Little Free Libraries have become a global phenomenon.
According to the Little Free Library website, there are more than 80,000 registered Little Free Libraries in all 50 states and over 90 countries. Now, three new Little Free Libraries in Darbydale, will join the movement to share books, bring people together and create communities of readers of all ages.
Brian Jones and his wife, Heather, started the local effort to bring the libraries to the small Darbydale community.
“We wanted to find a way to help lift the capacity of an entire community, while promoting reading and neighboring,” said Brian Jones. “We thought that some Little Free Libraries would be a great fit.”
The libraries will be located in Oak Hills Mobile Home Park, Community Gardens Mobile Home Park, and M&M Food Mart. They will also be partnering with Darbydale Elementary School in support of its literacy and reading programs.
The local Krebs Memorial Libraries are in honor of Oscar and Dorothy Krebs, who dedicated their lives to instilling a love for reading and education.
These libraries are partnering with the community, local businesses, and the schools, to support reading and bridge the gap for people that don’t have regular access to the public library. The libraries are designed to be an exchange, with the motto, “Take a Book, Return a Book.”
“These Little Free Libraries belong to the community,” said Jones. “It’s our hope that they will bring a little more joy, a little more connection and a whole lot more books to our community.”
The Little Free Library nonprofit organization has been honored by the Library of Congress, the National Book Foundation and the American Library Association. Each year, nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries.
According to Jones, the Darbydale little libraries will be in place and ready for use by the end of June.
To learn more, visit littlefreelibrary.org or follow the local page on Facebook at Darbydale Little Free Libraries.
