Peek at London’s littlest library
ONE AT A TIME PLEASE, IT’S A TIGHT FIT
“I NEED to go to the public telephone box to make a call,” said no one ever over the past decade or so.
As technology prevails, most people seem to have a mobile phone glued to their hands and telephone boxes have sadly become outdated.
But the shells of iconic red phone boxes still exist around the capital and a particular one in South London has been fit for community purpose now for over five years.
The old, obsolete K2 phone box on Loampit Hill on the corner of Tyrwhitt Road, in Lewisham, was revolutionised into a charming public book exchange in December 2013 and has been a huge success with the local community ever since.
This adorable micro-library was created by Sebastian Handley after the Brockley Society acquired the phone box under BT’s Adopt a Kiosk scheme.
The small square space houses bundles of disused novels, textbooks, autobiographies, travel guides, non-fiction and children’s fairy tales.
Visitors constantly pop in to explore what paperbacks are on offer, taking or swapping books for free. Everyone from children, to students, families and older people use the facility regularly.
Although Mr Handley has now moved out of Lewisham, two micro-librarians (that doesn’t mean they are really short!) look after the library and it remains very popular.
One micro-librarian, Tom Simpson, said: “We don’t keep any record of who uses the micro-library, or how often, but I often see people using it, and the turnover of books is quite quick, so it is well used.
“We have had various notes left that say how good an idea people think it is, or thanking people for leaving certain kinds of books.
“The amount of books varies, but usually the shelves are full, and there are often additional books lined up on the floor.
“We generally just keep the books tidy, and let the stock selfregulate. It seems to work out fine.
“There are books of all genres and periods and languages, and we don’t censor them. All we might do is put the more adult books on a higher shelf. “
The phone box is a heavenly escape from the busy main road outside; you walk into the library, close the door behind you and explore the books drifting into a calm world right there on a busy city pavement.
Mark Brown has lived in Lewisham for 40 years and loves to visit the former phone box several times per week. He says it has become an essential part of his life.
Mr Brown, 64, said: “I use the library very often, too much actually. I come here three of four times per week.
“I usually borrow text books as my particular interest is history, whether it be local or international, so I come here, take a book I like, read it and bring it back for someone else.
“Every time I walk along this street I make sure I stop and pop in, it’s popular with everyone and is such a brilliant idea. “When you walk past and see new books, especially when I see my topics sitting there, I get excited and go straight inside. It’s amazing.”
Kitted out with shelves holding up rows and rows of books, it has a fitting quote on the ceiling that reads: “It’s not what you get, it’s what you leave behind.”
Miriam Schultz, 64, has lived in the area since 1982. She pops into the library regularly.
She said: “I remember the telephone box when it had an actual telephone although I don’t think I ever used it.
“There are a lot of things in the library, occasionally there are even DVDs. I’ve put bags and bags of books in there, quite often people just have a look in it on the way home.
“I’ve just come off the train and am walking home, I thought I would have a look for some kids’ books as my daughter is a teacher so it’s very useful to her.
“There is a big array of stuff, you get anything and everything in there all the time, I don’t often take any books but I do put a lot of things in.
“It’s always tidy, surprisingly enough - you would think people would urinate in it and all sorts but they don’t - people have a lot of respect for it and it gets used a lot.”
Tom Simpson reinforced the idea of local respect for the library, saying: “Other members of the public also sometimes clean and maintain the micro-library without any recognition, presumably because they think that it is a good idea, or a useful resource, or they just like the look of it.
“I have to admit that when I first saw the microlibrary being built I, and many others, thought it was a great idea but unfortunately it would be burnt down or used as a toilet or otherwise destroyed within a few months.
“But I have been proved wrong. It is clearly something the local community and external visitors think is valuable and worthy of respect.”
And the idea seems to be catching...
On the corner of Lewisham Way and Wickham Road, Lewisham, a second phone box is transforming into another enchanting library. It is not as well organised as the other, but books are accumulating.
We hope this wonderful idea of utilising unused space catches on across the capital.
It’s popular with everyone and is such a brilliant idea. Mark Brown, library user