Kirklees Together

Kirklees Libraries have done a fantastic job keeping local communities connected during lockdown. But a few weeks into the pandemic staff soon realised that people were desperate for reading material and physical books as not everyone has access to online facilities.

Book Drop Offer

We decided that we could safely get our withdrawn library books that were currently in storage, out to people and the community through our links with third sector settings, volunteers and community action groups.
We offered boxes of Kirklees Library Books in good condition, currently withdrawn from the library service. The books were quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours before being available for collection. Some books were delivered by Kirklees Community volunteers and included both fiction and non-fiction titles.
The books were not intended to be loaned and returned, just given away.

Why did we do this?

Kirklees Libraries wanted to safely distribute books to people in the community during COVID-19, who were currently shielding and were unable to gain access to books. We also wanted to gift them to people in the community who were unable to afford to buy new books or who couldn’t gain Internet access to borrow our books on Kirklees Overdrive.

We also wanted to continue to connect people with the love and benefits of reading books during lockdown and help promote the mental health and wellbeing benefits of reading. This would reduce the detrimental effects of feeling isolated during lockdown.

We wanted something for children as well to ensure no child was left out. It was a way of encouraging reading and helping to increase literacy levels at a time when schools were closed.

Organisations who have so far received book drop boxes:
• Residential care or Nursing Homes
• Sheltered Housing
• Children’s Homes
• Community organisations

How many books were donated?

To date, we estimate that we have gifted out over 350+ quarantined boxes of withdrawn Kirklees Library books. That is roughly 8000+ books given out to people and community settings!

Scisset Mount is feeling loved