Another Little Free Library is located at 39 Spencer Court Hartsdale
For the Love of Free Little Libraries!
There are 100,000 and counting Little Free Libraries all over the world, and, by this map’s count, now over 10 just in the town of Greenburgh! Little Free Library is a movement, of the best and simplest kind, whereby tiny public book shelves open all over the place by anyone who cares to do it. 24/7 you can “take a book, leave a book” from these cute little cupboards. Here in Greenburgh, we’ve had Girl Scout Troops creating and filling them for their Bronze Medal projects; they’ve shown up alongside parks and in front of schools; they are built by groups, individuals and artists; and in one case, gifted to someone who dreams of becoming a librarian. Each Little Free Library has its own special look, personality and contents.
The latest addition is, well-positioned at the so-called Poets Corner, on 39 Spencer Court in Hartsdale conceived by Patty Carbone. Patty writes, “I suffer from a lot of autoimmune diseases and I have been blessed with lovely neighbors who bring cookies by, rice pudding, or flowers so I wanted to give back to the community. My older brother Steve Owen helped me put it up. While putting it up we got a positive reaction from the neighbors. I have adult books and young children's books. I have already got some donations from people. I hope this will encourage other people to pay things forward. You can take a book or drop off a book. I hope Poets Corners takes advantage of it. Thank you for letting me put it up.” Greenburgh Scout Troop 1924 plans to create a LIttle Free Library at the Theodore Young Community Center in the coming months.
According to the Little Free Library website, the first tiny library was created by 2009 by Todd Bol in Hudson, Wisconsin, when he built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, a teacher who loved to read. He filled it with books and put it in his front yard to share; then made a few more to give away. Now Little Free Library is a 501c3 with a mission “to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Libraries.
Starting one is as easy as buying a model or building your own, registering for an official charter number online, filling it with new or used books and letting anyone have at it.
“These little libraries are such a great addition to any neighborhood,” Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said. “We’re so happy to have people like the Patty Carbone sharing their love of reading in such a sweet and generous way.”
Find all the libraries near you here: https://littlefreelibrary.org/ourmap/
Paul Feiner
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
