ILONGGOS may have been deprived of the company of new books during March and April’s lockdown – when bookstores and malls were still closed as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19. But a fledgling community grew from this time of uncertainty and unease, a group that took inspiration from the ever popular Iloilo Barter Community on Facebook: homegrown Books4Books.
Envisioned as a circle and safe space for bibliophiles in Iloilo, Books4Books is an online venue for the trading and bartering of books here in the city. Started by educator Michael Caesar Tubal, museum officer Allyn Canja, and yoga instructor Marvin Monfort – long-time friends and fellow book lovers – Books4Books was created in mid-May and quickly grew a substantial following.
The group now has more than 1,700 members, who post every day new books they are willing to barter for other titles – from Young Adult fiction, to poetry books, to valuable Filipiniana, it’s just a matter of offering up your own preloved paperbacks to get the prose and fiction you want to read next.
Still vigilantly following the social distancing rules of the community quarantines, coffee shop and fave bibliophile hangout Book Latte along Festive Walk Parade has become an official drop-off point for those who’ve agreed on barters. Book trade participants simply need to leave their books at a designated area in the café for their fellow Books4Books members to pick up at their leisure.
“Since I got added [to the group] by my friend, it made me come back to my long forgotten hobby: Reading,” Charisse Villanueva, one of the members of Books4Books posted. “I guess and work technology took over me that I forgot to even open some pages of my books. But now I have these new books shared by my fellow book lovers, I might as well go back to turning pages instead of scrolling on my phone for hours. Thank you for bringing back my long forgotten hobby.”
Similarly, Jenny Albinio related: “I do miss being a part of a book club for the longest time. [With Books4Books], it’s like coming home. Now, my to-be-read pile keeps growing because of the group.”
Aside from book barters, Books4Books has also become fertile ground for voracious Ilonggo readers to discuss their favorite literature, and share insights and reviews about their most recent reads. The group has also introduced exciting and innovative activities such as the intriguing “Blind Date with a Book” and TGIF – standing for both “Thank God It’s Friday and “Thank God It’s Free” when members post books they are freely giving away.
“This community has not only given me excellent books to read but also friends for keeps,” mused one of the most active on Books4Books, Dr. Elvie B. Razon-Gonzalez, upon being gifted a book by a beloved author by a fellow member of the group.”I truly appreciate the kind and generous [gesture]. To borrow the line from one of my favorite movies, ‘I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.’”/PN
