This is a brilliant story - a huge well done to Lindy and Laura, two of the amazing folk in East Ren going out of their way to make a difference for others.
Oswald hails legacy from Neilston Street Library:
Kirsten Oswald, Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire, has thanked Neilston Street Library founders Lindy Montgomery and Laura Curtis for their work during the pandemic.
When library services closed during lock down, Lindy and Laura decided to do what they could to help people enjoy books and used their own stock of books to start the Neilston Street Library.
Lindy and Laura borrowed an idea from America called a Blind Book Club in which readers take a book they know nothing about, which had been wrapped and personalised. At times, Lindy and Laura had car boots and rooms full of books. Lindy jokes of the day her husband returned from a walk to find a porch full of books and asked, “are we now the Neilston Library?”
Kirsten tabled a motion in the House of Commons welcoming the Neilston Street Library and other community groups who shared their love of books during the pandemic.
Kirsten said:
“The Neilston Street Library is a tremendous example of the power of an idea and what communities can achieve for themselves.
“Lindy and Laura’s commitment to sharing their love of books across the local community is clearly infectious.
“While sorry to hear that the current ‘Book Box’ service will close when East Renfrewshire’s libraries reopen, I am pleased that both Lindy and Laura are keen to remain active in spreading their love of books and may focus on younger readers.”
Lindy Montgomery said:
“Local developer Taylor Wimpey provided funds to allow Neilston’s community book club to continue meeting online during the pandemic, and we wanted to extend this to the wider community.
“The feedback we’ve had has been great, the community love the little gifts we include, and they love the surprise element. We regularly hear that the book is not something they would have chosen for themselves and it pushed them out of their usual reading territory. “We’ve even seen an interest from teenagers, which is delightful.
“The Book Box will be wrapping up around mid-May to coincide with the libraries reopening. We are hugely supportive of our local library, and actively encourage its use. “Given the right venue we would love to start a young adult book club and can’t wait to welcome book club members back in person.”
