Using an old kitchen cupboard and a few recycled shingles, Jessica Bonin, a teacher librarian at Spruceland Traditional elementary, has opened the first Little Free Library in Prince George on 10th Avenue at the corner of McBride Crescent.
Take a book, give a book, it's a chance to swap out your well-loved books for some new-to-you ones.
The idea has been about a year and a half in the making for Bonin who said it finally all came together to get things started Monday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Mayor Lyn Hall stopped by the grand opening to offer his well wishes and soon will be dropping off a couple of copies of Frozen Flame, a History of the Prince George Fire Department so the books can circulate throughout the neighbourhood.
"This is unbelievable and it's good for any neighbourhood because what it does, particularly at this time of year when kids are out of school, kids are always looking for things to do, it's close to a playground and kids are walking by and it gives them a chance to pick up a book," said Hall. "I'd like to see more neighbourhoods do it."
During the launch of the Little Free Library, Bonin offered cold water and some mini cupcakes, while a few chairs were strategically placed in the shade so people could browse a book or two before making their choices and a colouring station offered children a chance to make their own bookmarks.
Curtis Abriel, a local musician, stopped by with daughter Aubrey, 2, before heading down to the playground.
"This is just a fantastic idea," said Abriel. "Aubrey and I read books all the time and once you've read them all it's nice to mix it up and hopefully we can start a network of children's book because it's so important to read to your kids. We've got a little library at our own house and it would be nice to pass along those books we've read enough and get something new to read."
The Little Free Library was founded in 2009 in Hudson, Wisconsin by Todd Bol, whose mom taught in a one-room school house. That inspired Bol to fashion all the cabinets he built to house the free books in the likeness of an old school house. He nailed the little library to a fence post at his house and then made more to give away and soon there were Little Free Libraries all over his community. There are now more than 40,000 of them around the world.
Bonin said she found the information posted online and soon became enamored with the idea.
"It was just time to get it done and I've made a Facebook page called Little Free Libraries of Prince George and I'm hoping more people will do it so eventually we can have pictures of all the cool little libraries that we can celebrate that are all over Prince George," said Bonin.
For more information about the movement, visit littlefreelibrary.org.
