Librarians threaten woman who built book 'swap box' outside her home
Vigilante librarians target woman who built book ‘swap box’ outside her home during lockdown as they troll her online to claim it could lead to more closures and job losses
- Olivia Clements set up hand-made wooden unit to help neighbours in lockdown
- But she was called ‘stupid’ and told she had ‘no real understanding of libraries’
- Olivia, from Bristol, was also told the ‘swap box’ would spread coronavirus
A book lover who built a ‘swap box’ outside her home in lockdown has been trolled by librarians – claiming the idea is leading to closures and job losses.
Book shop worker, Olivia Clements, 23, installed the hand-made wooden unit to help her community in Bristol through the difficult days of the pandemic.
She found an old cabinet on the roadside and did it up – calling the green box ‘The Little Library’.
Olivia filled it with some books – which she encouraged others to swap and share.
She posted details on Twitter and was initially pleased with the response – until she started to receive negative comments.
This included feedback from librarians, with the husband of one telling her ‘it does not replace the knowledge and help that a librarian brings to people’.
He added that many librarians have lost jobs as a result of schemes like hers and have since been replaced by well meaning volunteers or not at all’.
Book shop worker, Olivia Clements, 23, installed the hand-made wooden unit to help her community in Bristol through the difficult days of the pandemic
She found an old cabinet on the roadside and did it up – calling the green box ‘The Little Library’
Olivia was called ‘stupid’ and ‘misguided’ and slammed for having ‘no real understanding of the role of libraries’.
She was also accused of doing ‘such a middle class thing’ and told the books would spread Covid.
One troll said: ‘So, take home a used book and maybe take home the virus that kills your mother.’
Olivia of Bishopston, Bristol, told the BBC: ‘It’s strange how something so small can turn very nasty.
‘I put the tweet up and by the end of the day it was my most successful tweet.
‘The most likes I had on a post before was about 20 but by Friday evening the tweet had about 380 likes and it got to around 10,000 in 24 hours.
‘It was odd but lovely to see the positive comments.
‘I can understand where they are coming from about calling it a library but it’s the way it was done.
‘I did it all with good intentions and its strange how something so small can turn very nasty.
‘If people want to call it a book swap rather than a library that’s fine by me.
‘It was rough and it made me understand why some people are reluctant to post online.’
Olivia posted details of her book box on February 5, writing: ‘I made a community library! If you’re in the Bishopston area of Bristol please feel free to visit, borrow, swap out, and enjoy some much needed escapism.’
Despite her good intentions, negative comments poured in, with one telling her: ‘Please look up current terminology in order to respect public libraries and library workers’
Another added: ‘This is a really middle class thing to do with no real understanding of collection management or the role of libraries as a place maker in the local community’
Another user belittled the idea and told Olivia that the scheme would spread coronavirus
But despite her good intentions negative comments soon poured in.
One user said: ‘Stick a few books in a box and call it a ‘community library’?
‘This is a really middle class thing to do with no real understanding of collection management or the role of libraries as a place maker in the local community.
‘Oh and the books need isolating for 72 hours on return and then cleaned otherwise you are putting people at risk of contagion. Sorry but completely misguided.’
Another added: ‘Very lovely, and in other circumstances very helpful. However, stupid in current circumstances!
‘The Covid virus survives for days in paper and over a week on plastics or other hard surfaces.
‘So, take home a used book and maybe take home the virus that kills your mother.’
One user, whose wife is a librarian, said: ‘This is a lovely initiative but it does not replace the knowledge and help that a librarian (like my wife) brings to people.
‘Many have lost their jobs, replaced by well meaning volunteers or not at all. A book swop…’
After reading the comments, Olivia followed up her original tweet and said: ‘Remember, I see every comment, even if not direct replies.
‘Your tweet may seem like nothing, but it adds to hundreds. Most are lovely, but some have been patronising, mocking, and vicious. Saying ‘I’m not attacking’, ‘I mean no offence’ doesn’t make it true. Be nice to people.’
Olivia works in Max Minerva’s bookshop in Westbury Park and the Bath branch of Waterstones.
She told the BBC she was well aware of how funding cuts and closures had affected libraries and had no intention of detracting from their work.
Olivia said the comments had been hurtful but thanked those who had supported her and shared pictures of their own book exchanges across the globe.
‘I sat there looking at the notifications and all the people who had liked the tweet or commented. It’s like they don’t realise I will see them,’ she said.
‘One or two may be okay but when its hundreds it does have an impact on you. I think the message I would send is please just be nice.’
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