Oprah’s Angel Network

We’re a small “mom and pop” shop, first-time business owners and residents of the Melrose area in the South Bronx. We started our business, Coqui Mexicano, a little less than two years ago. On top of wanting to own a business for the first time, we also wanted to make a positive difference in our ‘comunidad’, which has had such a horrible reputation for so many years.

Unfortunately, book shops aren’t numerous (barely visible if I say) in our ‘comunidad’ and besides that, books are expensive—at least for most of us living in this neighborhood.

Reading shouldn’t be a luxury! Reading is knowledge and knowledge is power. If we can open a new world of possibilities to our fellow neighbors or even occupy a youngster for 15 minutes with a book, then that’s 15 minutes this youngster isn’t doing something they’re not supposed to be doing.

To promote reading and to find a way to give back to our community, we started our own literary project: a bookcrossing. We offer books completely for free. We’re also an official book drop-off site. That means that any and all book donations are accepted. Instead of letting those books collect dust or instead of tossing them, they can be dropped off at our humble shop.

We try to the best of our ability to register every book on www.bookcrossing.com. That way, everyone who participates with us in this project can be assured that these books are being given away completely for free. We’ve even placed the books right by the edge of our door so no one feels the pressure of having to buy something from us to get a book.

As of January 19, 2010, we have registered 248 books with at least 100 more that remain to be registered.

Our comunidad has VERY warmly and VERY appreciatively put their arms around this project. Currently we’re hoping that someone will donate a bookcase to properly display the books, as they’re pretty much piled on a wire wrack right now.

If you’d like, check out our virtual bookshelf.

We’re also listed on Facebook and our friends have gone wild over our idea. They have gone beyond supportive! You’re more than welcome to join us and our over 1,800 friends on Facebook. Check out our photo albums, as well as the response of our friends.