Alice’s Library Trolley

Alice helps Mrs Hall return books to the class shelves. Carrying one pile at a time takes several trips. In the storeroom, they find a low book trolley. “Could this do the carrying?” Alice asks. Mrs Hall checks it before they try.

With a few books on its shelf, the trolley moves easily along the clear library aisle. Then one wheel catches at a small join in the floor. The books slide forward. Alice stops pushing and keeps her hands away from the wheel.

Mrs Hall checks the trolley while Alice stands beside the table. A strip of old tape is wrapped around one wheel. It stops the wheel turning freely. Mrs Hall removes the tape and checks that the wheel and its fixing are sound.

They try the same route with the same small load. This time the wheel rolls over the join. However, a tall pile of books wobbles when they turn. Alice decides that fixing the wheel has not solved every problem.

They spread the books into two shorter piles on the low shelf. Mrs Hall adds a ready-made shallow tray that fits securely. Its rim helps keep the books together. They leave the handle clear and check the trolley can still turn.

Alice pushes slowly along the same route. The shorter piles stay steady, including at the corner. They stop before a doorway and look at the tray. No book has slipped over the edge, and the wheels are still moving freely.

Mrs Hall tries the trolley herself. The handle suits her, and she can reach the books without lifting the tray. Alice asks where it should be parked. Together they choose a clear storage space that does not block anyone’s route.

At the end of their round, Alice leaves the empty trolley in its space. She remembers the caught wheel and the wobbling books. “We had to check how it moved and how it carried things,” she tells Mrs Hall. Next time, they will inspect it before loading.