The Bookshop on the Corner

At the library where Nina Redmond is employed in Birmingham, England, manager Cathy Neeson announces that the branch is closing. Nina is devastated, while her cynical colleague, Griffin, likens the disposal of books to Nazi burnings. Unwilling to let the books be thrown away during a clearance sale, Nina salvages boxes of them, filling her car.

At home, Nina’s roommate, Surinder, refuses to let any more books into their crowded flat. After they lock themselves out, they go to a pub where Surinder confronts Nina about her passivity, insisting she needs to be more proactive in her life. She urges Nina to attend a mandatory team-building course for displaced library workers.

Nina attends the team-building course with a skeptical Griffin. The enthusiastic course leader, Mungo, encourages participants to share their dreams. Nina admits she has always wanted to own a small bookshop, and the group responds positively.

Afterward, Mungo suggests a mobile bookshop in a van to avoid high overhead costs. Inspired, Nina finds an online ad for a van in Scotland that exactly fits her vision. Griffin is dismissive of the idea, focusing instead on applying for a position at the new library hub.