Allison Tucker and her family have a suggestion for all their fellow avid book readers who don’t know what to do with their ever-growing collections.
The Tuckers have started what’s known as a little lawn library at their home on Central Street and are encouraging others to follow suit.
The concept is a growing phenomenon across North America and was apparently inspired by the family of a librarian who had died. The family put a box filled with books on their front lawn and encouraged people to freely take a book or leave a book of their own.
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The Tuckers had been planning to put their curbside library out last summer, but it didn’t materialize. Last week, they finally put their custom-built depository out for all to enjoy.
“We have all these books we’ve read that are all great, but they don’t go anywhere,” said Tucker. “We decided this would be a neat thing to get started in Corner Brook.”
The Tuckers have space for around 30 or so books in their little lawn library and always try to maintain a broad selection. With three kids now ranging in age from 11 to 16, the family has no problem providing a selection that includes everything from board books for toddlers and picture books for slightly older kids to novels and magazines for every age group and reading level.
Tucker said she has no worries about someone taking a great book and never seeing it again.
“We’re putting out ones we liked or thought were interesting, but they’ve got to the point where the attachment is not important anymore,” she said. “We are not putting out the ones that are most special to our family or have some significance to us.”
Since erecting the lawn library, no one has actually taken a book. Some people have stopped and taken a book out and politely put it back. Lots more have just stopped to look at the library and talk about it.
Tucker said it might take some time for exchanges to start happening.
There is in fact an organization called Little Free Library that brings together the network of lawn library operators around the world. The Tuckers plan to officially register theirs with the association.
The Tuckers designed and built their lawn library depository based on the many examples found online, namely on the little Free library website and on Pinterest. They would like nothing more than to see other families in neighbourhoods throughout Corner Brook start up their own little lawn library.
“I think it would be great if it was all over the city,” said Tucker. “It would get kids reading more and it would give families something to do.”
Weblink: https://littlefreelibrary.org/
