CALDWELL, Texas — The City of Caldwell placed Little Free Library boxes around the city about three years ago. Now, it's proving to help families access books even when the county's only library is closed on days like President's Day.
- The Harrie P. Woodson Memorial Library is the only only library in Burleson County, but when it's closed, families don't have much access to books.
- At Little Free Libraries, families can take books home for free at anytime.
- There are about 12 Little Free Libraries across Caldwell, including locations at the library and local parks.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Where Lauren Plachy lives, there’s no bookstores — just one library.
But when it’s closed, her and kids don’t have to worry.
There’s another option.
"The little boxes around town— they always like to see what’s in there, especially if they’re into a chapter series, seeing if those chapter books are in other places around town," she said.
It’s called a Little Free Library, created by a national non-profit.
The city decided to implement the program years ago.
The goal is making books more accessible.
Across the U.S., there are 2.5 million children across the country who are enrolled in school districts with no libraries, especially in rural counties.
"The little free libraries in a way provide a branch to all the different sub-communities in our area," Library and Community Services Manager Heidi Frazier said.
Here’s how it works — people just find a box around the city, grab a book and take it home.
They can also donate books.
But it’s not just for kids.
“There’s some parenting books that I picked up in here," Plachy said. "Before I actually purchase a series, I like to try one out, so this is a great way to see if we’re gonna like the series."
