Warsaw Library is celebrating National Library Week by exhibiting an altered book display on the lower level.
Whereas a book’s original intention may have been for readers to enjoy the words on a page, an altered book asks to be “read” in a different manner.
View what can be done with books that have been “repurposed” or reused; books that would have been burned, buried, or shredded; books that have outlived their readability either because they have been stained, have missing pages, fallen apart, or the content is no longer useful.
Discover books by “book transformers” that have a new purpose as a piece of art that can be used for a long time. Books are meant to be valued. It is much better to create art with a book than to toss it into the trash.
While there is some argument over whether this type of expression is art or vandalism, most agree it is fascinating. Some argue that it’s a better solution than throwing outdated manuals or damaged books in the trash or landfill. While others abhor the idea of cutting up books, no matter what value the book might still have or what’s printed inside.
From March 30 through April 30, the artwork by library staff members will be on display. For this project, staff took books and used them to make a variety of designs, including vases, a journal, a flower wreath, and a purse.
