Finally we can share the good news we have been crossing fingers and toes about for the past 3 weeks. Through a hook-up with Healthy Planet we have been given access to a wonderful work-space down on Team Valley in Gateshead. At last we will be able to get all the books out of storage in different places and have the space to sort, stamp and display them on real library shelving so that we will finally be able to see what we have and be better able to distribute them efficiently. It's also a perfect space to be able to work with volunteers and for organsations to be able to come to us to choose suitable books for the people they work with.
This shows some of the more than 100 cartons of books in storage which we will now be able to release (and stop paying for!) They are part of the largest single donation of books we have received in the UK so far - from Eddison Sadd. They are books and cards in many different languages which will be a huge asset to us and the people for whom we aim to provide books. It has been impossible to unpack them before now owing to the huge volume and wide variety of languages. Once our new shelving is constructed, we'll be in a position to sort them by language and subject and arrange them as in a 'real' library.
For now we are cleaning up, collecting freecycled and recyled office furniture, a fridge and a few other items - we might splash out and buy a rubbish bin - but as far as we can, we'll find what we need and stick wtih the free spirit.
All this in contrast to the day before we got the keys, when someone had attempted to break into the current store-room. Probably out of frustration at being unable to break the locks, they kindly smashed my car window.... All this was discovered when I went out to load the boxes that had been prepared to give away at a local summer fun day. Definitely not a nice experience - and so ironic that, had the perpetrator been in prison or recently released, I would more than likely be offering them free books.
hmmmm
