Published:: Monday, February 27, 2012,
Taywana
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Mother Earth, as she prefers to be called, is the steward of the Syracuse’s first Little Free Library, which opened early this month in an abandoned telephone box near a bus stop and grocery store on Gifford Street.
The Little Free Library credo is “take a book, leave a book.” That’s pretty much the only rule.
Every Little Free Library is supposed to have a volunteer community steward, and Mother Earth, whose given name is Taywana James, is a natural. She lives barely a block from the library.
She is a mother, poet and artist involved in a number of projects to better the Near West Side, and she loves books. James struggled in school to learn to read. But, she never did until after she dropped out and eventually taught herself.
She likes to think the Little Free Library may inspire some other adult who doesn’t read to pick up a book and learn.
Books have been moving fast out of the curbside library. It is empty or nearly so when James checks it every day or two. Only a couple of books have been returned, but that’s OK as far as she is concerned. At this point she has plenty of donated books with which to restock the library.
“I kind of envision people finding a good book, reading it and passing it on to somebody else,” James said.
Rick Brooks, co-founder of the Little Free Library movement, estimates there are 300 to 400 little libraries in 33 states and 17 countries. He doesn’t know if most people bring books back. In the Little Free Library movement, the return rate doesn’t seem to be a critical data point.
Brooks runs a continuing education and outreach program at the University of Wisconsin —Madison. He describes the other Little Library co-founder, Todd Bol, as a social entrepreneur.
The effort began a few years ago, when as a tribute to his mom, Bol installed in his yard a small replica of a school house, akin to a fancy mailbox or bird house, and stocked it with books to share. When Brooks met Bol at a workshop in 2009 and heard about project, he thought the idea had the idea had appeal.
From there, they formed the Little Free Library venture. Its mission is to promote literacy and the love of reading, build a sense of community and build more than 2,510 libraries around the world, more than Andrew Carnegie.
Full story here.
The Little Free Library credo is “take a book, leave a book.” That’s pretty much the only rule.
Every Little Free Library is supposed to have a volunteer community steward, and Mother Earth, whose given name is Taywana James, is a natural. She lives barely a block from the library.
She is a mother, poet and artist involved in a number of projects to better the Near West Side, and she loves books. James struggled in school to learn to read. But, she never did until after she dropped out and eventually taught herself.
She likes to think the Little Free Library may inspire some other adult who doesn’t read to pick up a book and learn.Books have been moving fast out of the curbside library. It is empty or nearly so when James checks it every day or two. Only a couple of books have been returned, but that’s OK as far as she is concerned. At this point she has plenty of donated books with which to restock the library.
“I kind of envision people finding a good book, reading it and passing it on to somebody else,” James said.
Rick Brooks, co-founder of the Little Free Library movement, estimates there are 300 to 400 little libraries in 33 states and 17 countries. He doesn’t know if most people bring books back. In the Little Free Library movement, the return rate doesn’t seem to be a critical data point.
Brooks runs a continuing education and outreach program at the University of Wisconsin —Madison. He describes the other Little Library co-founder, Todd Bol, as a social entrepreneur.
The effort began a few years ago, when as a tribute to his mom, Bol installed in his yard a small replica of a school house, akin to a fancy mailbox or bird house, and stocked it with books to share. When Brooks met Bol at a workshop in 2009 and heard about project, he thought the idea had the idea had appeal.
From there, they formed the Little Free Library venture. Its mission is to promote literacy and the love of reading, build a sense of community and build more than 2,510 libraries around the world, more than Andrew Carnegie.
Full story here.
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