Wednesday 21 October 2015

Urban Fox Spotted In Tower Hamlets

London's urban foxes have an ability to pop up in the most unlikely places. Today, an urban fox has made a permanent home in Wapping thanks to Tower Hamlets Community Housing. The fox in question is of course one of our fabulous Hannah Adamaszek designed Urban Fox Little Free Libraries. This is Tower Hamlet's first LFL.

The LFL is perfectly placed on Wapping High Street at the junction of Lilley Close. Tower Hamlets Community Housing chose the location so that the LFL could be enjoyed by its residents, the local community and all visitors to this historic part of London.



Author Stephanie Saulter officially opened the library by donating copies of her book. Stephanie’s third novel, Regeneration, completes the trilogy that began with Gemsigns and continued in Binary. The stories are set in 22nd century London, and chronicle the struggles of a genetically modified people, the gems, first to escape the grip of the commercial companies that created them, and then to overcome the suspicion, discrimination and prejudice which they face from the norm majority. In Regeneration, the gems’ emergence as innovators and entrepreneurs in their own right begins to threaten not only entrenched business interests, but the entire political status quo.


Stephanie said: “I’m a big fan of what the Little Free Libraries, and indeed all libraries, do for their communities; but this particular library, in this particular place, has a huge resonance with my own work. I was very aware of the historic and cultural significance of the different parts of the city that I used in the novels. The area of east London where the majority of my characters live is known to them as the Squats, and it’s a safe haven for homeless, victimised, marginalised people – a place from which they can begin to rebuild their lives. In our time, that same area is known as … Wapping. But it gets even better, because those newly emancipated people learn what they need to know in part by accessing archived knowledge. In other words, they consult the library. I can’t tell you how delighted I am to see that tale come full circle.”

The next time you're in Wapping, be sure to stop by and donate a book, take a book or both. Thanks to everyone at Tower Hamlets Community Housing and Stephanie Saulter for bringing more books to the East End. 

Tuesday 6 October 2015

London's Little Free Libraries

We're building Little Free Libraries for communities all across the UK, but in today's post we share photos of some of our favourite Little Free Libraries from around the capital. Happy reading!

Little Free Library London UK
A TARDIS, some foxes and telephone boxes. Stop by, take a look and pick up a book. Great Portland Street Phone Box Little Free Library; Foxes in Wapping and Walthamstow; and a Little TARDIS Library, landing here, there and everywhere.

Little Free Library London UK

Investigating something new in the neighbourhood. Clapton, Hackney.


Johnny Rotten and Samuel Plimsoll came both from here, so we thought they should meet on the Prah Road Little Free Library, Finsbury Park.

Little Free Library Finsbury Park UK

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." Cicero. Finsbury Park.

Little Free Library London UK

Peacock inspired Little Free Library Holland Park.

Little Free Library London UK

Books in the playground at Heathmere School, Roehampton.

Little Free Library London UK

Read a book by the river in Wapping.

Little Free Library London UK

Roar! Red Lion Lane, Shooters Hill/Woolwich.

Little Free Library London UK

Lost in a book in Walthamstow Village.

Little Free Library London UK

Pick up a book on your way home from school in E17.


Magic Forest Little Free Library, Highams Park E4.


Happy reading in Wanstead.

Little Free Library London UK

Follow the white rabbit... to Walthamstow.

Friday 2 October 2015

The Little Free Library map of Waltham Forest

We're installing Little Free Libraries in communities all over the UK. From Bradford in the north to Brighton in the south and lots of wonderful communities in between. One community in North East London (Walthamstow) has really embraced the Little Free Library movement and now has 25 LFLs in and around the area, the largest neighbourhood network in the UK.

The first one was installed on Garner Road in May 2014, with the most recent opening it's tiny door on Springfield Road on Monday 28th September. The map includes LFLs installed throughout the borough, including Leyton, Leytonstone and Highams Park. To celebrate this Little Free Library landmark, we've created a Waltham Forest Little Free Library map. Happy reading!



If you live in London and love to read books, why not take a tour. The LFLs are always brimming with books, but equally always need new donations too. Children's books are particularly welcome!

Special thanks to all of Waltham Forest's brilliant LFL hosts, all of the tremendously talented artists and all the groups, organisations and businesses that have helped fund this project. Find out more at www.lflproject.org