90-year-old IngaLill gives away 25,000 books: 'They must take the lot'

IngaLill Högberg, a 90-year-old woman from Österlen, Sweden, is seeking to rehome an extensive collection of approximately 25,000 books from her antique bookstore. She is offering the entire stock free of charge, with the condition that the recipient must take all of it. Högberg wishes to avoid discarding or destroying the books, many of which have been donated by people unable to part with them themselves.

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It costs nothing. But they must take the whole lot.

The bookstore, named Lappri böcker, is housed in a pink, moss-covered barn in Södra Mellby, near Kivik. Högberg and her late husband, Henri, established the business in the 1980s. Henri was the driving force behind the antique bookshop, and IngaLill continued to manage it alone after his passing twelve years ago, though she notes it was never quite the same.

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People have come with shopping bags and pleaded: 'Take care of this.' They can't bring themselves to throw the books away, and certainly not to burn them.

The books are meticulously organized according to a unique system with handwritten signs indicating subjects such as gardening, archaeology, and history. The collection spans various genres, including local history, crime fiction, and literature, with specific sections dedicated to sports and maritime themes. The books have been sourced from flea markets and local donations, with some bags of books even left outside the door.

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We don't follow the libraries' cataloging.

Among the collection, Högberg recalled a particularly notable find: a book about Swedish lake fishing, printed in the early 1700s, which she discovered among donations. This rare volume was later sold at auction for 10,000 kronor. While the bookstore does not typically stock rarities, this find highlights the hidden treasures that can be found within the vast collection. Many of the books are also listed for sale online on platforms like Bokbörsen.

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I reacted immediately to the coarse paper.