Town of Huntington, NY - News Details
1/31/2017 - Little Free Library Comes to Huntington Town Hall
The Town of Huntington has joined with the Huntington Public Library to bring a Little Free library to the lobby of Town Hall, allowing visitors and employees to take part in the free book exchange program that has been sweeping the world.
The Public Library recently obtained and decorated one of the birdhouse-like boxes, which are about 18 inches long and 14 inches deep, and asked Supervisor Frank P. Petrone for permission to locate it in Town Hall. The Supervisor readily agreed. The Library stocked the box with the initial offerings, an eclectic collection that included a James Patterson novel, “I, Michael, Bennett,” the novel “The Devil Wears Prada” by Lauren Weisberger, the children’s book “Disney Bedtime Favorites” and the satiric collection “1,000 Unforgettable Senior Moments.”
Going forward, visitors and employees are encouraged to take one of the books in the box and exchange it for a book they have finished reading and would like to share. The books are free; there is no need to check a book out or sign for it, and anyone taking one of the books can keep it. The Library will periodically check the box to make sure it is stocked with a range of offerings for adults, children and teens.
“This is a great way for people to help their unwanted books find new homes and for them to obtain books they have wanted to read for some time or to explore new authors,” Supervisor Petrone said. “I thank the Huntington Public Library for bringing the Little Free Library to Town Hall.”
Library director Joanne Adam said, "At the Huntington Public Library, we encourage literacy in many different ways, whether it be through books from our library or through exchanges like The Little Free Library. We hope this will encourage people to read more and to find out how much they can enrich their lives through books. We are happy to partner with Supervisor Petrone and the Town in this effort."
The goal of the Little Free Library movement is to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community by sharing skills, creativity and wisdom across generations. It was started in 2009, when Hudson, Wisconsin resident Todd H. Bol built the first Little Free Library and placed it in his yard to honor his mother. The idea for the handmade book exchanges with the motto, “Take a book, return a book” took hold quickly, and the number of registered book exchanges has grown to more than 50,000 around the world, in all 50 states and 70 countries. The program is administered by the not-for-profit Little Free Library Ltd., which encourages the volunteer stewards who manage the book exchanges to register so their libraries can be found on the organization’s map. More details are on the group’s website, www.littlefreelibrary.org.
In the photo: Supervisor Frank P. Petrone with Laura Giuliani, the Huntington Public Library’s head of youth and parent services.