The open-air library of Leuven is almost here

The residents in Heverlee will have a quaint place to read in the park

On 28 July, a new library will pop up on Sint-Lambertusplein, a park in the City of Leuven in Belgium. The small library is called Bip op het Plein and will be a stand-in for the local Heverlee library, currently closed for renovation.

The temporary library will offer access to the Heverlee’s inventory during the renovation, but it will also create a quiet space for reading in the park. The Bip op het Plein will be open until mid-September and will present a diverse summer programme full of activities for local kids and adults.

People should always have access to their local library

Of course, first and foremost, the take-out library will provide a purely practical service, letting people order their books, running a pick-up desk, while the Heverlee library is closed.

Alderman for culture Denise Vandevoort was quoted in a press release, saying: “The residents in Heverlee should not miss their library for a minute during the summer months. Our members can place free reservations and pick them up in the pick-up library. We organize a lot of summer activities for young and old”.

At the same time, the pop-up library hopes to take advantage of the summer and provide its visitors with a rich programme of events. At tomorrow’s opening at 2 pm, there will be an airbrush tattoo station and a juice tap, where attendees can mix and make their own freshly squeezed juice.

Other activities spread out across the coming months include kamishibai stories, an acrobatic workshop, making your own comic strip and playing African games. At the same time, the venue will set up a book exchange where people can freely trade books with their neighbours.

All activities are free and no prior registration is required.