“Oxfam bookshops offer a wider selection of books than most shops, from modern fiction and leisure interest to more specialist subjects, classics, and rare or collectable books.”
Oxfam Books and Music, Norwich
Situated just north of the main shopping centre of Norwich, is an area call Norwich Lanes. This is a few roads that are a lot older in construction and most are cobbled lanes. They house a variety of independent shops, among them is Oxfam Books and Music, Norwich.
As with all charity fund raising shops, our main aim is to raise awareness and funds for the various Oxfam appeals throughout the world, but secretly, all us volunteers and the paid part time manager, are a bit more than just bookish. Everyone I know that spends a little time at the shop is either an avid reader, retired librarian or a foreign student wishing to improve their English by reading, talking and having a different social life away from their studies. It is a great place to meet people from all walks of life and from very different backgrounds, we just share a common interest.
The shop itself relies totally on donations of books from the public, the Norwich public do us proud! The shop can provide at least one book on just about any subject you wish to think of. It has a whole section dedicated to Shakespeare, his plays, studies of his plays, his poetry, literary commentary on various works.
It has sections on History, from British to world history, psychology, philosophy, poetry, plays, biography and autobiography, religion, sports and leisure, local interest and of course copious fiction shelves from classic literature through to modern first editions with some of them even author signed. It has a childrens section that is light a little reading den with bean bags for the kids to sit on and read through books whilst their parents browse the shop. It has its own YA section offering a good selection. It also has quite a good selection of foreign language fiction, from French and German through to Russian and Japanese.
It also stocks a small range of fair trade goods, things like chocolate, tea, coffee and a small range of fair trade and eco friendly cleaning and personal hygiene products
It also has a music section which offers sheet music and song books from choral to rock guitar! It has a vinyl records section, again offering all types of music but it seems to specialise in classical music. Finally it has a CD section with a good selection but mainly offering jazz and classical.
Come and visit us if you are in Norwich, we’ll sell you a book!
~ Trevor Litchfield (volunteer)
Address: 9-11 Bedford Street, , Norwich, NR2 1AR
Tel: 01603 628392
Hours: Please contact the store for opening times.