KENNEBUNK — Kingsley Gallup recalls a few years ago when she was approached at a local coffee shop by two tourists asking her if there was a Little Free Library nearby.
Gallup pointed them to the nearest public library, and a few days later ran into the tourists again. One of them opened her laptop and showed her a picture of a “Little Free Library,” a book-sharing box put up by a volunteer steward.
Gallup recalled hearing about free book exchange stations, but hadn’t recognized the trademarked name.
Little Free Library is a nonprofit, which encourages and lends support to small book lending stations all over the country. Those who install libraries, or stewards, stock the Little Free Libraries with free books and oversee the community resource. Little Free Library patrons are asked to return books to any Little Free Library, and if they wish, can include a note about the book.
Locations of Little Free Libraries can be found at http://littlefreelibrary.org.
Little Free Libraries began in 2009 by Todd Bo of Hudson, Wisconsin, who built a model of a school house in honor of his mother, an avid reader and former school teacher. Today, there are nearly 30,000 world-wide and 85 in Maine, said Little Free Library Spokeswoman Kris Huson.
After talking to the tourists about the Little Free Libraries, Gallup went home and she and her kids went online and did some research. “We had so much fun seeing all the cool places,” she said, and they decided to make a Little Free Library as a family project.
Gallup said her family’s Little Free Library has been up for about 11/2 years.
“The response has been great,” said Gallup. “People have really loved it.”
Little Free Library kits, as well as finished Little Free Libraries, can be purchased online, or stewards may decide to construct their own design. Library stewards often put their own personal touch to the libraries, said Huson. One of her favorite stories is a school group that created a Little Free Library that resembled the Star Wars character R2D2. It was launched on May 4, a take on the phrase “may the force be with you,” and students dressed like Star Wars characters.
Gallup’s little library is red and slate blue.
“It looks like our house,” said 8-year-old Daisy Fine, Gallup’s daughter, noting the whale tail door knob.
At Lyman Elementary School, a Little Free Library was installed in June of 2014 in honor of retiring teacher Joy Spencer, according to Lyman Elementary School Principal Kevin Perkins. The book exchange station was created by a local crafter to resemble Spencer’s horse barn, said Perkins.
Originally, he said, the school’s Little Free Library was stocked with equestrian books, in honor of Spencer, but the library now houses a variety of children’s book. On a recent visit, items included a Berenstain Bears book, a selection from the Captain Underpants series and a Dr. Suess book.
Gallup works in mental health, and the books her family donate tend to be children’s books or books in her field of work. Visitors to the Little Free Library donate books as well, and Gallup sees a lot of beach reading novels in the summer. Gallup said she even has a bin of overflow books inside her house.
“We’ve had no problem stocking it,” she said.
Seven-year-old Zach Fine said seeing people take books and bring them back inspires the family to continue stocking the library.
“We’re really having fun using it,” he said.
“It builds community,” said Gallup. “It’s nice for us to feel we’re offering
a service.”
Huson said building community is something she hears a lot when talking about Little Free Libraries. The Little Free Libraries often become mini-town centers, encouraging neighbors who were strangers to get to know each other, she said. They also build a culture of reading, she added.
The idea of a Little Free Library is a simple concept, but becoming a library steward is something a normal citizen can do that can make a difference and have a big impact on the neighborhood, said Gallup.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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