You love books and reading? But there isn‘t enough money for new books at the moment? Or your books gather dust on the shelf and you would like to exchange them?

We have the perfect solution for you! - Use the public bookcases.

Maybe you have already noticed them. There's one in front of the Abendakademie in Mannheim. At the Neumarkt in Neckarstadt-West you can see one as well. Or in Heidelberg at the Wilhelmsplatz. Also in Ludwigshafen, near the Bürgerhof, is a bookcase filled with books. These are so-called public bookcases.

But what is that?

A public bookcase is a cupboard filled with books. These cupboards are located on streets and public spaces. Their purpose is to offer the possibilty of exchanging books free of charge, anonymously and without formalities.  When you see a bookcase, you are allowed to look at the books. If you like a book, you can take it home. Anyone may take or bring a book at any time. If you want, you can bring the books you have read. You can also keep them and put otherr books in the cupboard.

Where can I find them?     

On these pages you will find the locations of the public bookcases:

-  public bookcases Rhein-Neckar area         

-  public bookcases nearby 

You can also get books cheaply at the public library. Here you can borrow books and other media. But you have to bring them back. Here you can find all informations about the public library in Mannheim in simply language in german.                                                                                                    

Only recently you can search for books in the online catalogue of the library in Mannheim from the comfort of your own home. Pre-orders are also possible by e-mail or telephone. A delivery service is offered for people with reduced mobility.

If you are looking for a specific book, then have a look at this article. At the end of the article we have linked where you can buy second-hand books online, as well as a list of local bookstores in Mannheim and Heidelberg.