BORDERLINE BOOKS

free books

free minds




in 2022 we gave away 28,900 books which was another record.



Groups holding English classes for refugees are welcome to write to us to request copies of English Grammar in Use, from Cambridge University Press. The books come in boxes of 10 and 12 and The books are free. shipping costs are approximately £10 per box.


We are hoping that once again groups taking part in Gateshead's BRIGHTEN THE DAY summer activities will come to us for books for children and adults.

We are also calling on FOOD BANKS to include food for thought amongst their offerings - families with insufficient money for food are certainly not going to buy books, even at charity shop prices.


Just ask - shy bairns.....


Our current opening hours are as follows:

Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10:0 - 16:00

Tuesday & Thursday closed


But please always check that we are in at these times - other events may mean last minute changes.

books in prison

We have been listed in the Hardman Directory since 2017  and send free books to people who write to us. In some prisons we need to send them in c/o a staff member who can see them through security and ensure that they reach the right person. We invite people working in Safer Custody, Education or Reducing Reoffending to get in touch.

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Literacy

The National Literacy Trust states that 9% of children and young people say that they don’t have any books of their own at home. We want to help change that. We contact local schools and community groups and encourage them to hold Free Book Fridays so that every child has books of their own. Of course, if the parents read it will help as well, so some groups take books for parents too.

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no waste​

We don't believe in destroying books. There's always another way. We try to find new purposes for the books that are beyond repair or long out of date. Some are used for art projects, some for stage sets, who knows, some may have become beds for guinea pigs... think of something!

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WHAT WE DO

WE COLLECT BOOKS NO LONGER NEEDED BY PUBLISHERS, LIBRARIES, SHOPS AND 

THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND DONATE THEM TO ORGANIsATIONS WORKING WITH PEOPLE 

WHO FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO BUY BOOKS.

this includes organisations supporting people who are homeless, women's refuges, bail hostels, young people's hostels, refugee groups,  food banks and people in prison.

We aim to reach people who do not or cannot use public libraries


We also welcome donations of books in any language from authors and literary agencies.

First copies will go to our Multilingual Library and duplicates will go to prisons or to other multilingual libraries around the uk.

making a difference

thank you so much for the books and for the [toy] dog for my little brother, he will be so pleased.

pupil Furrowfield School