‘Little Library’ offers books to swap in Bishopston

A 23-year-old who dreams of opening a bookshop one day has built what she has called a ‘Little Library’ in her front garden.

People walking by are either able to borrow a book and bring it back, or keep a book and swap it for something else.

Olivia Clements hopes that people will treat the Little Library respectfully, saying that “hopefully people will love it and it’ll be a nice distraction during this crazy time”.

Olivia, who lives on Elton Road in Bishopston with her parents, Alison and Rupert, works as a bookseller at both Max Minerva’s in Westbury Park and Waterstones in Bath.

The reaction to the Little Library has seen her original tweet liked by more than 14,000 people since Friday afternoon, but a few people have been critical of its name.

Olivia Clements and her Little Library – photo: Olivia Clements / Twitter

“I’m a pretty introverted person with very indoor-based hobbies, so actually first and second lockdown was a dream for me, just getting to stay in and read and sew all day,” Olivia told Bristol24/7.

“But for some reason this latest lockdown has been harder and I’ve been a bit listless and down.

“So my mum suggested doing a little community library! My street had done a lot of leaving things out on their walls over this year, which has been really nice.

“So the lightbulb went off in my head when she suggested it, and I thought ‘oh my god why didn’t I think of that?’

“Then a couple of days later I found a cabinet on the side of my road where someone had been redoing their bathroom, and it was perfect! Magnetic doors, shelves the perfect height for a book! Real class windows!

“So I carried it back with my mum and used my dad’s DIY tools and leftover paint from our front door to weather-proof it. Then I made the frame from some wood from the hardware store, made a sign and a roof, and moved it outside!

“As a bookseller I always have way too many books so my family was going to send a load of things to the charity shop anyway, but with them closed we had lots hanging around.”

Books currently in the Little Library include The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, The Boy with the Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera and Shakespeare by Bill Bryson

Olivia is currently documenting similar book swaps across the world, including some in Bristol such as another Little Library on Redcatch Road in Knowle.

She said that the reaction so far to her own Little Library “has been a bit mad”. Some people, however, have criticised Olivia for using the word ‘library’.

Library campaigner Joanna Booth said: “A community library is more than a box of books. It is a statutory provision that is gradually being defunded and offloaded to community groups.

“Over 800 have been shut down since 2010 and the budget for Bristol libraries has been halved. Most Bristol libraries don’t even have full-time opening hours outside of lockdown.

“Our public library services are disappearing and calling boxes of books a ‘community library’ does affect our perception of statutory services that are at risk.”

Responding to those questioning the merits of her Little Library, Olivia said she agrees that public libraries are under-staffed and under-funded.

She said: “Public libraries are wonderful, and are really struggling, but they’re also closed at the moment so really me opening a cupboard of books in my garden is hardly going to be the final nail in the coffin.

“But yes, this will never replace actual libraries and we absolutely need to put more money and resources into them.”

The Little Library is outside Olivia’s family home on Elton Road in Bishopston – photo: Martin Booth

Main photo: Martin Booth

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