Seven additional standalone Little Free Library boxes were approved by Midland council this week. They will be installed around town by the end of August, to match the first placement located outside the Midland Public Library.
Passion for the Little Free Library stations is driven by residents who have donated time, effort, and books to the isolated reading boxes. People are encouraged to take a book or leave a book, giving momentum to literacy within the community.
“It’s such a neat and novel idea,” said Coun. Bill Gordon. “Some of you may have already experienced some of these in front of a few residences around town.”
In the virtual council session, Coun. Cody Oschefski moved his home camera to show outside his own home, highlighting a free library box installed at the end of his driveway.
Gordon praised the creativity of the Midland Public Library for the initiative.
“It’s a great initiative and it’s another one of those wonderful things that comes out of our local library that serves people in so many ways," said Gordon. "I look forward to seeing those little pop-ups in our parks, being well-used in the community.”
It was a sentiment which Mayor Stewart Strathearn echoed.
“Great idea,” Strathearn commented, “as is the continued innovation at the library in supporting the community in various and diverse ways.”
The locations for the new installations are: North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre, the town dock, Little Lake Park, Tiffin Park, Mac McAllen Park, Bayview Park, and the soccer fields of Galloway Park.
In the correspondence with council, the Midland Public Library stated that they would look after assembly and installation of the boxes upon four-by-four fence posts and stakes, similar to the first installation.
The program is part of the Little Free Library non-profit initiative started in 2009, with over 100,000 of the boxes registered in over 100 countries.
Last year, Tiny council approved of a plan for a Little Free Library in the Bluewater Dunes residential area.
For more information on the Little Free Library program within the town, visit the Midland Public Library website or call 705-526-4216.
