I’m fascinated by phone box libraries. They are such a fantastic idea. A brilliant way to pass on used books, and re-use something so quintessentially British. If you know of any more can you please let me know, and if you have any photos of your favourites do share them with us.
Many started as a way to save these iconic red telephone boxes from being removed and destroyed, but they have turned into something very special to their local communities.
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With many of them there are lovely messages inside
Please feel free to take and enjoy any books you’d like to read. We kindly ask in return that you leave the phone box as you’d expect to find it; if it’s messy, give it a little tidy, and only leave donations if there is room on a shelf (we will try to make sure there is some space each week). Please keep the floor space clear for visitors to access the library and browse safely.
Chartham Phone Box Library
The Adopt a Kiosk scheme enables your community to retain its iconic red kiosk. It is open to the following bodies:
- Recognised local authority (e.g. District/Borough Council)
- Parish/Community/Town Council or equivalent
- Registered charity
- Private land owner. (Anyone who has one of our telephone boxes on their land)
The Adopt a Kiosk scheme has been successful in transforming unused payphone kiosks and preserves the heritage of the red kiosk, particularly in rural locations. We allow red kiosks to be adopted, subject to certain criteria such as low use and those not required for our own future plans. You can read more about the scheme here.
The Phone Box at the Edge o...Shop on Amazon
There is also a page on Facebook celebrating libraries and book swaps in phone boxes. You can add any photos of locations/libraries that you find. https://www.facebook.com/PhoneboxLibrariesUK/
Looking for a book swap near you? Explore local bookstores, libraries, or community centers that host book swap events. Connect with like-minded readers, exchange books, and discover new titles for free! Joining book clubs or checking online platforms for book exchange programs can also lead you to exciting opportunities.
Why not PIN this post about Phone Box libraries or book exchanges in the UK
So where are the Phone Box Libraries near you!
Egglescliffe Village Phone Box Library, Stockton-on-Tees
TS16 0DF (ish)
Bulmer Phone Box Library, North Yorkshire
Main Street, Bulmer, North Yorkshire
Harrogate, Phone Box Library, North Yorkshire
A well supported, well loved, community resource.
St Hilda’s Road, Harrogate HG2 8JY
https://www.facebook.com/TheSaintsCommunityLibrary/posts/508987320494106
https://www.facebook.com/TheSaintsCommunityLibrary/
Marton Cum Grafton Tiny Library, North Yorkshire
The kiosk in the centre of Marton cum Grafton is now being stocked up with books after the parish council bought it from British Telecom for £1.
Council clerk Linda Bullus said: “We are going to use it as a book exchange and are hoping people drop off books.”
Children in the village are among those involved in the project.
Linton Phone Box Library, Wetherby, North Yorkshire
Located in the centre of the Village on Main Street almost opposite The Windmill Inn.
East Keswick Phone Box Library, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Exact location not known
Elland Phone Box Library, West Yorkshire
Elland Book Swap is run by the charity Elland Round Table and a team of five volunteers maintain the kiosk and organise the books.
The venture is part of BT’s “Adopt a Kiosk for £1” scheme whereby charities, communities or local authorities take on an unused phone box to give it a new lease of life.
Elland couple David Needham and Esther Barr decided to get on board in January 2022 because they believed in “sharing stories”.
You can find out more about the phone box library on their Facebook page.
Barmby Moor Phone Box Library, East Yorkshire
Barmby Moor is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately 1.5 miles west of the market town of Pocklington and 12.5 miles east-southeast of the city of York. It lies north of the A1079 road where it is met by the B1246 road that passes through the village.
YO42 4EH (ish)
Letwell South Yorkshire
Lea Phone Box Library nr Matlock Derbyshire
Specific location not known.
Kirk Langley Book Exchange, Derbyshire
Kirk Langley, Derbyshire, DE6 4NF
Kirk Langley is a village in Derbyshire. The village is four miles northwest of Derby and two miles south east of Brailsford on the A52 road. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 Census (including Meynell Langley) was 686.
Dronfield Book Exchanges, Derbyshire
Not content with one Book Exchange the Dronfield Civic Society have two book Exchanges. The Falcon Road kiosk became a Book Exchange earlier in 2019 and such was the success of it, that Committee took the decision to convert the Coal Aston kiosk for books also. You can read more about their journey here.
Coal Aston Book Exchange can be found using post code S18 3AW and it’s on Eckington Road and the Falcon Road kiosk is at the junction of Oakhill Road and Falcon Road, the relevant post code is S18 2EN.
https://www.facebook.com/dronfieldcivicsociety/
Little Eaton Phone Box Library, Derbyshire
A red telephone box which was bought for £1 has been turned into a village library in Derbyshire.
A red telephone box which was bought for £1 has been turned into a village library in Derbyshire.
The former public payphone, which was purchased by Little Eaton Parish Council, was converted into a book exchange after a suggestion by the village book club.
The box on Alfreton Road has been stocked through local donations.
Quarndon Phone Box Library, Derbyshire
120 Church Rd, Quarndon, Derby DE22 5JZ
Swynnerton Phone Box Library, Staffordshire
Swynnerton, Staffordshire, ST15 0RA
Wetley Rocks Phone Box Library, Staffordshire
The authority came up with the idea to have a library in the area as it is close to St John’s Primary School.
Chairman of the parish council, Mike Bowen, said: “This is an idea which we feel is good for the area and is also close to the school. People have the opportunity to pick up a book and then return it when they have finished and take another.
“This is a Cheddleton Parish Council project as we had seen other telephone boxes turned into several other things.
A redundant red telephone box has been turned into a library.
The former telephone box, which is located in Mill Lane, in Wetley Rocks, has been bought by Cheddleton Parish Council for the modest fee of £1.
Ashby Parva Phone Box Library, Leicestershire
Ashby Parva is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England.
Peatling Magna Phone Box Library, Leicestershire
Go past ‘The Cock Inn’ and you will find the footpath on the edge of the village, just past the telephone box (now a library) on the left hand side of the road.
Main St, Peatling Magna, Leicester LE8 5UQ
Upton Bishop Phone Box Library, Herefordshire
Upton Bishop has it’s own ‘library’ in the former phone box in the centre of the village. The K6 phone box was restored by two residents after it was deemed surplus to requirements by BT. It now houses a book and seed swap and continues to go from strength to strength.
So if you have recently read a book you would like to share with others or have some you wish to move on why not go there and see what you would like to swap them for from the large selection now available. Similarly if you have any seeds spare take those along and see if there is anything you would like to try that have been put there by other local gardening enthusiasts. Anyone can take a book free or charge and all donations of books are very welcome.
The phonebox also has a noticeboard which contains information on local events and services. You can read more about how the phonebox was renovated on their website
Owslebury Phone Box Library, Winchester
https://www.facebook.com/owsleburyphonebox/
A community micro library, in a phone box! Books, magazines, and DVDs available to all, operating on a “take one, replace one” basis.
Beech Grove, Owslebury SO21 1LS Winchester
Sparsholt Book Box, Winchester
The Well House, Woodman Ln, Sparsholt, Winchester SO21 2NR
https://www.facebook.com/thebookboxsparsholt
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Sunningdale Phone Box Book Exchange Kiosk, Berkshire
Select a book , drop off a book, at the Sunningdale Phone Box Book Exchange kiosk, in Chobham Road, Sunningdale.
Bramford Phone Box Book Exchange Kiosk, Suffolk
St Margaret South Elmham Swap Box, Suffolk
Oldland, Nr Bristol, Gloucestershire
https://www.facebook.com/Oldland-Phone-Box-Library-245287089645504
Whittington Phone Book Library, Gloucestershire
GL54 4HA
The Phone Box at the Edge o...Shop on Amazon
Quenington, Gloucestershire
GL7 5BJ
Caldcot, Gloucestershire
Caldcot Phone Box Library or Book Exchange
GL7 5FE
Eastington, Gloucestershire
GL54 3PN
Eastington is a hamlet in the English county of Gloucestershire, 1.5 miles from Northleach near Cirencester which forms the civil parish of Northleach with Eastington. The manor of Eastington was held by St Peter’s Abbey, Gloucester until the Reformation, then passed to the crown and subsequently the Dutton family.
Deerhurst, Gloucestershire
GL19 4BU
Brand Green, Gloucestershire
GL18 1EE
The Phone Box at the Edge o...Shop on Amazon
Little Lydiard, Swindon, Phone Box Library Gloucestershire
WHEN 50 books were stolen from her doorstep mum-of-two Kristina Cole was ready to give up her library service.
But thanks to the parish council and a disused phone box the Little Lydiard Library is back and better than ever. Read on.
Little Rissington Phone Box Library, Gloucestershire
GL54 2ND
Burley Gate Book Exchange, Hereford
BOOK LOVERS in Burley Gate have at last got their library back – in the village’s disused phone box.
The withdrawal several years ago of the county mobile library service hit the local elderly and young mothers with children very badly.
Now this has been remedied, albeit on a much smaller scale, with the launch of The Book Box which took place on Saturday, March 7.
A redundant telephone box just off the A465 had been purchased by the Much Cowarne Group Parish Council from British Telecom and was kindly offered for this new book service.
Burghill Book Exchange, Hereford
Banbury, Oxfordshire
Banbury Phone Box Library. If there’s a bright centre to the universe, it’s outside St John’s Church on South Bar. Come and have a look. Help yourself to a book. Read. Enjoy. Share
https://www.facebook.com/phoneboxlibrary
Henley-on-Thames Phone Box Library, Oxfordshire
Community Book Exchange in Henley-on-Thames (at the junction of St Andrew’s Road and Belle Vue Road).
Belle Vue Rd, Henley-on-Thames RG9 1JQ
Boxworth, Cambridgeshire
Location not known, please do get in touch if you know.
Apethorpe Telephone Box Library, Cambridgeshire
Burrough Green Telephone Box, Cambridgeshire
Newmarket, CB8 9NB
Gawcott, Buckinghamshire
Location not known, please do get in touch if you know.
Longstock Book Exchange, near Stockbridge, Hampshire
Stuston Phone Box Library, Near Diss Norfolk
Enterprising villagers in Stuston have converted an old phone box into a new, albeit compact, library.
“People can borrow any of the books and all we ask is that they leave a note to say when they borrowed it and how long for, so we can see what’s proving popular.
“It works the same way as a library, just a very small one.”
Chartham Phone Box Library, Canterbury, Kent
Chartham Phone Box Library
Welcome to the Chartham Phone Box Library,Please feel free to take and enjoy any books you’d like to read. We kindly ask in return that you leave the phone box as you’d expect to find it; if it’s messy, give it a little tidy, and only leave donations if there is room on a shelf (we will try to make sure there is some space each week). Please keep the floor space clear for visitors to access the library and browse safely.Enjoy,The Chartham Phone Box librarians
https://www.facebook.com/groups/charthamphoneboxlibrary
Sellindge Phone Box Library, Kent
Location not known, please do get in touch if you know.
Aldington Phone Box Library, Kent
Location not known, please do get in touch if you know.
St Margaret South Elmham Swap Box, Suffolk
Harleston, IP20 0HN
Woodham Ferrers Phone Box Library, Essex
Location not known, please do get in touch if you know.
Henham Phone Box Library, Essex
Henham, or Henham-on-the-Hill is a village and civil parish in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. The village is situated 2.5 miles (4 km) north from London Stansted Airport. The parish includes the hamlets of Little Henham and Pledgdon Green.
The Phone Box Library sits on the memorial junction…it’s a tiny village, and you can’t miss it. It provides such brilliant books (not self flattering at all.
) for all ages, including children.
Rottingdean Phone Box Library, East Sussex
Rottingdean, East Sussex, BN2 7HR (ish)
Emsworth Phone Box Library, West Sussex
This book exchange is conveniently located out side the actual library!
Bosham in West Sussex
Sampford Brett Phone Box Library, Somerset
The old telephone box (listed K series) now belongs to the Parish Council and houses books for loan, open to all. Read more about Sampford Brett here.
Westbury-Sub-Mendip Book Exchange, Somerset
Kenn Phone Box Library, Devon
Bolham Book Exchange, Devon
Tiverton, EX16 7RJ
Thurlestone Phone Box Library, Devon
TQ7 3AS
In 2012 BT decided to remove one of the old under-used red telephone boxes from Thurlestone Village. They offered it to the Parish Council for the princely sum of £1. Kit, a parishioner, heard about this and offered to take care of the box if they agreed to purchase it. Which they did but in fact never coughed up the £1!
A Telephone Box Committee was formed who had it painted, which the PC paid for, and then built some shelves, filled them with books and called it the THURLESTONE PHONEBOX EXCHANGE.
It is unlocked and the idea is that you take a book and leave a book. If you can’t leave one then you can make a voluntary donation in the Telephone Box tin in the local shop. You can read more on their website.
https://www.facebook.com/thurlestonephonebox
Topsham Phone Box Library, Devon
The Strand, Topsham
Woodbury Salterton Phone Box Library, Devon
An old sad redundant phone box that had stood empty in the village of Woodbury Salterton, has been spruced up, broken glass replaced shelves fitted and transformed into a Book Exchange
https://www.facebook.com/woodburysaltertonbookexchange/
St Hilary Book Exchange near Penzance in Cornwall
St Hilary is a civil parish and village in west Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately five miles east of Penzance and four miles south of Hayle. The book exchange is on the road between Goldsithney and St Hilary near the school.
Bradford Abbas Phone Box Library, Dorset
Specific location not know,
Find a Phone Box Library Near Me!
Lewisham Phone Box Library, London
Lewisham has new library, a micro library! Situated on Loampit Hill on the corner of Tyrwhitt Road a disused K2 classic British phone box has been transformed into Lewisham’s first mini library.It’s free for all – all we ask is if you take a book to read, please replace with an old book of you own if you can.The library will be open 24 hours so we are relying on the local community to use it, love it and keep watch over it.Interior designed and constructed by Sebastian Handley.Thank you to Claire Cowan at Brockley Society for administering the project.”Its not what you get, it’s what you leave behind”
https://www.facebook.com/Lewishammicrolibrary
Dyffryn Ceiriog Phone Box Library, Wrexham, Wales
Y Garth, Glyn Ceiriog in Dyffryn Ceiriog (the Ceiriog Valley) in the south of Wrexham Borough. Although this is a giveaway book exchange not a library per se.
Grade II listed K6 telephone box1 Bryn Eglwys, Garth, Glyn Ceiriog, Llangollen LL20 7NB
Cellan Phone Box Library, Lampeter, Wales
This Phone Box Library has been in this village in West Wales for about 10 years.
SA48 8JZ
Tighnabruaich Phone Box Library (West Coast of Scotland)
Tipperary Phone Box Library, Ireland
Tipperary Ireland has a very successful Phone Box Library on the go now for about 8/9 years. This year they have also included some food stuffs like cereal and tins of veg and fruit just incase there are people out there in need during the current climate.
This doesn’t appear to be just a British idea either – they have them in Germany too. https://www.buecherboxx.com/ Don’t forget if you’re visiting from abroad you might need a tourist visa for United Kingdom.
Why not PIN this post about Phone Box libraries or book exchanges in the UK
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There is now another one in Gloucestershire, in Gotherington near Bishops Cleeve.
Genius PR stunt by councils. Shut down local libraries and replace them with a shelf of random books in a tiny abandoned phone box. Patting themselves on the back turning a social service into a novelty whilst those need of a library are screwed over.