Little Free Libraries have come to Clintonville. There is one located at the home of Mike and Sarah Hankins, 80 Rohrer St., and another at 140 N. Main St., the home of Grace Kirchner.
Todd Bol built the first Little Free Library in Hudson in 2009. He put it in his front yard as a tribute to his mother, a former teacher and lifelong reader. Five years later, there are more than 10,000 Little Free Libraries in 50 countries around the world.
The libraries, approximately 2 feet by 2 feet, run on the honor system — “Take a Book, Return a Book” — and are stocked with a variety of books, which change often.
“Our library was a gift from a son-in law,” Sarah Hankins said. “We were at a football game when they installed our library at the curb. Mike is a big reader and he has boxes and boxes of books.”
Little Free Libraries spark a sense of community, organizers say. They help bring neighborhoods together and they can be a way of sharing good things to read.
Ryan Lohff constructed the Little Free Library for the Kirchners. He designed it to coordinate with their home. He made sure it was waterproof.
Anyone can put up a library. Residents are encouraged to check for gas lines, cables and tree roots, which can cause problems. It should be installed inside the sidewalk, by your home, not on the boulevard or apron of the streets. If people walking or driving by can see it, they might stop.
The Kirchners’ library is registered with the Little Free Library of Hudson.
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