A second Little Free Library in Leeds has been vandalised by yobs

Yobs have ripped up books left inside a Little Free Library on a street in Leeds.
The Little Free Library near York Road in Swarcliffe (pic: Brenda Lockridge)The Little Free Library near York Road in Swarcliffe (pic: Brenda Lockridge)
The Little Free Library near York Road in Swarcliffe (pic: Brenda Lockridge)

There are over 30 Little Free Libraries in neighbourhoods across the city. Anyone can use them to borrow a book or donate reading material and they are free to access.

Meet the woman who set up the Free Little Library scheme in LeedsBrenda Lockridge, who set up a Little Free Library on Southwood Crescent in Swarcliffe, near York Road, was shocked to discover that vandals had thrown books out of the library and destroyed them just weeks after a similar incident at Chapel Allerton's Little Free Library.

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She has now decided to empty the library at night and keep the books inside her own home to protect them from damage.

"Update on my Little Free Library. My husband has just been to the shop and found some of my books ripped up and scattered all over the place. We think it's been done by a gang of kids who hang around the shops at night causing bother. From now on, I will take the books inside when it gets dark, so if you want to use it, call during the day. If you can only get here in the evenings, let me know and you can come in and see what there is. So sorry about this. My husband always said this would happen but I chose to ignore him because I wanted to do something good. Gutted right now."

A Little Free Library in West Ardsley has now been fitted with a lockable protective case made by a local volunteer after similar incidents of books being removed, damaged and even burned by youths.

While in Chapel Allerton, books were thrown into the bushes during the night when the Little Free Library on Regent Street was targeted.

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The first Little Free Library was set up in Headingley in 2017 after founder Carry Franklin was inspired by a similar scheme she'd seen in London. Since then more have opened in areas including Bramley, West Ardsley, Farsley, Chapeltown, Roundhay, Holt Park and Woodhouse, and there are now nearly 30 across the city. She has received funding from the council's Leeds Inspired grant pot.