This story is a slice of life set in a local lending library. A place where a cross section of residents from the community frequent the facility, ostensibly to borrow books. However, as we get to know the individual characters, we discover that there are a variety of reasons for their visit ? and the frequency of their visits ? and borrowing books is just one of them. Readers will meet:

DORIAN the Librarian: the worker with ATTITUDE. She's acerbic, hates her life, hates her job, hates the customers. She's distinctly dowdy, has never been involved in a serious relationship and her favourite reading is romance novels and travelogues.

SALLY the empty-nest housewife: a career homemaker whose husband left her for his secretary. She's scatty, over-enthusiastic, nosey but with a good heart, looking for a purpose in life. With her distinctly 50's look - floral dresses, apron, baskets, artificial flowers, greeting cards, coffee cup, fresh bakes - she is a far-too-frequent visitor to the library.

SHERI a young homeless girl: She's mysterious, she has a secret, she's hiding out, trying to be invisible, although the backpack is a dead give-away. A product of the 'system' she's been shuffled through all of her childhood, she's now running in fear.

GEMMA a troubled teen: she hates home, hates family, hates school, always angry, and she's expressing her dark attitude to life in a distinctly Goth image.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS:

Jeremy Potter: a grumpy older library user, late 50s, pernickety, picky, cantankerous, troublemaker

Aisha: an older refugee, compassionate, a talented artist and ex-gallery manager, now sells at markets

As their stories unfold it becomes clear that our local library is more than just a lending facility, but can become the heart of a community.