AFTER a four-month closure due to COVID-19, the Mount Gambier Marketplace’s Little Library has returned with the TARDIS-shaped bookshelf full once again.
Nestled among businesses at the shopping centre’s northern fringe, the free community library allows anyone to take and exchange books from the Doctor Who-themed storage unit at their leisure.
Mount Gambier Marketplace marketing executive Paula Creasey welcomed the service’s return with the public back into the swing of borrowing books.
“We have been really overwhelmed by the community response to be honest,” she said.
“We were worried some people might take books and sell them, but generally people enjoy the service so they are doing the right thing and their generosity has been fantastic.
“Each day there are new books.”
The eye-catching bookshelf was built in conjunction with youths from the Independent Learning Centre and Grant High School.
It opened in November last year and hundreds of books transitioned from its shelves each week at its peak.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the method of exchanging books is not quite as simple as it once was.
Instead of just placing books on the shelf at any moment, donations must now be dropped into the centre to ensure they are cleaned before use.
Ms Creasey said the Little Library had helped boost community spirit around the shopping centre.
“It is nice to have the area for people to sit and read again,” she said.
“It does give everyone a boost because things have been moving so fast in recent months.”
