A VILLAGE’S men’s public toilets are to double up as a mini public library with the urinals boxed off to allow people to access its books.

Milverton Parish Council reopened the toilet block next to the Victoria Rooms about 18 months ago following a £30,000 refit after it had been closed during the Covid pandemic.

Now, councillors have agreed to allow it to be used for a year-long trial for a ‘Book Nook’ project after a parish survey showed demand for a mobile or informal library service.

The council said Somerset’s mobile library service could not expand its current offer because of a lack of funds, while attending public libraries in Wiveliscombe, Wellington, or Taunton could be problematic.

Councillors noted a telephone box in Houndsmoor had been repurposed as a ‘book swop’ location and was proving popular and well supported by people living close to it.

They said the Book Nook would be an ‘informal, honour-based library system’ for all ages, where parishioners could borrow books within a recommended timescale, ensuring stock standards were maintained, and books could be shared widely.

A spokesperson said: “There will be a reliance on parishioners respecting the service and following an expected ‘code of conduct’.

“Books can be donated in any sensible quantity but will have a required standard, ie condition, age, content, and duplication.

“It will need to be monitored for organisation, tidiness, maintaining safe cleaner cubicle access, and book suitability.”

The toilets would continue to be opened and locked for daylight hours on a daily basis.

A target date of the end of January has been set for the opening of the Book Nook, and villagers Anna Farrow and Lou Heald are appealing for any book donations and also complete jigsaw puzzles, and anybody who would like to volunteer to help with the project.

Ms Farrow said: “We can collect larger donations or help anybody with accessibility support requirements.”

If the trial is not successful, councillors could either sell off the book stock to rase funds for the Milverton Trust, or donate to charity shops or recycle, while the urinals would be unboxed.