Forum Topic

Book swap at a ton central station

i can't check on it just now...could some kind, literate person pop by please and just see if there are any books...And possibly place some if it is skimpy.The charity shop in Churchfield road may let you have some spares if it's really down.Thanks.

Sara Nathan ● 3897d39 Comments

I try to drop off around once a month.  I do a tidy of the books, and drop off books and magazines.  When I go back the next day - they're all gone! I'm thinking someone is taking all of them, but long as it helps, I don't mind - great minds, and all that!

Helen New ● 2622d

Alas this does seem to happen quite frequently. Some people don't seem to understand the concept of taking one book for a journey and then either replacing it or leaving another in its place.

Chris Hurley ● 2622d

Early yesterday pm, i left about ten books to the station and tidied shelves.There were three full shelves of paperbacks and ten plus hardback on the top. Almost all hardback gone and all my paperbacks plus more have gone. Did I leave too many and someone from the committee has moved them or do we have a voracious reader, have not known books go quite so quickly.

Libby Kemp ● 2623d

Station staff may have book plates but if not just put them straight on the shelves - thanks

Chris Hurley ● 2623d

Do we need to insert book plates? or can we just put books straight onto shelves?

Libby Kemp ● 2623d

It needs regular topping up so if you have spare books please take them along to Acton Central station - thanks

Chris Hurley ● 2624d

Brilliant!

Philippa Bond ● 2624d

Yes, it is. I dropped a book off there on Sunday and it was about half full.

Susan Kelly ● 2624d

I haven't heard anything about this recently.  Is it still going?

Philippa Bond ● 2624d

Aha! Well, it's still bulging - heaps of books when I looked yesterday.

Sara Nathan ● 3784d

I must confess to filling the shelves a few times before I moved out of Acton at the start of this month.

Jill Williams ● 3784d

I love the book swap Sara and in no way wish for it to end and one of the main reasons is because you never know what interesting book or little gem is going to take your fancy, its like a box of chocolates , you never know what you're going to get next. I just need to pay my local library a visit a little more often.

Jerry Byrne ● 3789d

Couldn't agree more, Jerry.Apart from anything else the book swap is unpredictable: gems one day, London romances & computer manuals the next.It's supposed to complement libraries for those startiMg a journey with nothing to read - certainly not replace them.

Sara Nathan ● 3792d

Hi, I love the Acton Central book swap and use it regularly but it has occurred to me that I now very rarely use my own local library and the term use it or lose it comes to mind. There are now so many book swaps and clubs in the capital surely less and less people are borrowing books because of this. The book swap recycles the many used books that would otherwise end up in landfill and this is a good thing as charity shops can only store so much but I think library members like myself need reminding that we do have a local library that allows us to borrow or ordered a huge array of books right on our doorstep and maybe if members including myself used them more there would be less talk of closures to the libraries and there would be less books to recycle in the first place. Just a thought!!!

Jerry Byrne ● 3792d

Jerry Byrne ● 3792d

It's certainly been unusually full recently - which is fab. No idea why though.If you can leave them in your boot for a few days, it will probably empty out. People place lots on Saturdays but fewer mid-week usually

Sara Nathan ● 3792d

Bookcase been too full for s good few weeks,  I've had a clear out and was hoping to fill it up but no space!  So my car boot has 2 big bags of books which I  dare not bring back in the house in case they stay several years again!

Georgiana Eliot ● 3792d

Hurrah! And nothing to do with me ...so the brownies must have been in.Double hurrah....

Sara Nathan ● 3864d

Popped some of youngest old books in today.  Bookcase is completely full and looking lovely and tidy!

Apple Leiper ● 3864d

It didn't on Saturday (thanks team) but may need some by now Can you feed them in gently?I could take a bag or two but am in pre-wedding meltdown and very little storage just now (how many hens are staying for next weekend's hen night - oh, just the nine or so!)

Sara Nathan ● 3871d

Have just had a big clear out and have lots of books needing rehousing - does AC need a to-up does anyone know?

Samantha Bower ● 3871d

I think people just see a book they want to read on the train and just never think to bring it back. But as long as people keep stocking and restocking, I don't think its a problem.

Chris Hurley ● 3877d

I agree with both of you...I don't think anyone wants to police it - and if people are desperate for books, have none and want to keep some, I personally don't have a problem.But I think there must be some misguided stashing away going on.Most of them aren't very sellable...

Sara Nathan ● 3878d

Of course Susan,nobody expects instant swaps, but it seems to me that there are many more takers than givers using the book shelves!  It would be nice for the takers to do a bit more giving to balance out the stock!

Ireen Esmann ● 3878d

I don't think that 'swap' has to be quite so literal as one-in-one-out. People should borrow, return and donate over time.

Susan Kelly ● 3879d

I will add some too and make a lovely nice polite etc. sign.

Ireen Esmann ● 3879d

Thanks so much!

Sara Nathan ● 3879d

I'm adding some tomorrow!

Yara Alkhamis ● 3879d

Maybe there should be a big sign above the book case: Please don't take withouth giving! or a definition of swap for those who do not understand the principle of swapping!

Ireen Esmann ● 3879d

AAGH!Apparently bookswap totally empty - and I have almost no supplies - anyone fancy bunging some in?

Sara Nathan ● 3880d

They said they would donate at the end...nowt yet!

Sara Nathan ● 3886d

Well I gave the well stocked book stall about 15 books. I can't imagine they all sold.

Maire Lowe ● 3886d

That's good to know.Also I have high hopes of leftovers from the Poets Corner garden fete on Sunday.

Sara Nathan ● 3888d

I got a whole load at the tip on Bollo lane the other week and put them on the shelves.  If you ask them nicely they will let you take a pile.

Ireen Esmann ● 3888d

Goodo!I took some in this morning and it was a bit sparse - and still so later when someone posted a picture of it on Twitter.Haven't much room to store bags of books at the moment. Have five bridesmaids dresses moving in there this weekend!

Sara Nathan ● 3891d

I'll be dropping some off this coming week.

Georgiana Eliot ● 3893d

Plenty of stock at the moment.

Susan Kelly ● 3895d

Thanks so much!

Sara Nathan ● 3895d

I'm taking a bagful in tomorrow.

Susan Kelly ● 3895d