I love to rescue old, abandoned books, too....
Here in the States we have Free Lending Libraries that look like a bird house, often positioned beside someone's mailbox,
and people can help themselves to cast-off books.
The local gym has a shelf full of donated books for people to read while on the treadmill. I've put books there, regretted parting with them, and never found the books again when I'd go back hoping to reclaim the donation. And yet husband beseeches me to part with more books. Floor to ceiling, stacks of books. This in spite of owning a Kindle....