The McMillan Memorial Library in Nairobi, once a whites-only enclave under British colonial rule, has been transformed through a community-led restoration project. The neoclassical building, built in 1931 by Lucie McMillan in memory of her husband Sir William Northrup McMillan, was segregated until 1958. Now, nearly a century later, it stands as a symbol of inclusive public space.
The restoration is the work of Book Bunk, a project founded by publisher Angela Wachuka and writer Wanjiru Koinange. They were inspired to act after visiting the library while seeking a venue for a literary festival. The project also includes two other libraries in Nairobi: Kaloleni and Makadara. Kaloleni, built by Italian prisoners in the 1940s, became a hub for Kenya's independence movement and now primarily serves children after its restoration in 2020.
Book Bunk's efforts go beyond physical repairs. They have digitised tens of thousands of documents, catalogued over 250,000 books, added 23,000 new titles, and produced a podcast on the library's history. The project has also mapped 356 libraries across Kenya and organised annual fundraising galas. Daily visitor numbers have increased by 250% since the project began.
The libraries now host workshops, dance and art classes, and computer literacy sessions. Book Bunk has hired tutors to support schoolchildren, and parents report improvements in their children's confidence and school performance. Veronica Nderitu, a project worker, notes that mothers initially avoided the library fearing costs, but now see it as a safe, supportive space for education.
Wachuka says the goal has been to demystify libraries and turn them into spaces that multiply possibilities. The restoration of McMillan has been slowed by its status as the only building in Kenya protected by an act of parliament, but Wachuka views this as an opportunity to deepen heritage conservation efforts.
