The new bookcase at Onnen-Visser-Platz went into operation on Wednesday evening with a small ceremony attended by many members of the Norderney Rotary Club, representatives of the town council and the building contractors. A good opportunity to fill it with the numerous books brought along.
The previous bookcase, which was installed in 2013 as part of the redevelopment of the square, had become obsolete or could no longer be repaired and therefore had to be dismantled last year. The response from the public was so great that the city council quickly came up with the idea of finding a suitable replacement. Heide Möller and Frank Meemken from the local building administration took on the task and, together with the Norderney companies Hohnrodt and Motzkus, designed and implemented a "doomsday-proof" version, as Mayor Frank Ulrichs jokingly described the stable and weatherproof design.
Thanks to the mix of materials used - galvanized steel on the inside, powder-coated aluminium on the outside, stainless steel fittings and 8 mm laminated safety glass - the cabinet and, of course, the books inside should withstand any wind and weather.
"Each of us can take books out of here and, of course, put our own back in. So it's also a place where we can meet to share our interest in literature and discover new books and stories at the same time," said the mayor in his speech.
To ensure that the bookcase and its contents will be enjoyed by readers young and old for a long time to come, SPD councillor Vera Heckelmann will take over the monitoring and maintenance. Anyone who would like to support her is cordially invited to get in touch.
The new bookcase was financed by the Rotary Club of Norderney, which has made one of its largest investments to date. Acting Rotary President Bernd Daehne explained that the funds came from the proceeds of the ever-popular Advent calendar. Ulrichs: "Such a large investment for a single project is not a matter of course and demonstrates both the conviction of such a project and the generosity and dedication to our island. Thank you very much for this!