accident. At his home, since 1967 they started to collect books and books, that everyone could consult. First it was called "The house of books". Then it became the Biblioteca Internacional de Formentera. Anyone who want to read books in different languages in Formentera had there their small, and apparently disorganised, corner. Famous people such as Nina Hagen, Bob Dylan, Chis Rea, Pete Sinfield (from King Crimson) visited this library.
Bob Baldon donated this Fund of books to the Formentera Council before his death. But since 1997, these 27,000 books have stayed beyond the reach of the public, as the Association of the Friends of the International Library of Formentera remembers. For some years, at this time of the year, the entity has continued to defend the recovery of this book fund for readers of the island.
Pere Marí
coordinador@formenteraweb.com
Photos ceded by the Asociación de Amigos de la Biblioteca Internacional:
1) Bob Baldon
2) The old Library, now closed.
Date of publication: 09/04/2002
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