Sanitation workers in Ankara’s Cankaya district have transformed discarded books into a 40,000-volume public library, turning routine waste collection into a major community literacy initiative. The project began in 2016 when garbage collectors noticed usable books being thrown away and started saving them instead of sending them to landfill.

The rescued books were first shared among workers and their families, but the collection quickly grew, prompting municipal officials to establish a dedicated library space. With support from Cankaya Mayor Alper Taşdelen, the library opened in 2017 inside a renovated brick factory at the sanitation department headquarters.

The library now houses literature, history, science, philosophy, children’s books, academic texts, and foreign-language works in English and French. It includes reading rooms, study areas, and children’s sections, attracting students, municipal employees, and travelers.

Beyond serving local readers, the project supplies free books to schools, educational programs, prisons, and village teachers in underserved regions across Turkey. Full-time staff now manage donations and cataloging to keep pace with demand.

The library continues to operate as part of Cankaya’s municipal network, symbolizing how discarded materials can become lasting cultural assets through community action.