Day 12: Charing Cross Library - It's never too late to learn #30days30libraries

Their website told me that Charing Cross Library is 'a busy library serving residents, commuters and the local Chinese community' but I wasn't expecting to find it quite so buzzing on a rainy Sunday afternoon.Nor was I prepared for how well the library catered for the Chinese community.I saw it in the signs ...the books, of course ...as well as through the decorations.One man I tried to talk to gestured to me sadly that he did not speak English and then went back to reading his chinese newspaper.I spoke to Greg who told me that has been using this library for 24 years. Today he was here with his two daughters, who were half-chinese and half-french."I always come here. I've moved around London but I come back to this library when I go to Chinatown, for eating or shopping. This library has the best stock of chinese books in London.It's a centre for us. We can go to Chinatown and come here in just one visit.My daughters are half-chinese and they like eating chinese food. I tempt them to come here by promising them a tasty lunch afterwards."I explained to Greg that I was also half-chinese but that, when he asked, I could not speak or read chinese myself."Well, it's never too late to learn," said Greg and pointed me towards the library shelves where I could find a book to get me started.