LYNNFIELD — Downtown has a quaint library that offers more than 100,000 books, magazines and DVDs.
But a group of Summer Street Elementary School students wanted another way to make books available. With help from staff and parents, the third-graders launched a two-year service project to install a Little Free Library (LFL) at the entrance to the K-4 school.
Not much bigger than a bread box, it may be no match for the 18,692-square-foot library one-half mile away. But that didn’t deter Kellen Farias, Tate Shipman, Bennett Luba and Mason Glinski, who said they wanted another way to put books in kids’ hands. The team created a proposal about why this was important and presented it to the principal and students.
Kellen, 10, was confident the school community would go for it.
“I thought they would like it, and it was fun,” he said.
Mason, 10, said the idea was anyone could drop by the school at any hour to select a book.
“We don’t really keep track of the books coming and going,” he said. “It’s the honor system.”
Tate, who has since moved to Portland, Ore., wrote a letter to Superintendent Jane Tremblay on why there should be a LFL at Summer Street School. She met with the group and gave the greenlight.
“The whole thing from start to finish was incredible,” she said. “And the fact that they thought up the idea, designed and implemented it, is so impressive. Because of their work, everyone will have access to more books.”
The Little Free Library concept was founded 10 years ago by Wisconsin native Todd Bol. He designed and built the first Little Free Library at his home in Hudson as a tribute to his mother, who was a teacher and book lover.
Bol, who died last year, put up a miniature version of a one-room schoolhouse on a post outside his home, filled it with books and invited neighbors to borrow them.
Today, there are now more than 80,000 Little Free Libraries in 50 states and more than 90 countries, from Argentina to Zambia, according to the nonprofit LFL.
It got started in Lynnfield when school librarian Alexandra Caram and special education teacher Emma Bartlett wanted to implement project-based assignments that would help the school and provide a service to residents.
“The students brainstormed and came up with kids having access to books in addition to our own library,” said Caram, a former high school and college soccer standout who coaches the Lexington High School girls varsity soccer team.
Bartlett said the kids researched the free libraries, what they look like and where it might go.
“We considered the Lynnfield Senior Center, neighborhoods and the school,” she said. “When we narrowed it down to the entrance of the Summer Street, the students made a presentation to the school principal and the superintendent.”
The group of third-graders, who will enter the Lynnfield Middle School as fifth-graders in September, hosted a school-wide design contest. There were many creative proposals, Caram said, but Jack Martino was the winner.
The 10-year-old devised a box that includes drawings of his favorite children’s books including the cover of “The Magic Treehouse,” the series about a brother and sister who discover a magical tree house filled with books, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,” a picture book about a bus driver who takes a break from his route and lets a pigeon fill in, and “Wonder,” the story of 10-year-old August Pullman, who has facial anomalies and had been homeschooled until he starts public school in the fifth grade.
Jack said he loved the idea of adding a library “wing” outside of the school. The front of the box features a quote from Dr. Seuss who once said reading is dreaming with open eyes.
“I wanted to make the box fun for the kids,” Jack said.“I like the idea of just taking a book without having to check in and out. You can just grab it and take it with you.”
Measuring just 2-by-3-feet, the tiny library contains about three dozen books including the E.B. White classic “Charlotte’s Web,” the story of a little girl, Fern, who loved a little pig named Wilbur and the pig’s friend Charlotte A. Cavatica, a large gray spider who lived with Wilbur in the family’s barn, and “How to Eat Fried Worms,” Thomas Rockwell’s tale of a $50 bet that Billy can’t eat 15 worms in as many days.
It was built from scratch by David and Linda Rugato, who donated, cut, sanded and primed the pieces of pine.
The concept is simple. Simply take a book or leave one you’re willing to share. There’s nothing to sign. It’s all done on the honor system.
Caram praised the school community for making it happen. She said the generosity of parents, staff and the Department of Public Works made the dream become a reality.
“We were thrilled the project was done before the students moved on to middle school,” she said.