For those who are not familiar with "The Book Thing," it is a volunteer-run, free book exchange in Baltimore, Maryland that aims to "put unwanted books in the hands of those who want them." Originally created by Russell Wattenberg to distribute books to low-income students, it has become a haven for book lovers all over the DMV area. For over 15 years, The Book Thing has been open every weekend, housing over 200,000 donated books and giving them to anyone with a passion for reading.

Sadly, on March 2 at around 5 a.m., firefights were called to the block of 30th Street and Greenmount Avenue, where smoke was pouring from the brick building of the beloved book exchange. By 5:45 a.m., the blaze was under control, but not without significant damage to The Book Thing's warehouse. The back room and the garage were most significantly impacted: the damage from smoke, water, and fire will cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of books were burned.

Wattenberg was "devastated and confused" by the fire, and said, "We're not even sure what insurance will cover as all of the books are free." The source of the fire is currently being investigated, but in the meantime, Wattenberg hopes that he will be able to garner financial support so that he can rebuild. Luckily for the Baltimore community, Wattenberg also said that he hopes to stay in the immediate area if relocation is necessary.

Residents of the Baltimore community and fans of The Book Thing everywhere are deeply saddened by this fire. The Book Thing is a valuable resource for students who need free, donated textbooks or study guides to a place where people can drop off their unwanted books and pick up anything from cookbooks to literary classics.

Unfortunately, as The Book Thing is a 501(c), non-profit charity, it can be difficult to financially maintain the warehouse and will be especially difficult to rebuild and repair. All of the book and financial donations are tax deductible, but the devastating fire is a huge blow to the book exchange. The book exchange will attempt to operate outside if possible, but the building will be closed indefinitely.

If you are interested in donating to support the rebuilding of The Book Thing, a GoFundMe by a volunteer has been set up and you can donate.

You can also go directly to The Book Thing of Baltimore's website and donate there.