When Spellow Community Hub and Library was destroyed, local resident Alex McCormick stepped up to save it. Her speech at the Reading Rights Summit sums up why libraries are vital gateways to books, and integral to BookTrust’s work.
“Last August, I set out to raise £500 to help replace the books that were lost when Spellow Community Hub and Library was burned during the riots.
“Because people value books, reading and safe spaces, the fundraiser hit £250,000, which completely passed the £500 target, and anybody’s expectations.
“Financially, I gained nothing from fundraising for Spellow Hub Library – nor would I want to. What I did gain was far more valuable. I was privileged enough to talk to the children who call Spellow a second home, to hear their excitement when the library reopened, and their wonder at what new books would await them.
“I witnessed parents’ relief that their children would once again have a safe place to hang out the weekend and after school. I can’t help but wonder if people who threw bricks on that dark August night know what they were taking away.
Did the people who’ve been responsible for the closure of libraries up and down the country realise the gravity of their actions? And do we want to encourage a world without magic and imagination?
“I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by books, at home, at school, at my nanny’s house, at local community spaces. I was always encouraged to escape our horrible world, and dive into worlds of love and adventure, of vampires and fairies, worlds of magic.
“Through that encouragement I found this book, Paradise, which was my nanny’s, then my mum’s, and now it sits proudly on my own bookshelf. It was the first book I ever read that I distinctly remember being sad to finish.
“That is such a beautiful and privileged thing to be able to feel. It means you’ve enjoyed it and immersed yourself in it. Following on from that sadness came joy and happiness. Because I knew, with the access that I had, I could read this book a thousand times if I wanted to. Which I think I have. So much so, that my little girl, Meredith, shares her name with the protagonist of this book.
“I think back to myself and if I hadn’t had the access that I had to stories, it’s my daughter’s name that would have been stolen from me – and I wouldn’t even know it.
Image: Chris Riddell
“I only got to this book by going through the motions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, which is still a firm favourite in our house. I think every Biff, Chip and Kipper book got read more than once.
“We need these stories. And we need them from when our kids are babies. We need that to encourage them to become the people that are going to run this country and run the world in the future.
“I believe you could draw a direct line, connecting my access to books as a child to my reaction to the tragic events at Spellow Hub last August.
“I believe that when we close the door to the worlds in these pages, we’re stealing from our children on a gravity that we can’t understand.
“And I believe that your ability to unlock your imagination and find escapism and solace in the power of a good book should not be a postcode lottery.”
Get involved
Libraries play an essential role in making reading a universal right for every child. Find out the vision for a City of Stories in the Reading Rights report.
