Member Spotlight- Little Free Library
It’s official! Check out all the great places you can go for reading materials at www.littlefreelibrary.org . English educators at McPherson High School, Erica Shook and Rebecca Plughoeft, are “huge supporters of the McPherson Public Library” and see the Little Free Library as a supplement. They wanted another avenue to promote literacy and loved the idea of a community book sharing system, so they contacted the McPherson Rotary Club who supports education as one of their many causes. Rotary board member Mike Mills told Chamber Connection attendees that not only does the McPherson Rotary Club give quality dictionaries to all 3rd graders in McPherson schools, but told of a Rotary member in Wisconsin who years ago created a Little Red School filled with books in honor of his mother, so the book sharing concept is certainly in-line with their club’s focus areas.
With the cooperation of the McPherson Rotary Club, the McPherson Museum and a grant from the McPherson County Community Foundation, the Little Free Library became a reality. The retro looking red telephone booth arrived as a work in progress, but with the volunteer efforts of Chuck, Jack and Gary it is now amazing and functional. They installed solar lights, waterproofed it to protect the books and installed shelving for more capacity. You have probably noticed the Little Free Library at the McPherson Museum, 1111 E. Kansas. It was placed there not only as a highly visible location for locals but for easy access to travelers as well. According to Anna Ruxlow, director of the McPherson Museum, it is attracting some who want to take “selfies”, travelers who have stopped at the museum, book enthusiast, and kids who have picked out a book on their walk home from school.
The Little Free Library is for everyone. Erica and Rebecca explained that they, along with the help of the MCCF Youth Advisory Council, will monitor the library to keep it stocked with appropriate books for all ages. Children’s books are found on the bottom shelves, teen books on the middle shelves and adult books up top. The Little Free Library is about sharing so take a book, leave a book of if you want to donate books, email Erica.shook@mcpherson.com or Rebecca.plughoeft@mcpherson.com
Thank you to all that came together with their time and talents and for the community collaboration and cooperation. See photos of the Chamber ribbon cutting for the Little Free Library on Facebook and be sure to visit the Little Free Library at 1111 E. Kansas.