By Sophia Lashmar, Year 10
Hidden away under LGB’s very own primary school is the bookstore of your dreams. The Book Cellar has now been running for many years, under the careful care and supervision of LGB parents and PTA alike.
Tucked in the nooks and crannies of the school’s ancient bomb bunker are scores of books: fiction, non-fiction, biographies, cookbooks, textbooks and story books. You might think this would be messy, however the books are carefully organised by the meticulous staff according to subject and genre across the two rooms.
The bookstore boasts a wide selection of books, in English, French and many other languages. In the first room are children’s books, French books, foreign-language books, non-fiction, cookbooks and yet more textbooks. If you enjoy English fiction, bestselling classics, thrillers, science fiction or historical fiction, then the second room of the bookstore is for you! If you are unsure of where to look for your favourite genre or author, the staff at the bookstore are friendly and helpful, do not hesitate to ask for help! For students that are always losing your textbooks, outside the bookstore are shelves for spare textbooks donated by past students, and the books are free for you to take home and try not to lose (again!).
In the first room of the bookstore are the lovely staff, who are available and eager to help you find what you’re looking for, or to simply chat about books! If you’re lucky, there’s may be homemade cakes or biscuits on offer to munch on while you browse the shelves! If it so happens that you have some spare time while you are exploring the bazaar, there is also a coffee machine and a nice, comfortable armchair for you to enjoy while you start reading your latest purchase(s).
Stepping into the next room is a treat if you enjoy English fiction, bestselling classics, thrillers, science fiction or historical fiction. If you are unsure of where to look for your favourite types of books, the staff at the bookstore are friendly and helpful, so do not hesitate to ask!
Furthermore, prices at the bookstore are a far cry from the extortionate rates at Payot or Manor. At the basement bookstore, you can buy most books for 1-3 chf, and if you are a dedicated reader, you can buy as many books as you can fit into a paper bag for 25 chf! If you are organised, spatially-aware and determined, this could include up to 50 books!
The staff at the bookstore are LGB parents themselves, and are true book-lovers. They are there to help you find the books of your dreams, and to give advice and discuss books. Cynthia, who has been with the bookstore for many years, also gave some more insight into its history. Cynthia explained that the bookstore was originally situated in the tiny basement of the Chateau, and was later moved to the bottom of Les Marroniers, the Primary School. The staff put in lots of work from collecting books, to sorting donations, to organising and reorganising the books! Their main message to LGB students is that the bookstore is there for students, and they would love to see more students and parents visiting (and shopping!).
*The bookstore is open on Wednesdays (9:30-13:30) and Fridays from (13:30-16:30) and is always grateful for any donations! The money made from all sales goes towards the PTA and raises money for school events and projects.
