The BRIDGES 'Lending Library'

The BRIDGES team at Access to Business never know where the next idea will come from or what will spark a new initiative. This lead to The Lending Library that we have set up at Access to Business.

A recently signed up a participant who came onto the BRIDGES programme, and while completing his initial contact document, I asked him about his ID and what we need to sign him onto the project. He said, he had not even got ID to join his local library! This was said as a joke, however this struck a chord with me. How many people could not join their local Library due to not having identity documents? It was with this in mind I put the word out around our fantastic Access to Business team and asked them if they thought it would be a good idea to set up A Lending Library within Access to Business. The rules are simple:-

·         Look at the books we have to offer.

·         Take up to two books.

·         Read them at your own pace.

·         Return the books and promote the service and our project to others.

An email went out asking for people to donate books that they may have lying around at home and bring them into the library. Within 48 hours of the request, I was delighted to have receive over 50 books! The selection of books was amazing, ranging from Autobiographies, True Crime to Cookbooks and many more.

In the last two days since the books were put out in our reception area, books have left Access to Business to their temporary home for participants to enjoy at their own pace.

We are delighted to see the uptake and hope this continues, giving people the opportunity to get into reading.

– Keith Fitzsimons (BRIDGES Outreach Business Advisor)

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