by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
If you have noticed any new Little Free Libraries locations around Sartell, you might have noticed the one located at 1905 Fourth St. N.
Shelly and her son, Wyatt, gave Chad Gross the Little Free Library as a surprise last year for Christmas. He had been interested in putting one up in their yard because Wyatt loves books, Shelly is an English teacher and Chad thought it would be a nice addition to their neighborhood.
The library was built by Chad’s father, Mark; and uncle, Pat Gross. Mark decorated the library box with input from Shelly, Chad’s mother, Donna, and grandmother Betty Gross.
“Chad was completely surprised when he unwrapped the library on Christmas Eve,” Shelly said. “The library was put up in early spring and has seen a lot of traffic already.”
She said they add books periodically but always welcome others to drop off books in the library when they visit it.
“Children’s books are especially popular and are in constant need,” Shelly said.
The Little Free Libraries are part of a national movement which began in 2009 when Todd Bol built a model of a one-room school house in Hudson, Wis., as a tribute to his mother who had been a teacher, and started giving away free books.
The movement spread and has a mission “to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations. And a goal to build 2,510 libraries – as many as Andrew Carnegie – and to keep going.”
Little Free Library boxes are set up in area neighborhoods and people can drop off or borrow books free. There is no check-out system.
Most libraries contain both adult and children’s books. The library allows people to share their books and love of reading with others.
The network of registered free libraries has specific criteria and size requirements for building the libraries.
Chad Gross (right) and his father, Mark, finish installing a new Little Free Library at 1905 Fourth St. N, Sartell. Mark and his brother Pat built the library which was a surprise Christmas gift last year for Chad from his wife and son, Shelly and Wyatt Gross.
