There's a free little library outside a home in Dubai's Arabian Ranches, and the neighbourhood has made it its own. The National profiles Angela Hundal, whose book-sharing shelves are open around the clock. Take a book, share one if you can. Teenagers are particularly welcome to contribute books because titles for their age group are in short supply.

The details

A community book-sharing initiative in Dubai's Arabian Ranches is bringing neighbours together through a simple idea: anyone can borrow a book, and anyone can contribute one.

The National reported the story on 4 November 2026.

Angela Hundal, a writer and mother of two, established a Little Free Library outside her home in the Al Reem community in 2024.

Inspired by the international Little Free Library movement, she installed a bookcase outside her front door and began filling it with books.

The library operates on a take-a-book, share-a-book principle.

It is available around the clock, allowing neighbours to browse and exchange titles whenever convenient.

Community donations helped the collection grow beyond its original selection.

The project has also brought children and families together, with younger residents helping to organise the books.

Hundal says teenagers have shown an interest in borrowing books, creating a particular need for more titles suitable for middle-school and young-adult readers.

The initiative has become more than a place to borrow books.

Seasonal decorations, informal activities and neighbourhood participation have created opportunities for people to meet and interact.

The National also identifies other second-hand book exchanges and shops operating across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

For residents interested in community initiatives, the project demonstrates how a small, freely accessible resource can encourage reading and strengthen neighbourhood connections.