Reading Allowed: True Stories and Curious Incidents from a Provincial Library Book

Chris Paling works in a small-town library in the south of England and in Reading Allowed he introduces some of the quirky characters who use this invaluable service on a day-to-day basis.There are the street-sleepers Brewer, Wolf and Spencer who are always first through the doors; The Mad Hatter - an elderly man who scurries around manically searching for books; and Sons of Anarchy Alan, a young man with Down's Syndrome who is addicted to the popular American drama.There's also the relentlessly cheerful Trish, who is always dressed in pink and has never been married although everyone else's marital status is of huge interest to her. Some of the characters' stories are tragic, some are amusing and some are genuinely surreal. Together they show just how important libraries are and what a huge impact they have on local communities.One of the few places left where people of all ages, incomes and backgrounds can wander in and speak to someone about their concerns or just for a general chat, this book is a celebration of libraries and their important role in society.