Highland Book Bothy
Improving literacy one book at a time.
The Highland Book Bothy will be a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) responsible for finding, creating, and setting up neighbourhood book boxes in rural and remote areas around Nairnshire and Moray.
Our Mission: To provide accessible literacy resources for adults and children to enhance literacy skills, confidence, mental health and wellbeing, and improve life opportunities.
Our Plan: To make reading easy and fun! We hope to set up book boxes of all shapes and sizes in neighbourhoods and rural communities so that anyone who needs a book can easily find one.
“Our goal is to make books more accessible, especially for people living in rural communities and neighbourhoods away from a public library.”
What We Know
Access to books can help those struggling with literacy. Government figures show 16.4% of people in Scotland face literacy challenges.
Improved literacy builds confidence and contributes to stronger social and mental wellbeing.
Nairnshire and Moray have a diverse population including elderly people, young families and seasonal workers.
Book Bothy Benefits
The Highland Book Bothy will put more books into the hands of more people! We aim to serve:
- Adults and families looking for easy-to-access literacy and reading materials
- People with limited transportation options, particularly in rural areas
- Anyone wanting to connect with neighbours, expand reading goals, and help reduce waste by recycling books
How It Works
The 'take a book, leave a book' model creates a free, community-based book exchange on an honour system.
Take a Book from a designated exchange point (kiosk or pop-up), and
Leave a Book when you've finished reading it – either the one you've taken or any other!
How We Plan to Do It
Community Book Kiosks
Neighbourhood 'take a book, leave a book' lending libraries located in communities throughout Nairnshire and Moray.
Bookmobile
A mobile and pop-up service that can bring books to you in your rural community on a regular basis. The bookmobile could also attend community events, like summer fayres and street markets.