A Lawrence resident will install a new Little Free Library at the city’s Oaklandon Play Park, 11828 E. 65th St., following approval of her proposal by the City of Lawrence Parks Board.
Kim Richardson presented her idea during the board’s Sept. 11 meeting. She said the Little Free Library nonprofit organization started in the 1970s and now there are more than 150,000 registered little libraries in 50 states and 120 countries. Each one that’s registered through the organization gets a special charter sign and number and is placed on the organization’s map.
“You can go on the map, find out where it is and just take a book (or) share a book,” she said.
Little Free Library is based in St. Paul, Minn. The mission is to provide easy access to books with the goal of promoting literacy. The libraries are small, enclosed boxes, often made of wood, that hold a selection of books. Passersby can take any book they want or leave one for others to enjoy.
The Oaklandon Play Park isn’t the only Lawrence location Richardson has in mind.
“I wouldn’t do this right away, but the next maybe month or two, I’d like to get approval to put one out at the Lawrence Community Park,” she said. “I don’t think there’s one out there.”
Parks Board Chair Jeff Vest confirmed that there isn’t a Little Free Library at that park and agreed it would be a good second choice.
“I think going to Oaklandon Play Park — that’s definitely a unique park — as a first, but yes, Community Park, which is in the middle — the middle of the middle — is so important,” he said.
Vest said he’d like Richardson to work with the Parks Department to determine a location for each Little Free Library, making sure they’re visible and secure.
“That’s a place where kids can go and play or you just want to sit and hang out in the shelter,” he said of Oaklandon Play Park. “Wherever you locate it, it has to be visible, where the community, the stakeholders — I hate that word — but the citizens can see it and they take ownership of it.”
Richardson said she recently installed a Little Free Library at a home she owns in Indianapolis, so she’s worked out some of the bugs of making sure the structure is secure. She added that she lives close to Oaklandon Park and it would be easy for her to maintain it.
“I will make sure that it’s stocked and maintained,” she said. “I will be the steward, I’ll register it, and I’ll be assigned as the steward.”
Richardson said she also will add a plaque to the structure, dedicating it to her daughter who died earlier this year.
“She grew up there, playing down there all the time,” she said. “Her kids, my grandkids, play there.”
The Parks Board unanimously approved her proposal. The next board meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 9 at Lawrence Government Center, 9001 E. 59th St.
