third edition of Sentim les Llibreries shines in Valencia and beyond
The third edition of Sentim les Libreries, organized by an Invisible Friend initiative, garnered record participation across seventy bookstores, underscoring a thriving network of local book lovers. The campaign fosters book purchases from neighborhood shops while connecting readers in a delightful exchange of gifts and reading experiences.
The project began in 2020 as a powerful act of solidarity designed to support Valencia’s bookstores during the Covid-19 pandemic. With backing from the Foundation for Reading and Books (Fundación pel Llibre i la Lectura), the effort expanded to the wider Valencian region, addressing concerns about the dominance of large online marketplaces and reinforcing the value of local trade and community reading. The initiative is expressed through a simple, joyful act that strengthens community ties through literature.
Participants give a book to a local friend by purchasing it at a nearby bookstore, while simultaneously receiving a book from an anonymous person. The public record of exchanges brings a sense of shared discovery and mutual delight to both parties, celebrating the human connection that reading can create.
Through this arrangement, readers cultivate a movement of literary exchange that binds strangers through a common love of books. The goal is to encourage support for local businesses and to knit a neighborhood network where book lovers can discover new titles and communities close to home.
The idea of a local bookseller prescribing readings is reinforced by the collaborative, community-building spirit of the game. The campaign has achieved remarkable reach by engaging seventy participating booksellers across the Valencian Community, a testament to how a playful, mysterious activity can strengthen social ties and local culture.
Interested participants can visit the official site at www.sentimlesllibreries.com to follow the instructions and complete the registration form. The registration window closes on May 2, inviting readers to join this growing cultural movement and help sustain local bookstores through shared reading experiences.
In this third edition, the campaign refreshes its visual identity with new strokes and brushwork courtesy of renowned illustrator Inma Carpena, adding a contemporary flair while staying true to its celebratory, inclusive spirit.
Already, several Alicante bookstores, including 80 Mundos, have confirmed their participation, signaling a broader regional embrace beyond Valencia and a collective commitment to keeping independent shops vibrant and connected through reading.