(Submitted photo)
By Michelle Williams
The little children of one Carmel neighborhood will not have to travel far at all to borrow a book. They certainly will not need a library card to do so, either.
Beth Hannah, a junior at Carmel High School, has opened a Little Free Library in her front yard. Fueled by her own passion for reading, she took the initiative to design and build her miniature library from recycled materials she and her father found around their home.
Beth originally learned about the Little Free Library program on the Disney Channel. When she mentioned the idea of opening her own, her parents encouraged her ambition.
Little Free Library is an organization founded in Wisconsin. With the help of volunteer stewards like Beth, more than 2,500 independent Little Free Library locations exist around the globe. The purpose is to promote literacy and a love of reading. Stewards can purchase box kits or make one from their own design when joining the program.
“I’m 100 percent pro-reading,” explains Beth. She plans to attend college and major in literature. Her wish is to inspire others with her enthusiasm for reading.
She opened her Little Free Library on Mar. 21, but plans to hold a Grand Opening event in early April. She has invited several of the neighborhood children, and will offer cupcakes and lemonade to those who attend.
One of the benefits of becoming a steward for the Little Free Library organization is to encourage neighbors to drop by and visit. Neighbors are also invited to contribute books to the collection. Many of her neighbors have already started to inquire about the library.
Beth’s library post features two reading stools made from salvaged pieces of a maple tree from her family’s yard. She shared that seeing the neighborhood kids sitting and reading warms her heart.
Community members are welcome to attend the Grand Opening to be held at 101 Harrowgate Dr, Carmel, IN 46033 on Apr. 11 from 10am-noon.
