Park Hill’s First Little Free Library Goes Up at 28th and Cherry

By Erin Vanderberg, Editor

This spring, educator Bethany Robinson decided to share her love of reading with the neighborhood by installing Park Hill’s first Little Free Library with her family in front of their home at the corner of 28th and Cherry.
The Little Free Library organization is a nonprofit working to promote literacy by building free book exchanges around the world. House-shaped book boxes are sold on the website, or people can make their own. The book houses are mounted like a mailbox and placed in similar proximity to a sidewalk, then stocked with about 15 to 20 books. A placard furnished by LFL encourages passersby to “Take a Book, Return a Book.” There is no expectation that participants bring books to the library – it’s a free exchange.
The organization’s website keeps a worldwide registry of the LFLs. There are libraries as far-flung as Australia and Africa, and currently about five in the Denver metro area. Bethany was inspired to get involved in the community movement by her mom’s participation with the organization as a board member.
“We thought Park Hill was the perfect neighborhood for a library,” she said. “There is always a lot of activity and what a great way to meet neighbors you’ve never met!”
The LFL organization’s original goal was to build as many libraries as Andrew Carnegie did – 2,510. As of this year, there are over 5,000 registered libraries on LFL’s roster and the organization continues to grow.
Bethany and her family hope to inspire others to build or buy neighborhood libraries, and plan to be stewards of theirs as long as they are around.

To learn more about Little Free Libraries, visit littlefreelibrary.org.