The last few years during the pandemic the Granite Bay Library was either closed or open with limited hours. Wanting to expand library services as much as they could during this time, last March the Friends of the Granite Bay Library decided to do what they could to keep up with and encourage the love of reading for all ages. The result was the building and installation of 11 Little Libraries located throughout several Granite Bay neighborhoods.
For those not familiar with Little Free Libraries, it’s a nonprofit organization that promotes neighborhood book exchanges, usually in the form of a public bookcase. The idea is for local residents to pick a book from the case and replace the book they select with another book so that the case is always full. More than 90,000 public book exchanges are registered in more than 100 countries with the organization and branded as Little Free Libraries.
With a group of volunteers, the Friends of the Granite Bay Library partnered with the Granite Bay Rotary, who donated $3,000 for the project. Thomas Gibbs, current Rotary president, said the Club has always believed in encouraging literacy in the community.
“We have avenues of service in both youth activities (through the Boy Scouts) and community service, like the Little Libraries project, that gives our club the opportunity to participate in the Granite Bay area in a meaningful way,” Thomas said. “We are always seeking opportunities to contribute to Granite Bay.”
In addition to the Rotary, several Granite Bay Boy Scouts helped build a few of the Little Libraries and various local homeowner associations and private citizens also gave of their time to fund and build the 11 Little Libraries. They were completed in November 2021 and today are thriving with neighbors donating books and taking books on a regular basis.
One of the Little Libraries was recently installed at Treelake Park. Wexford residents Nancy Silva Sutton and Cami De Cesaris helped to ensure the funding for this installation.
“I wanted to help with the funding of the Little Libraries to get as many built as possible,” Nancy said. “I was able to secure funding from my book club and a few private donations for the community at large along with help from Wexford resident and fellow board member Cami De Cesaris helped win the Treelake Master Association over. Wexford Book Club provided the funds and stewardship of the library in Treelake Park, which was recently built.”
Mary Lou Cameron, who is a Silverwood Westresident is the liaison for the Treelake Park library. She visits the site on a regular basis to ensure the shelves are stocked.
“I’m so excited to help with this project,” Mary Lou said. “I worked with Jack Johnson, who built three of the libraries in the neighborhood as his Eagle Scout project for Boy Scouts.”
Friends of the Granite Bay Library board member Susan Hogg and her husband John were one of the first Granite Bay residents to have a Little Library installed their property.
“John and I are so excited to have a Little Library at our property,” Susan said. “We have really good usage, and the library needs to be filled every two weeks. We see little kids with their families using it. The other day a woman drove to our house, and she told us she really likes the Little Library and uses it all the time! We are so happy it is another reading resource in the community!”
