Roslin Little Free Library

07/06/2026

Well that was a strange week. I had no broadband for 5 days which meant I got really behind on prepping books and didn't visit the Glencorse Centre this week - my apologies - the Little House was being well used so I was concentrating on keeping that filled up. On the plus side I read 3 books and got lots of housework done, so not all bad, says a lot about how much time I spend online.

Looking at the photos, I realise there's a bit of a gap on the bottom shelf of the Little House, so I'll pop another book in after I've done all the social media stuff.

Now a reminder that the Book Group meeting is next Sunday 14th June from 3pm at The Glencorse Centre. All welcome, but if you haven't already told me, please let me know if you plan to come along so that I can book the right number of tables.

Lastly,

This week's photos are:

The usual ones of the shelves

The contents of the White Box of children's/teen's/YA books

A photo of some of the bigger books in the new White Box.

My shelf in The Glencorse Centre (29th May 2026).

All boxes will be outside every day weather permitting. I take them inside around 5pm or dusk, whichever is earlier.

I do check the books in the little house late afternoon each day (weather permitting) and top up/replace any taken, so there should always be a full selection to browse.

The book donation situation: the total inside my house is 651 (not including 3 bags).

For details of the precautions taken to ensure the books are not contaminated in any way, please see the 'about' section of the page.

The Little Free Library is outside my house (6 Minstrel Court) on the left hand side.

Feel free to take any you want. I do not want them back - although if you have a Christmas themed book I'll be happy to have them back once read so that I can use them again next year - otherwise feel free to keep, pass to someone else or return if you prefer to, I can always reuse them.

Let me know if there's an author, title or genre you'd like me to try and include and I'm more than happy to deliver a book/books, locally, to you if you can't get out.

If, when you are round and about, you visit Auchendinny, I have a bookshelf in The Glencorse Centre and there is a "little free library" in the Phone Box at the bottom of The Brae (which has been repainted and revamped by Penicuik's Men's Shed), the phone box in Penicuik, outside The Storehouse, has been painted and kitted out and is now stocking books. There's also a bookcase in Pentland Plants Cafe but that isn't free - they request a donation to their chosen charity.

If you plan to leave books at any of these locations, please don't overload them - maybe check first if there is room.

PS I also have copies of Roslin Rambles available for £1. If you want to buy one, just comment below and I'll arrange it.

31/05/2026

Having some problems with my broadband so a brief message today with just the pictures. The main news is that the white box is back and will be outside whenever the weather is suitable.

29/05/2026

The White Box is back! Out on the step now

24/05/2026

First of all lots of thank you's! To my neighbours for the loan of the gazebo, to Roslin Masonic Lodge for the loan of the tables, to my friends for keeping me company, but most of all to all of you who came along to browse books and take some home. Not only was it lovely to be able to meet and chat with you, but you've freed up some much needed space in my house.

Now my apology. I totally over scheduled myself this week (physio, opticians, U3A and two full day shifts stewarding Roslin Thru A Lens on top of all my usual stuff) and that means that while I've been through all the boxes of adult books and cross referenced them against my spreadsheet, I've not started on the Children's Books. I did manage to go to the Glencorse Centre and update the bookshelf (still no idea what happened to my sign) and the Little House has been refilled but there is no White Box as yet. I will be heading up to Penicuik Cricket Club today to check their shelves. Hopefully this week I'll get through the children's books or, at the very least, enough of them to put the White Box back out.

BTW, it may not look like the total number of books has gone down much (my current total is 240 rehomed during the destash) but I did sort through and add 2 boxes of books from my garage that I'd been putting off and have had a few donations since last weekend. I do expect the number to change again once I've worked through the Children's books.

Lastly,

This week's photos are:

The usual ones of the shelves

My shelf in The Glencorse Centre

All boxes will be outside every day weather permitting. I take them inside around 5pm or dusk, whichever is earlier.

I do check the books in the little house late afternoon each day (weather permitting) and top up/replace any taken, so there should always be a full selection to browse.

The book donation situation: the total inside my house is 708 (not including 2 bags).

For details of the precautions taken to ensure the books are not contaminated in any way, please see the 'about' section of the page.

The Little Free Library is outside my house (6 Minstrel Court) on the left hand side.

Feel free to take any you want. I do not want them back - although if you have a Christmas themed book I'll be happy to have them back once read so that I can use them again next year - otherwise feel free to keep, pass to someone else or return if you prefer to, I can always reuse them.

Let me know if there's an author, title or genre you'd like me to try and include and I'm more than happy to deliver a book/books, locally, to you if you can't get out.

If, when you are round and about, you visit Auchendinny, I have a bookshelf in The Glencorse Centre and there is a "little free library" in the Phone Box at the bottom of The Brae (which has been repainted and revamped by Penicuik's Men's Shed), in Bilston there are two book boxes just inside the gate of Bilston Community Garden, the phone box in Penicuik, outside The Storehouse, has been painted and kitted out and is now stocking books. There's also a bookcase in Pentland Plants Cafe but that isn't free - they request a donation to their chosen charity.

If you plan to leave books at any of these locations, please don't overload them - maybe check first if there is room.

PS I also have copies of Roslin Rambles available for £1. If you want to buy one, just comment below and I'll arrange it.

24/05/2026

Maybe I should try this next year ;-)

Weekend vibes! 😎

Credit: Speed Bump by Dave Coverly

18/05/2026

Exciting news for Scotland's young readers – and their families!

This Bookbug Week (18–24 May 2026), we're thrilled to announce that every three-year-old in Scotland will receive a Bookbug Explorer Bag, packed with high-quality books, rhymes and fun resources to help spark a lifelong love of reading.

Bookbug is at the very heart of what Scottish Book Trust does as a charity. It is our core belief that every child in Scotland deserves the life-changing magic of books.

By having a national approach, we can make a big splash about it and increase awareness of the benefits of sharing stories, songs and rhymes to all families.

We'd like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to the people across Scotland who are helping us to put books in children's hands this week.

Happy Bookbug Week, made extra special by the National Year of Reading!

18/05/2026

Initial totals from the weekend:
Saturday = 134
Sunday = 106
So that's 240 books found new homes over the weekend.

I'm still to go through the boxes and cross reference against my spreadsheet and I do have some books on oneside for folk that couldn't make it, so that total may change.

Really happy with how it all went but, if I do it next year I must remember to check when Eurovision is so that I get some sleep and some sacrifices to the weather gods might be useful too, although it was better than I feared yesterday.

Thanks again to all that came along, it was lovely to chat to you and makes it much more fun.

17/05/2026

Well, that's it over for another year. I've still to tot up how many books taken today and the grand total but I already know that I've emptied at least 5 boxes.
Thanks to everyone that came along, I really enjoyed meeting folk and seeing all your choices. All things being equal, I'll do it again next year.

PS Nearly forgot: The little house is currently empty. Will get it filled up with a new selection of books very soon - might not be Monday as I now need to sort through what books I have left.

17/05/2026

Day 2 of the destash and I'm all set up. Rehomed 133 books yesterday and chatted with lots of folk. Hoping for similar today between showers.

16/05/2026

I've had a brilliant day today. Thanks to everyone that came along. I reckon at least two boxes of books have found new homes.
Keep your fingers crossed for another dry day when I do it all again!
Hope to see some of you tomorrow.