Council to extend popular ‘Bookstop’ initiative

The Bookstop free library project - trialled at Mossley Mill and on the Newtownabbey Way earlier this year - has proven so popular that the council is to extend the project into Jordanstown Loughshore Park, Lilian Bland Community Park and the War Memorial Park in Ballyclare.

At Monday night’s committee meeting, members were informed that the council had had “excellent feedback” from visitors about the free libraries.

While there was some “minor vandalism” at one of the sites, the initiative was hailed “a success” and “a very popular attraction”.

DUP Cllr Victor Robinson and his party colleague Cllr Audrey Ball described the Bookstop project as “a brilliant idea”, while SDLP Cllr Noreen McClelland hailed it as “excellent” and said she hoped it could be further extended to other parts of the borough.

The new Bookstops - mini libraries which operate on the ‘bring a book, take a book’ principle - will be installed in the three parks at an estimated cost of £600.