The Tot Lot in Noble’s Park is now home to a Free Little Library which aims to offer 24/7 access to books and invites readers to ‘take a book, share a book and exchange a book’.

Councillor Stephen Pitts with the library's Sophie Mills and Jan Macartney. Also pictured are Irene Devereau and Bella Devereau, three and, seated, Les Shires from Men in Sheds

Built by a team from Men in Sheds, the Free Little Library holds a mix of adults’ and children’s titles and is an initiative from the Henry Bloom Noble Library.

Bella Devereau, three, checks out the Free Little Library

Borough Librarian Jan Macartney said: ‘People are welcome to help themselves to the books but we’re also encouraging them to donate unwanted books. The whole idea of the Free Little Library is about community; Noble’s Park plays a huge role in the Douglas community, so is the perfect site.’

Regeneration and Community Chair Councillor Stephen Pitts said: ‘The Free Little Library is an example of how the Henry Bloom Noble Library is far more than a “bricks and mortar” service and how libraries are fulfilling a wider role in response to a 24/7 culture and users’ heightened expectations.

‘The value of the gift of reading can never be overstated. Literacy is empowering and transformational. The Free Little Library is about providing people, especially children and young adults, with another option for accessing the written word and discovering, in a new and informal way, the joy of books.’