Penguin to open '90 Little Book Stops' across the UK

Penguin Books has announced it will install a series of book boxes, which it is calling "90 Little Book Stops", in communities across the UK. Each box will run a “give a book, take a book” concept in order to promote community-led book sharing.

The project is part of the publisher’s ongoing 90th birthday celebrations. The initiative is designed to champion reading, make books more easily accessible and help book lovers find their next read.

Each stop will be installed with an initial curation of books specially selected to celebrate 90 years of Penguin publishing. It will be run in partnership with US-based non-profit Little Free Library, which has overseen the installation of over 200,000 neighbour book exchange boxes since 2009.

Penguin is looking for suggestions from the public as to where the 90 Little Book Stops should be located. The company is also seeking to appoint a local steward for each stop who will be in charge of maintenance.

Applicants, be it individuals or organisations, who are interested have until 1st May to apply and suggest their location ideas.

Rebecca Sinclair, chief brand officer at Penguin, said: “Widening access to books is at the heart of Penguin’s origin story [...] Books and reading are a wonderful way to build connections and create communities and we hope that our 90 Little Book Stops will enable that in the locations lucky enough to have one. We’re excited to work with a community of stewards to connect books with readers and to champion the ongoing power of reading.”

Greig Metzger, executive director at Little Free Library, said: "We are honoured to help celebrate Penguin’s 90th anniversary with the installation of 90 Little Book Stop boxes across the UK. We believe everyone has the right to read, and we hope these book-sharing boxes will build community, inspire readers and expand book access where it is needed most."

For those interested in applying, and to make suggestions, visit the website.