With COVID-19 forcing Andy Kabanoff of North Avoca to abandon his two favourite pursuits of travel and local theatre this year, he decided he needed something else to occupy his time.
The result is the Laneway Library, which now has pride of place in a public walkway near his home.
“We have so many books,” he said.
“When my wife Lyn and I downsized from the Blue Mountains to North Avoca a few years ago we were even forced to store some of them in the garage.
“You get to the point where you know you won’t re-read books and I thought it was time to share some of them with other readers.
“We recently visited our son and his partner in the inner west and saw three or four of these little libraries within a few blocks.
“They seemed to be popular, so I thought why not try one here.
“I’m no carpenter, but I used a couple of drawers I found on the side of the road and two pallets and managed to fashion our Laneway Library.”
With some design input from his artist wife, Kabanoff used old paint to decorate the library and is hoping passers-by will take advantage of it.
“The test will be if it gets any use,” he said.
“People don’t have to trade books; they can just take any that interest them.
“But they are also welcome to leave any books in good condition they think someone else might enjoy.”
Kabanoff said he would also place some jigsaws in the library.
The Kabanoffs will also showcase some of their work in The Art of Making It Green exhibition, showing at Gosford Regional Gallery from Friday, November 27, until Wednesday, December 2.
“We do it every year – it’s a collaboration of 14 artists from around Coast exhibiting in a variety of mediums including painting, photography and textile art,” Kabanoff, a talented photographer, said.
The exhibition opens daily between 9.30am and 4pm.
Terry Collins