“I have found my dream job at the Reading House”

Sjen: “A day without reading is a day not lived”

“Since I was four years old, I have been dreaming of running a bookstore. When I saw the volunteer vacancy for the Reading House at the Tolhuistuin, I immediately applied. Since then, I have found my dream job.”Shell Pin Entry Gate“The cottage itself was the time clock gate of the Shell from around 1937; all employees walked or rode through it on a (motor)bike to register at the beginning and end of the workday. Stichting De Tolhuistuin has laid a floor in that gate and added two walls that we can slide open in good weather. Bookshelves with donated books inside, plus a nice table with chairs and voilà, there was the Reading House. I manage it together with three other volunteers.”(text continues below the photo)

Every book deserves a second life“At Het Leeshuis, you will find beautiful books that are well organized, novels in alphabetical order by author, non-fiction by subject, and a separate shelf for children’s books. Just like in a ‘regular’ bookstore. It is a place to read quietly with a cup of tea or a glass of water. You can bring books, take books home, or exchange books. We believe that every book deserves a second life.”Happy children“What I love most is the happy smile of a child exclaiming, ‘And do you not need a card for this?’ or someone asking in surprise, ‘I don’t have to return the book?’ Or when someone brings a bag of beautiful books and shares how wonderful it is that these books don’t have to end up in the trash and can find a new reader through The Reading House.”The Reading House is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 12:00 to 17:00.
Address: Tolhuisweg 5.Photos: Huub Zeeman

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