31 August 2010

The Smallest Library?

Are they changing into their Superman clobber?
No, they are swapping books!


Villagers from Westbury-sub-Mendip in Somerset can use the library around the clock, selecting books, DVDs and CDs.
Users simply stock it with a book they have read, swapping it for one they have not.

And here is what it looks like inside.

The Westbury-sub-Mendip library is open 24 hours a day and has a light inside for midnight browsing.  The selection of 100 books, CDs, and DVDs comes entirely from the private libraries of the townsfolk.  They bring in books they’ve read and swap them out for books they haven’t read.  Periodically, checks are made to see what products are moving and what aren’t.  The books everyone’s read get shipped off to the charity shop and replaced with new books.  It’s kind of like the library you have in your town, except more efficient and significantly more compact.

8 comments:

Hannah Stoneham said...

what a lovely idea!

BooksPlease said...

I hope there are some books left for those people at the end of the queue! The kiosk in my village is redundant - we could have a library too.

I saw on TV recently that another village (can't remember where) has converted its telephone kiosk into the village shop. Very enterprising.

Sean Wright said...

I don't know if that would happen here- our local library has to chase people who think borrowing means you never have to return it

Booklover Book Reviews said...

That is wonderful, but unfortunately in this day and age it would only work in a very, very small village with an honour system to keep the books coming back I think! ;)

Dorte H said...

What a wonderful post! And the first photo is just so funny.

Anonymous said...

Kerrie - Thanks for this terrific post! I love the 'photos, too : ). I think this is a great idea, too.

Naomi Johnson said...

I love that library!

And congratulations on making the BBAW short list in the Crime Fiction Book Blog category. You've earned it.

Winifred said...

Love the idea! It's an original phone box too not one of those horrible clear plastic ones we've been lumbered with.

Maybe they've had it classified as a listed building!

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