Free book shop has returned to The Spires – and Barnet residents are again being asked to donate surplus books or bookshelves

High Barnet’s much appreciated free book shop has re-opened in The Spires shopping centre after being without a home since the spring – and has launched a fresh appeal for donations of books and bookshelves.

A shop unit vacated by EE phones – opposite Waitrose – is now up and running and is once again welcoming book lovers and browsers.

But for the moment — until the shop is fully fitted out — donated books are having to be displayed on the floor in card boxes.

Volunteers who staff the book shop — which is run under the auspices of the Global Education Trust — say they have been encouraged by an immediate and especially warm welcome from shoppers and passers-by.

One of the first callers with a donation of books was Patricia Sotchcott (above right) who handed over a bundle of crime books and fiction to volunteer Dawn.

“I am really delighted the free bookshop has re-opened. It is wonderful to see everyone browsing through the books once again, especially the children,” said Patricia.

Volunteer Dawn said that Jackie the shop manager and the other 20 or so assistants were all working as hard as they could to get the shop fully functional.

“We are appealing for more stock: fiction, especially crime and science fiction, biographies and auto-biographies, children’s books and recently published study guides for exam students.”

Angela, another volunteer, said they desperately needed more bookshelves so that they could display free books by genre and the authors alphabetically.

“At present our start-up stock is all in card boxes on the floor – which isn’t ideal.”

Anything from 50 to 100 books are given away every day – a maximum of three at any one time – and they are replenished with newly-donated stock.

Book lovers like nothing more than looking for an unexpected title or edition.

Leo Yacar (above) who came to Barnet 12 years ago from Argentina, says he loves reading English classics.

“You never know what you are going to find…so calling into the free book is always a thrill for me.”

The volunteers said they realised how important it was for families with children to have a resource like the free book shop.

“Now we are into the school holidays, I expect we will be busy,” said Dawn.

“But it’s great to see children looking through the books and getting excited when they find a book they want to take away.

“We know it is a difficult time financially for lots of families and you can tell the parents are over the moon when they see the children taking such an interest in reading.”

The Global Education Trust opened its first free book shop in The Spires in May last year, but it depends on the availability of vacant shop units.

Running costs are met from donations and the trust relies on the generosity of landlords who have vacant premises.

At any one time the trust is operating around 20 free book shops around the country, and they all distribute unwanted books which would otherwise have to be pulped or go for landfill.