Book swap

In the second of our series of blog posts outlining easy ways to support our colleagues and customers with the cost of living crisis, Abi Heath from the School of Pharmacy Library has compiled tips from across LCCOS on creating effective book swaps.

Setting up a book swap is a great way to help promote wellbeing, sustainability and help people with the cost-of-living crisis.

The Reading Agency review in 2015 concluded that studies had found reading for pleasure had several benefits enhancing empathy, increasing understanding of the self and the ability to understand one’s own and others’ identities.

Several library sites are already offering book swaps, and these are very simple to set up:

1. Find a space for your book swap.

This could be a spare trolley that you can utilise or else consider setting one up on a window still or other suitable space using bookends.

2. You will need some books to get started.

To get donations consider:

• Asking colleagues (keen readers may have read their Christmas books already or you may be able to take advantage of people doing a spring clean/ decluttering)
• Put a call out to the department to see if any staff or student have books that they would like to donate.
• Get in touch with one of the UCL libraries already offering a book swap to see if they can spare some titles to help get you started.

Planning on doing some spring cleaning soon? Got some books you don’t need anymore? Bring them to LaSS library! We’re taking donations up until 12th May.
We'll be including these in our book swap, taking place between 25th April to 13th May. 📚📖 #sustainableucl pic.twitter.com/LHKQxacUTy

— UCL LaSS Library (@UCLLaSSLibrary) March 7, 2022

3. Promote 

Let your users know that you have a book swap and encourage them to come and help themselves or donate books. The Sustainability team have useful posters on their webpages (under criteria 012) that you can use.

You might also want to consider promoting via social media as well – School of Pharmacy have used Instagram stories to promote new books when they are donated.

Some happy book swap customers might also post their swaps on social as well. Keep an eye out for these and reshare.

What a great book! 👀 https://t.co/zbfNwtpCLu

— UCL Libraries (@UCLLibraries) February 8, 2023

4. You may also want to tie in with other fundraising activities.

At Queen Square Library two Professors donated books to help raise additional funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK as part of wider fundraising.

Two Profs, Two Marathons, Two Continents: one book display! Take away a fascinating (non-neurology) read & sponsor @HelenePFavreau and @SelinaWray running London & Chicago Marathons in October 2022 for ⁦@ARUKscientist. Sponsorship link also at: https://t.co/bArjd8pob4 pic.twitter.com/QspwoBMyfh

— Queen Square Library (@neurolib) September 20, 2022

5. Keep your books fresh.

Books can be sat on your shelf for a while – why not contact another site to see if they would like to ‘swap’ titles from their book swap.

Thanks to Grazia Manzotti and Sarah Lawson for sharing tips and photos of their book swaps.