Costume swap rails are coming to libraries in Newton Abbot, Chudleigh and Dawlish next month as Libraries Unlimited and Recycle Devon celebrate World Book Day.

World Book Day 2026 takes place on Thursday, March 5 and library swap rails are now up and running until March 8.

Customers are invited to donate outgrown, unwanted children’s costumes in good, wearable condition and costumes will be available to take home for free!

The World Book Day costume swap rails follow on the back of the hugely successful Halloween costume swap which ran last year.

Beth Lovell from Recycle Devon said : “It’s brilliant to be working with Libraries Unlimited to bring World Book Day Costume Swaps to libraries across Devon. World Book Day is a great opportunity to celebrate stories and reading, but it can put pressure on families to buy new costumes every year.

“Many of these only being worn once before making their way into the bin, despite being in perfectly good condition. This initiative is a wonderful way to help Devon’s families save money and reduce waste by reusing costumes again and again so why not head down to your nearest participating library and see what you can find.”

Alex Kittow, Chief Executive at Libraries Unlimited, added: “World Book Day costumes are such a fun way for children to embody a character they love and spark conversations about stories. With 2026 being the National Year of Reading we hope to get more children than ever passionate about books.

“Library costume swaps allow parents and carers to find fancy dress options for free We love that libraries are increasingly hubs for initiatives to reduce everyday waste. It’s been fantastic to see resources like seed swaps, community fridges and repair cafes become available in our libraries.”

This project is supported by the National Lottery Community Action Fund. For more information visit https://www.librariesunlimited.org.uk/