Germans are embracing the creation of “public bookshelves”. Deutsche Welle has reported on one such scheme in Cologne where volunteer-run structures the size of a small kiosk are stacked with books of all kinds. There are three in place and 24 more in the works. The public bookshelf runs on an exchange basis and is reported to be proving popular - popular enough, in fact, to be spreading to other cities. The Cologne initiative is diversifying to include the exhibition of school art.