Travelling Suitcase Library

Just a quick reminder post that next Saturday 1st October we are hosting an Autumnal Books Swap at Cafe 164 from 11-3 ish.
The Cafe shall be selling lovely cakes and teas and that, but please feel to BYOB if you fancy a beer.

I've got loads of lovely books at the moment, but I am able to take donations that shall be taken to book swaps or distributed across the various book swap points growing around the city so please bring your tomes.

Jess xxx

As you may have noticed, The Guardian online are running a book swap weekend. Of course, this is highly exciting and I hope shall be very successful.

Anyone wanting to actually meet other book worms, we are having our usual monthly book swap this Sunday in Arcadia Bar in Headingley from about 5ish. The book club shall be meeting (see the LeedsBookClub blog for details on that) but anyone wanting to just swap books, please come on down!

The TSL is bursting at the moment, and having just moved house I am now able to take donations yet again, so anyone clearing out their shelves, you know how much we love you... and any books that I don't think would be that great in the suitcase I'll either donate to charity, or send the children's ones to the inner city Birmingham primary school we mentioned in earlier posts!

See you Sunday!

Jess xx

After a relatively quiet summer, I'm realy pleased to announce a special book swap shall be taking place in new Leeds venue Cafe 164 on 1 October between 11-3

Cafe 164 is a new arts cafe, selling all kinds of sweet treats and teas. The Book Swap shall be very informal, with loads of opportunities to meet people who are into what you're into, and rent merrily about tomes you love, live, or loathe.

The Travelling Suitcase Library shall of course be rocking up with as widest selection of books as can be fit into a suitcase, but please bring your tomes.

Cakes and hot drinks shall be available from Cafe, but anyone wanting a beer that early in the day is welcome to BYOB.

Looking forward to seeing lots of book lovers there!

The Travelling Suitcase Library is going to be running a very informal, family book swap during the Big Free Festival Day, part of I Love West Leeds Festival.

The festival takes place in Bramley Falls Park, 1-5 pm on the 3 July. I'm going to be about all afternoon, with a suitcase brimming with books for all the family (might even squeeze in a couple of story tellings if I can find my story telling hat!) but once again I need your help!

In the past the Suitcase has catered more for adult-only events, so my collection of books for children and young adults is to be honest poor.

If anyone has any children's books left after the call out last month for the Book That Appeal for the Birmingham school (which I'm pleased to say had a fantastic response and the children love their books!) please let me know.

I know this is the time of year when many people move house, if you are having a clear out I'm more than happy to collect from you. Or you can leave the books in Arcadia at any time.

For more info on the festival go to http://www.ilovewestleeds.co.uk/

So today I threw all my toys out of my pram a bit over this article http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jun/01/three-in-10-uk-children-own-no-books?CMP=twt_gu from a report from The National Literacy Trust that 3/10 children do not have their own books.

Now I know that there are millions of children that go without a bed every night and I am in no way saying this is more important. But this is something that quite frankly makes me rage.

Because without fail every single time I set up the Travelling Suitcase Library, someone always says "oh I have sooooo many books I mean to donate".

Really? Well three in ten children DON'T and I'm sorry but that is bollocks.

So in the midst of my Massive Row on twitter about this whole thing, in which I behaved like a petulant child which I'm very sorry for, I was contacted by a primary school teacher working in inner city Birmingham whose children love books, but do not have that much access to them.

I know there are various arguments that unless adults are reading, children won't. That's why I always carry a book everywhere I go, read in public at every opportunity and try and get as many people as possible to do the same, only by normalising reading does it become acceptable, only by saying "actually, this is what we do" do you stop the idea that by reading you are somehow missing out on "having a life".

And how is a child supposed to know if they're a reader or not if they don't have the opportunity to explore reading?

SO I've got this primary school's address and will be sending them the books that are age appropriate from the TSL and my shelves.

I think I've got about 30, which is pathetic and less that a class full. I can't afford to this month but next month I shall be hitting the charity shops in an attempt to get that number up. Do YOU have children's books just lying around waiting to be donated?

If you want to send some, email me bookelfleeds (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll email you the address.

Thanks, and Happy Reading!

Jess xx