Leaf through a book in the great outdoors

Bookstops are little wooden houses in public open spaces which store books for lending and borrowing, and they work on the principle of ‘leave a book, take a book’.

While providing a free book exchange, the Bookstops also offer a great sense of community and a fun way to upcycle unwanted books.

Currently there are two Bookstops in place at Mossley Mill; one is situated beside the Civic Square at the rear of the building, while the other is just further along on the Newtownabbey Way, between the back gate of the Mill grounds and Manse Road. Both stops are located in shaded areas beside bench seating.

Ursula Fay, the council’s Leisure and Culture Development Manager explained: “The Bookstops aim to encourage all ages of readers to step away from their screens and electronic gadgets and get out and about in the fresh air. Green spaces provide ideal environments to settle down and get lost in a book.

“The idea is to encourage a love of literature and feed the imagination through books and nature. The two existing Bookstops are hopefully the start of something exciting with a Bookstop coming to an open space near you in the not too distant future.”