Letter to the Editor

Happy over Little Library

Dear Editor,

I can hardly wipe the smile off my face. I’m so pleased with the Little Library project, the outgrowth from a simple idea that has caught fire. Our committee, led by Elle Baker, started out with a grant from the Cultural Council to build 10 Little Free Libraries similar to the two LFLibraries on and near Shirley Avenue. Carol Tye and I bought five additional libraries for the Beachmont neighborhood.  Margo Johnson has been working tirelessly to organize stewards, reach out to book stores, and seek other possible sources of free books.

But what has me smiling is how much the community loves them. We have stewards for each library who keep the libraries neat and stocked; additionally, residents are adding books regularly as well. The Blais Park library has morphed into a lovely little oasis where someone has placed large pots of flowering plants under and around the library and park benches. This is neighborhood at its finest.

While I was working on finessing one of the little libraries, a neighbor (stranger to me) came over and expressed his approval of the project and offered to build three more. Fantastic.

Then Stacey Livote, (assistant principal at SeaCoast High School) informed us that she had ordered almost 300 children’s books, compliments of “Row, Row,” to bring awareness to autism, special needs, and persons with disabilities.

We then got word from several authors who would like to contribute signed copies of their books. So exciting! Maybe we can have authors do readings of their works. Can you see how this could grow?

Presently there are at least 18 Little Free Libraries in the city which are registered with Little Free Libraries.com (thanks to funds from Priscilla Nickerson’s yearly Santa Walk fund-raiser); you can go online to find their locations.

I hope you are enjoying them as much as I am. If you want to get involved, you can leave your name and contact information with Revere’s 311 resident service. We are always looking for appropriate books in any genre: children’s books, books in other languages, novels, non-fiction, etc. We have a box at City Hall (second floor) to accept donations of gently used books.

Happy reading, Revere!

Kathleen Heiser

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