For my birthday last year, my husband Andy gifted me a ‘little library.’ Along with my 14 year old son Benji, they spent time working on it from repurposed materials and although it arrived just a little late, last week we had our official opening ceremony of the Little Lindford Library (Lindford Road is where we live in Norwich.)

They know me well. This is literally one of the best gifts I could have hoped for. I absolutely adore libraries and have done my entire life. And I am one of those curious breeds who, upon passing a little library on a street, stops to tidy it up and make sure the books are neatly stacked with their spines facing out. Don’t ask me why – I just don’t like unruly books So imagine, now I have my own little library to tidy and take care of. I made sure before the grand opening that there was a bit of a mix in there – adult fiction, non fiction, teen fiction, middle grade and younger kids. I definitely don’t want the kids to be left out.

We found a little notebook in which I asked for comments and suggestions, and placed it inside with a pencil.

Day 1 after the ‘grand opening’: Books started to come in. We noticed lots of people stopping and looking, exclaiming, smiling. We chatted to more of our neighbours in one day than we had done in the entire year of living here. I am not exaggerating.

Day 2: Walking on the marshes near our house with my daughter and husband, we were stopped by a lovely smiling lady. ‘Are you the family who have the new book swap?’ After we’d answered in the affirmative, she waxed lyrical for sometime about how wonderful it was; about how the area needed something like this and she was so excited.

Day 3: The notebook started filling with messages of gratitude and appreciation. I couldn’t resist leaving little messages back for people.

Day 4: Somebody left a tin filled with beautiful homemade bookmarks. They wrote in the notebook that they were so delighted at the appearance of a little library in the area that they wanted to contribute in some way.

Wow. I wasn’t expecting all this. It has made me so happy. My bedroom overlooks the street and now, as well as being distracted by the sparrows that dart in and out of the bush opposite, I am also distracted as I sit here teaching my online classes and penning my stories and poems by people stopping, smiling, opening the door.

Benji and Andy

There are so many things that I would like to do with this as libraries are, of course, so much more than homes for books. Even little libraries. First off (when I get round to it), I’d like to set up its own facebook page so it can also function as a community group. Perhaps advertising a skill share? Or giving away surplus produce from the allotment? Any ideas, blog readers? I’d love to know if you have any little libraries in your area and how you’ve interacted with them.

In the meantime, I’m just over the moon. And I’m off to tidy my little library.

Thank you for reading this blog post. Compliment it with my poem about my lifelong love of libraries entitled The Public Library Love Letter & how I once set up a library in Kenya which continues to thrive.

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