280 Volunteers, 7,400 Books, One Block

There is something quietly wonderful about a community that decides to move a bookstore the way one might pass a bucket of water down a line of neighbors—by hand, one book at a time, with no truck and no haste, just people standing together along a sidewalk, sharing the weight of something they love. On Saturday, The Spaniel’s Tale, an independent bookstore in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighborhood, did exactly that, and the result was a scene that felt less like a logistical exercise and more like a small celebration of reading and community.

The idea came not from the store’s owners, Cole Davidson and his co-owner, but from their customers, who had been bringing in articles for years about other bookstores that had undertaken similar “book brigades” . When The Spaniel’s Tale decided to move to a larger space just a block away, the customers asked if they could help. Davidson said yes.

On Saturday, approximately 280 volunteers formed a human chain stretching roughly 80 to 90 meters along Wellington Street West, from the old location at Carruthers Avenue to the new one at Stirling Avenue . Starting around noon and continuing until about 2:30 p.m., they passed more than 7,400 books from hand to hand, one or two at a time .

The volunteers were of all ages. Twelve-year-old Harry Turk-Misener, who had drawn a picture for the store when it opened in 2022, was in the line. “It just feels great when you walk in. Everyone’s so friendly,” he said . Josae St Laurent stood next to her adult son. “I think it’s good to encourage local commerce, local stores,” she said. “It’s a good initiative for the neighbourhood to get people together” .

Ashley Graham, another volunteer, found herself discovering new books as they passed through her hands. “I wanted to help a local business, somebody who does a lot for the community, who supports different Canadian authors,” she said . Linda Brown, a frequent customer, called the brigade “spectacular” .

Davidson said the brigade was “a big help, just in terms of not breaking our backs,” and noted that a side benefit was that all the books arrived at the new store already in alphabetical order . The new space is more than twice the size of the old one, allowing for more events and a larger collection . The store officially opens at 1109 Wellington Street West on October 17 .

The books, it turned out, did not move faster than a truck would have carried them. But speed was never the point. What moved on Saturday was not just inventory, but a neighborhood’s affection for a place that had become part of its fabric—one book, one hand, one small moment of connection at a time.

AI Image Disclaimer: The imagery in this article was created using artificial intelligence for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual bookstore or volunteers described.

Sources: CBC News, Radio-Canada, Goodreads, AllEvents