Reading allowed

"When novelist Chris Paling went for a job at his local library, he anticipated a quiet life. It took two hours between the stacks to discover that the reality was somewhat different. Chris found that at times the library is an extension of A & E; at other times it's a hostel for the homeless; a psychiactric ward; a crime scene; a study hall; a place of safety; a boxing ring; a confessional booth; a theatre space; a venue for knitting and book groups; an information hub for people trying to find a long-lost relative or a job. On most days, the library is all of these. At the core of this…