Book swap scheme turns Sunderland seafront into open-air library

Book lovers are being invited to combine a good read with a sea view after four Little Libraries sprang up along the coast. The book cases have been installed on Sunderland seafront where holidaymakers and local people can borrow, exchange or replace a book. The aim is to get visitors to enjoy reading by the sea by choosing one of the libraries' offerings, while at the same time giving a new home to books which might otherwise be gathering dust at home. The Little Libraries have been set up at The Seaburn Inn, The Tram Shelter, Adventure Sunderland and the Marina by the city's Seafront Volunteer Group and Sunderland Seafront BID. Each of the four cases has been turned into a one-off work of art by Su Devine, from Sunderland's Art Cafe, and the project has backing from the National Literacy Trust. Roberta Redecke, head of business services at Sunderland BID, said the response so far had been "brilliant". Reading pleasure "People are really embracing the Little Libraries and finding them an incredibly useful way to take the opportunity to read against the backdrop of Sunderland's magnificent coastline," she said. "It's a small but really effective way to make a visit to the seafront even more enjoyable and something everyone can take part in." The launch ties in with 2026 being the National Year of Reading - a UK-wide push to get more people discovering the pleasure of reading. A Look For the Book treasure hunt between Roker and Seaburn, with copies hidden along the route for visitors to find and keep, will take place on 3 October. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.