Stockton on the Forest Community Library
The Stockton on the Forest Community Library is a small, volunteer-run library created to bring reading and connection back to the heart of our village. Housed inside the restored red telephone box on The Village, it’s open to everyone and operates on a simple “take a book, leave a book” basis. The library is managed by the Stockton on the Forest Scout Group as part of our commitment to supporting our local community and preserving village heritage. Whether you’re swapping novels, discovering something new, or simply stopping to browse, our little library is there for everyone to enjoy.
Location
Located outside the Fox Pub, opposite our village school, our Community Library is quite literally in the heart of our village.
Can I donate books?
Absolutely! In fact, your donations are what make the library possible.
We’ve started with a small collection of “seed books” to get things going, but once we’re up and running, we’d love you to visit, explore, and add your own books to the shelves.
Our motto is “Bring a book, take a book” — but even if you don’t have a book to donate right now, you’re still very welcome to come along, browse, and borrow a book to enjoy.
Can I help support this community asset
Yes — absolutely, and in so many ways!
The Community Library is managed by Stockton on the Forest Scout Group, a local charity based right here in the village. We’re always grateful for new volunteers and supporters who want to help keep this project thriving. If you’d like to get involved, please use our join form to let us know.
While time and volunteer effort are the most valuable resources, there are also ongoing costs involved in maintaining the library. If you’d like to contribute financially, please use the donate button below — every little bit helps us keep this special community asset going strong.
How did we get here?
In early 2025, we became aware that BT had requested permission from City of York Council to remove the iconic red telephone box in the heart of our village. This much-loved piece of history was something we felt strongly should remain.
As a local charity, we were in a unique position to help preserve it. Quietly, in the background, we began working on a plan.
We explored how the telephone box could have the biggest positive impact on our community. After considering — and ruling out — a few ideas due to costs and upkeep, the management team agreed that a community library would be the perfect fit.
In August 2025, BT approved our application to adopt the kiosk!
We were over the moon to receive confirmation that our application had been successful. While slightly behind our ideal schedule, this meant we could finally begin the transformation.
BT have now removed the payphone and officially handed the kiosk into our care.
Over the coming weeks, we will transform the telephone box into the Stockton on the Forest Community Library. We’ll share updates as the project progresses, and we can’t wait to welcome you to use and enjoy this new village space.
👉 Watch this space!