Reading books has always been considered not only a useful activity, but also a stylish and popular way to spend time. It is also a great opportunity to broaden your horizons, develop your thinking, and immerse yourself in the world of interesting stories and new knowledge. Recently, more and more Ukrainians have begun to appreciate paper editions, preferring printed books to e-books. However, there are situations when you want to share the book you have read with other people, give it a second life, or simply exchange impressions through literature. In such cases, bookcrossing comes to the rescue.
Bookcrossing is the process of releasing books from your shelves. You can leave books in various public places so that others can find, read, and pass them on in a similar way.
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Places in Lviv where you can leave your books
Kava z molokom
39 Ivan Franka St.
Mon-Sat 8:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-20:00
Kava z molokom is a beautiful and minimalist coffee shop located away from the loud of Rynok Square. You will find a shelf with stickers, coffee drips, postcards, and most importantly, books. You can borrow any book and read it in the café with a cup of coffee. You can also bring your own books and leave them on the shelf. Kava z molokom is an incredible place with a cozy atmosphere and delicious drinks, where you can relax with a book and see an exhibition of works by Ukrainian artists, as the cafe has the status of an art space.
Granny’s bakery
60 Shevchenko St.
Mon-Sun 9:00-21:00
Perhaps some book lovers will be jealous of the bookshelf in this institution, because it is huge and diverse. At Granny's bakery, you can take a book and read it in the coffee shop, exchange a book, and buy a book for a donat. The place also has a set of bookcrossing rules. For example, books in Ukrainian and English are exchanged, the book must not have any external damage or inscriptions, and school books are not exchanged. The institution emphasizes that their idea is to “share” books, not to update their own library.
Plekay
23 Hrushevskoho St.
Mon-Sun 10:00-21:00
The Kyiv-based used and rare bookstore with a coffee shop is now in Lviv. You can bring your own books that do not fit into your library. Plekai has its own rules for bookcrossing, example: give the book for sale and receive a report and payment if the book is purchased, or refuse the money to transfer it to the Ukrainian Ants charity fund and simply take the book and support the project. The cafe also a book club that you can join.
Sense Hub
Rynok Square 26
Mon-Sun 8:00-20:00
In the heart of Rynok Square, you can visit a cozy bookcrossing hub. The rules of the book are extremely simple. You bring your book in Ukrainian in good condition and leave it on a specially designated shelf in the conference room, and then you take a book from the Sense Hub in exchange. The coworking space also hosts various events. For example, you can attend English conversation clubs, lectures, yoga and sports classes.
Nat coworking
200A Kulparkivska St.
Mon-Sun 9:00-20:00
Nat coworking space is located in the Future Hub building, where bookcrossing operates in a native format. In the building, you will find many areas with shelves of books where residents can either borrow for a while or bring their own book. The location also has a kind of library room where valuable and rare books by Ukrainian publishers are kept, which you can browse and discuss with colleagues. Nat coworking space plans to open a book club among residents in the future.
Bookcrossing in Lviv is not just a book exchange, but a part of the city's culture that unites book lovers. It is a great way to share literature and maintain the tradition of live reading. So, if you come across a book marked “bookcrossing” - take it, read it, and pass it on!
