Mayor, Cllr Michael Lilley

Books on the Beach: Collaborative innovation with ideas taken forward by working together

Ryde Town Council and Ryde Library are delighted to be able to announce a brand new collaboration to bring free reading to Ryde beaches.

Books on the Beach was the brainchild of Ryde Library’s Jo Dodd, who contacted Ryde Town Council about ways that the two organisations could work more closely together on joint projects.

Books on the Beach
A few different ideas were generated and the first one to be launched is Books on the Beach.

Based from the new offices at Ryde Marina a bright orange, unmissable trolley will be filled with books that have recently been withdrawn from the library shelves. People can come and take one and head onto the beach for the day. This free service will run from the Jubilee weekend throughout the summer.

Dodd: They have a definite good few reads in them yet
Jo said,

“We regularly have books that aren’t quite in good enough condition to put back on our shelves, but are far too good to throw away – they have a definite good few reads in them yet!

“Books on the Beach seemed like the perfect idea and I’m so glad that Ryde Town Council are going to be able to give them a new lease of life.”

Collecting 'books on the beach' from the library

Allan Bridges, RTC’s Business Development Manager said,

“Books, sunshine and the beach have always gone together perfectly so we are delighted to be able to run such a wonderful service.

“We hope that people will take books, enjoy them and return them but also continue to donate new books so that Books on the Beach continues to be a success.”

Lilley: A classic case of ideas taken forward by working together
Cllr Michael Lilley, Mayor of Ryde said,

“This kind of collaborative innovation is exactly what Ryde needs – a classic case of ideas taken forward by working together.

“A huge thank you to Jo at Ryde Library for the books and for yet another reason that Ryde is the place to be this Summer!”


News shared by Hannah on behalf of Ryde Town Council. Ed