SOME people’s passions can take over their lives, and one such person is Linda Robson-Burrell.

The Newton Abbot mum loves books so much she’s set up a free reading library outside her home in Primrose Drive.

She said: ‘I was quite introverted when I was younger and have always loved reading and books in themselves.’

For some time she had toyed with the idea of setting up a community library, and was spurred on with the onset of Covid.

She said: ‘I’d wanted to do something like this for a while but wasn’t confident to do it alone. Being part of the Little Free Library group makes me part of a community.

‘During the first lockdown a lot of people were decluttering their homes. The libraries were closed and the charity shops had shut down.

‘I thought of all those unwanted but beautiful books simply being thrown onto the tip and knew I had to do something.

‘I’m a member of a local Facebook group so I put an appeal out for anyone to let me have any books they no longer needed.’

Pretty soon the books started coming in... to the extent that half her garage was taken over with boxes and bags of reading matter.

‘There were hundreds of them,’ Linda said. ‘The response was just incredible!’

Her lending library is part of Littlefreelibrary.org. It’s an international not-for-profit group whose philosophy is ‘take a book, share a book.’ People can drop off unwanted books and pick up something new to read 24/7. An app is available which gives the location of the nearest library.

Outside Linda’s house in Primrose Drive there’s an ornate cupboard containing the latest additions of books for adults and children. It was built by a local handyman and recently refurbished by kind neighbours Kathy and Nigel.

Within the cupboard there’s also a flower and veg seeds library, where people can drop off unwanted seed packets and take what they want. That’s kept pretty well stocked by neighbour Steve, but new seeds are aways welcomed.

Another neighbour donated £70 which was used to build bookshelves in her house to store the huge number of books she needs.

After the books have been read a few times and are no longer going out, they are passed on to a neighbour who sells them on a charity stall for MIND. Others are boxed up and sent to Books For Africa.

‘Hardbacks don’t seem to do so well so I pass those on to Newton Abbot Library to put in their book sales,’ she said.

Keen reader Linda, a fan of Agatha Christie, used to work as a special needs teaching assistant and helping youngsters with dyslexia is a cause close to her heart.

Last month she and friends Vicki and Peter set up a stall selling cakes and home made chutneys and raised £300 which was used to buy dyslexic-friendly books for her library.

There’s a next chapter to Linda’s story, as she’s now raising funds to buy a small store shed for the front garden. This will house another library – for games and jigsaw puzzles. To this end she and her husband Brian will be making an appearance at a Newton Abbot primary school, dressed as Mr and Mrs Claus.

‘The school will also be donating towards the new games shed,’ Linda said.

‘I can’t tell you how popular the library is. I have to top it up every day, sometimes when I’ve popped out I returned to find it half empty.

‘We have a lot of young mothers with little ones who can’t get out, as well as older people who rely on this.

‘I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped me. I am really lucky to live in such a lovely, amazing community.’

Lind is always looking for more donations. If anyone has any unwanted books they can contact her on her Facebook page, Linda’s Little Free Library.