By Beth Christian Broschart
The Parsons Advocate
THOMAS – Little Free Libraries are popping up all over the place, so why not post one in front of Tip Top in Thomas? Mountain Top Public Library Director Yvonne Martinez thought this was a great idea, so she wrote and received a grant from the Tucker Community Foundation to have one of them built and installed. And on Friday, a Little Free Library was erected on Front Street in Thomas.
Martinez said the library was constructed by Jim Morvay, and she filled the Little Free Library with children’s books, classics and fiction books.
“Why not do something like this?” Martinez said. “A couple of years ago I wrote a grant to the Foundation and with timing it did not work. I called the Foundation back and asked if they wanted the money back and they said they would prefer the Little Free Library be built. So this is it.”
Martinez said the Little Free Library is a world-wide movement, and said she felt they should be a part of that.
“This is the first one in Tucker County,” Martinez said. “This is the perfect location. I wanted it next to the coffee shop because they are really busy here. We are looking forward to people using it and enjoying it.”
Little Free Libraries began in 2009 with the idea of ‘take a book – return a book.’ As of June 2016, there are more than 40,000 Little Free Libraries worldwide.
“This one has two shelves and will hold children’s, young adults and adult books,” Martinez said. “I wanted to put in books that people will want to read. People can bring books to the Little Free Library and they can take books as well.”
Martinez did want to remind people to bring books that are in good condition and not moldy.
“We are expecting this Little Free Library to be very popular,” Martinez said. “We are hoping to write another grant so we can build a Little Free Library to install in Davis.”
