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Franklin Has A New Little Free Library
Franklin Has A New Little Free Library

FRANKLIN, VA ‐ A new Little Free Library has opened at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center at 683 Oak Street in Franklin. The purpose of the library, which is open to the public 24 hours, seven days a week, is to share books, bring people together and create a community of readers.

The library box was designed, built, and donated by Jake Fowler of Boy Scout Troop 125 as part of his Eagle Project. Fowler worked with family and other Troop 125 scouts and leaders to complete the project that was installed at the community center in early July.  In addition to the library box, a bench was built and donated so that book lovers could sit outside and read a few of the books while at the community center.

This Little Free Library location will be monitored by the Franklin Department of Parks and Recreation and maintained by the Franklin-Southampton Area United Way. Community members are encouraged to donate books to the library simply by dropping them off into the box or by contacting the United Way to pick up larger donations of books.

Little Free Libraries are a global phenomenon. There are more than 75,000 of these small book exchanges around the world in 85 countries. The process is simple. Books for all ages are placed inside the structure. Those who visit the library are encouraged to take a book, read it, and return it. At this location, readers are also encouraged to keep a book or share with a friend as well. The goal is to get books into the hands of as many children in the community as possible, especially during a time that many are missing out on normal summer activities, socialization, and resources.

Trish Tsitsera, Director of the Franklin-Southampton Area United Way, hopes to keep the library filled with books for children, teens, and adults throughout the year. “The Little Free Library belongs to the whole city,” said Tsitsera. “It’s our hope that it will bring a little more joy, a little more connection and a whole lot more books to our community.”

If you are interested in donating to the Little Free Library, simply bring your books to the library or contact Tsitsera at 757-569-8929 or director@franklinunitedway.org. Each year, nearly 10 million books are shared in Little Free Libraries. To learn more, please visit littlefreelibrary.org.