The decommissioned kiosk stood empty in The Square – a focal point in the conservation area of the village of Westbury-sub-Mendip, Somerset. The question: “What can we do with it that will be of value to the community?” was unanswered for several months. And then at a tea party in The Square on August Bank Holiday Monday local resident Janet Fisher delivered the solution:
CONVERT THE PHONE KIOSK INTO A BOOK EXCHANGE

 

The concept is delightfully simple – villagers leave pre-read book(s) in the kiosk and take book(s) that they wish to read at no charge.
Janet’s idea was accepted on the spot. The rear of the kiosk was covered with white painted MDF and four stained wood shelves were secured to the backing. A red plastic tray on the floor gives easy access for young children to choose their next story book. The services of a local company were utilised to create bold red WESTBURY BOOK EXCHANGE signage which was applied to the windows.

 

All this was achieved for a material cost of less than £30.
The Book Exchange was featured in” The Pew “– the local church magazine, and in the Parish Council newsletter. An article featuring The Book Exchange was posted to the village web-site www.westbury-sub-mendip.org.uk

 

This publicity was reinforced by a notice in the Westbury Stores and the teachers and pupils in the village primary school have been informed of the new facility.

 

The original number 01749 870211 has now been replaced by a multitude of constantly changing ISBNs!

Unlike conventional libraries, The Book Exchange is open 24/7 and 365 days a year. It is even illuminated during the night to meet the needs of insomniac readers! Reaction from villagers has been amazing with comments such as:

 

“A fantastic facility. We are lucky to have it.”
“Great idea – I wish that I had thought of it.”
“Wonderful for my children. It encourages them to read more.”
“It is super to see a design icon being preserved in this way.”

“Speaking as an elderly person, this new service saves me all the hassle when I want something new to read.”

 

Titles in the “library” cover the complete gamut of the publishing world from reference books, thrillers, romances, biographies and of course children’s books. Turnover is remarkably rapid and the number of repeat users is very high.

 

Since The Book Exchange opened, CDs, DVDs, videos and audiotapes have begun to appear on the shelves, mirroring the services available from a regular library.

 

There is a regular check to determine which books have not been exchanged and these are donated to a local charity.

Repainting in Post Office Red by local volunteers is scheduled for early 2010, and The Book Exchange is routinely cleaned and polished by Bob and Lyn Dolby, whose property is adjacent to the kiosk.

 

The Book Exchange is lit at night; 0.10 tonnes of CO2 are created in generating this electricity, so carbon offsets to cover this have been purchased from ClimateCare.  In the longer term it would be ideal to be able to install solar-powered lighting.

 

The familiar Gilbert Scott K6 design, which is an important element in the village streetscape, now houses a different form of communication having moved from the spoken word to the written word.

 

In this way the kiosk, which has served the community well for many years, will continue to serve it for years to come.