Duluth's Newest, Free Library Opens Up
Thursday, March 29, 2012 - 5:01pm
By:
Dana Thayer
Photojournalist:
Harry Baker
FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT
DULUTH - At the city's newest library, there are not any due dates, late fees or cards you have to swipe and is open 24 hours.
"We thought it would be a good thing to build community," John Otis said. "You know, get to know some neighbors."
For jon Otis and his family, they have more books on their hands than they need; so they brought their collection out to the street.
"We have a whole variety of things we like to read," Jon said.
This week, the Little Free Library officially opened its door.
"It's a small kind of a house for books," Jon said.
"We just have totes and totes of books that just sit in our attic," Erin Otis said. "We thought it would be much better to share them with other people."
The Otis's let go of some of their favorite titles, from how-to's and dramas and even the Little Mermaid; they hope neighbors passing by will find something they like.
"I think it's absoultely wonderful; we have lots of kids in the neighborhood and it's just a new mix," neighbor MIke Miernicki said.
And unlike a traditional library where you are usually taking a book, here, it is encouraged to leave one of your own.
"If you have a book that you really like and think others should read or suggest, we hope you'd drop it off," Jon said.
It is a new style of reading you can find throughout the country, as more people enjoy the free-reading, no- rules model.
"There's no enforcements on who has what book are for how long," Erin said. "If it comes back, great, if it doesn't, hopefully it gets passed on from person to person."
So if that book of yours is just collecting dust, now you have a spot to drop it off and maybe a neighbor will pick it up.
"I'm hoping that maybe I'll find a gem that somebody else will leave for us, something they can share with me," Jon said.
To find out more about the Little Free Library, or to start one of your own, visit the "featured links" tab.