The Marynarska Business Park office building complex belonging to the Heitman company has started a book exchange initiative named the Book Exchanger. Its aim is to promote reading and non-cash exchange among workers in the business part of Służewiec. It is the first time that bookcrossing enters Warsaw’s office space.
The Heitman company, which is the owner of Marynarska Business Park, has suggested the idea of creating special space for reading and exchanging second-hand books in one of the buildings in the complex. According to the creators of the initiative, the Book Exchanger is supposed to become a creative space: not only for book exchange but also for the exchange of thoughts, brainstorming and relaxing.
The collection of books is growing fast with new titles being added by the employees in Marynarska Business Park and the people responsible for the Book Exchanger initiative. The rules are simple: to rent a book and take it home you only need to put your name in the register and the bookplate. You can also keep the book for good on condition that you bring another one and leave it at the Book Exchanger. The space created for the Exchanger also encourages people to stay and read in a devoted room lit with natural light relaxing in comfy seats. As the initiative develops, the organisers say that they are open to make the space available for other activities such as common learning, creative meetings, relaxation or organisation of small events.
"We care that the buildings we manage are the places where work meets relaxation and the exchange of creative thoughts is encouraged, says Izabela Kapil, Vice President Portfolio Management. The idea of contact with literature came up as the first one. The Book Exchanger, apart from its cultural dimension, has a chance to become the place for unhampered discussion in a casual atmosphere. We already know that our tenants like the idea and we hope to develop it as the time progresses. We are convinced that it has a lot of benefits, so we are encouraging other office building owners and managers to implement the initiative as well".
The idea of non-cash book exchange was first introduced in the USA in 2001, where it is known by the name of bookcrossing. The man behind the idea is a computer programmer Ron Hornbaker. The internet portal called BookCrossing.com that he created currently boasts a stunning 11 million of registered books from 132 countries. In Poland, the idea has been received very positively. According to the official data, our local service consists of over a quarter of a million books, which is three times as much as the average for other countries.
The Book Exchanger initiative is a part of “the road to innovation” taken by Heitman. In the framework of these activities, the company invests in solutions aimed at ensuring full comfort of its tenants. Marynarska Business Park has created a new consistent visual identification, renewed the BREEAM certificate, ensures the presence of services dedicated for the tenants and supports alternative means of transport. Encouraging creativity by constructing space that promotes the exchange of thoughts and personal development is consistent with the contemporary approach to taking good care of employees.