Laura learned from homeless people that many of them wanted to read books, and share ideas with others, but they often had no access to books.

Laura said the reason is, "those living outside or in temporary shelters are usually barred from borrowing books from regular libraries because they lack required documentation,"

What she is doing to solve this problem is quite interesting:

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In 2011, Laura started Street Books, a bike-powered mobile library, to lend books to homeless people and to exchange literary ideas with them.

Many a homeless person often has no-one to talk to, and this alone makes this service invaluable.

Today, Street Books has several volunteers in addition to Laura, and the general public donates a variety of books to satisfy many reading tastes.

The bike-powered mobile library arrives at various locations at regular times, to collect books when homeless readers have finished them, and to offer more books.

Readers can borrow a book for as long as they like, and no fines are ever charged.

To see Laura in action, and to listen to the book borrowers, please enjoy this six-minute video.

Success Tip of the Week: Perhaps you could donate a book to a homeless shelter or to someone living on the street.

Editor's Note: To visit the Street Books website, http://streetbooks.org/ To learn more about Laura, click here. To visit her Facebook Page, click here.

Laura is an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark College and at Marylhurst University in the Portland, Oregon area, as well as a writer and artist.

In the next KazanToday: An eye-opening experience in humanizing homeless people.