Brimsdown’s ‘aspirational’ new library

Pupils at Brimsdown Primary School now have access to hundreds of books after a charity helped to convert an unused classroom into a new library.

Give a Book, which promotes books and the pleasure of reading, funded the signage and furniture for the new library, as well as filling the shelves with books for children of all ages to enjoy.

Currently the library is being used exclusively by Year 2 to ensure safety during the Covid-19 pandemic but all years will be able to enjoy it in the future.

Seda Toyer, Reading Leader at Brimsdown, explains: “We didn’t have our own library, so we used to take the children to the local one weekly, but it closed. When we told Give a Book that we’d love one of our own at the school they offered to help.”

The former classroom is now unrecognisable. It is filled with hundreds of books for the children to choose from, as well as comfy spaces for them to sit and read. There is also a whiteboard for the children to leave feedback on the new space. Comments include: “it’s aspirational”, “I feel really optimistic” and “it makes me calm”.

Seda adds: “Children have been really excited to come and see the reading space and the fantastic range of books. We are absolutely delighted with our new library and incredibly grateful to Give a Book for making it happen.”

Give a Book is a small charity that promotes books and the pleasure of reading in the hardest places. It works with schools and other organisations to support disadvantaged children, young people and adults throughout the UK.

Adeela Khan, Director of Projects, says: “We are really happy to support this whole school library project at Brimsdown Primary school. When we first visited the school last year, we found no library space and the only book selection was a trolley or two of books.

“To help the school create a whole school reading culture, as well as creating a calm, relaxing, imaginative library space to read, we set up a Breakfast Book Club and arranged author visits. This will hopefully lead to more reading happening both in school and subsequently in the home environment. We hope they all enjoy the books!”