A charity worker has brightened spirits throughout a whole year of Covid by setting up a free book wall in her street in Hamilton.
Locals of all ages have enjoyed stopping by Julie Gaten’s outdoor library on Allanshaw Gardens which is regularly updated with new books, games and bright colours to cheer up the community.
Starting with just one box of old books last March, Julie’s colleagues at the Rape Crisis Centre in the town teamed together to provide more donations.
Now, locals come from all over to either pick up a book to keep, or borrow and return just like a virtual library.
Julie is a big reader herself and wanted to make sure more books were available to keep locals occupied during lockdown.
She told the Advertiser: “I started it because I was struggling to get my hands on books because I usually go to charity shops to pick them up, and I was asking a lot of people for books to borrow as I was running out of stuff to read.
“Someone in my family gave me a bag of books, some of which weren’t the type I would read but I thought someone else will.
“It started off with one box on the wall and it’s grew from there. People started giving me donations, people using it were offering donations too, and my brother ended up building some shelves for the books to sit.”
Julie’s efforts have been adored by the community with some sending flowers and chocolates to her door to say thank you.
One neighbour even pitched in to help with some crochet decorations to brighten up wall, the latest being spring and Easter themed chicks and bunnies.
“It’s nice seeing people with children walking past and stopping to look at the books and seeing them pick one up to take away and read”, added Julie. “That gives me a lot of pleasure.
“It’s not a lot of work but if it brings a smile to somebody’s face and gives them something to read when they’re struggling then it’s great.
“I opened the door one morning and there were four big canvas bags full of books that somebody had left on the doorstep, still no idea who, so that’s obviously someone that’s walked past and thought it was a good idea and offered a bunch of books they had.
“It seems to be something that’s caught the imagination of a lot of people so just seemed a nice thing to do.”
Puzzle books, colouring-in books for children as well as DVDs and board games have also been donated to Julie’s book wall which locals have loved. Julie says she’ll keep it going as long as it’s being used.
She said: “I never expected it to grow the way it did. People can always buy books at the supermarkets but it’s not the greatest selection and not everybody can afford them.
“I know a lot of people get their books from charity shops so while they’ve been closed it’s been hard for people to get their hands on them to keep them occupied.
“I read constantly, and it’s always something that helps me wind down at the end of the day. It’s a big thing for me and I enjoy physically holding a book as well which has been difficult for people to do with less places to get them now.”
