Little Free Libraries coming to Wheatland County

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

The Strathmore Municipal Library is expanding their successful Little Free Library program and will be conducting installations of the libraries throughout Wheatland County.
The program was first introduced to the Town of Strathmore in June 2017 and has quickly grown in popularity. The highly sustainable libraries allow quick, easy and free access for anyone to find a book to read.
“I would say the biggest success of the project is the engagement of the community and how people have come to embrace the little free libraries in their communities,” said Carmen Erison, assistant director of library services with Strathmore Municipal Library, who added that people are now more aware of the project and so the libraries are being used quite heavily, are constantly stocked up and books in the libraries are constantly changing.
Most people enjoy the fact they can walk down the block and can find a library with easy access to books if they are not able to make it into the Strathmore library.
As more people become aware of the libraries and their benefits, more people have been asking library staff about the possibility of installing the libraries in Wheatland County. As a grant funded program, they did not have the funds to expand the little libraries program – until now. The Strathmore library recently received a Wheatland County Community Enhancement Grant to help expand the little libraries project to Wheatland County.
The libraries can be installed anywhere there is a high traffic area – whether that is within town limits at a space of common interest, in front of someone’s house, in a campground or even on a well-travelled back road. They have already partnered with the Standard Library to install one Little Free Library in Standard.
“Access to books has a significant positive impact on literacy and on academic success,” said Erison. “The little free libraries themselves become community spaces where neighbours meet and get to know one another, all sharing a common interest (in) books.”
Although there have been some minor vandalism issues, the biggest challenge with the little free libraries is the upkeep to reverse wear-and-tear caused by weather. Through a partnership with Henderson Renovations, they will complete any fixes needed on the libraries and complete any installations of new libraries.
One major component for the project is finding volunteer stewards to look after each library to make sure they are stocked up, to check for any damage and to possibly cater the books in the library to those of a style or genre that are generally taken. Every new Little Free Library comes with a box full of brand-new books to help get them started. Those interested in hosting a library can contact Carmen at carmen@strathmorelibrary.ca.
The libraries have been built by Henderson Renovations and they are being decorated by some library staff members as well as members of the Wheatland Society of Arts, and will be installed across Wheatland County in the near future.