Around Town: The Broomall Rotary\u2019s Little Free Library

by Craig Whitney

Photos courtesy of Chris Stack

The Broomall Rotary’s Little Free Library, #80236, welcomes all ages with a wide variety of genres of reading materials.

Built by Chris Stack, the two-story library is one of several literacy projects being led by his wife Leslie Stack, the current President of the Broomall Rotary Club. Literacy in this Little Free Library (LFL) comes in the form of books, magazines, bookmarks, audiobooks, flashcards, CDs, DVDs, reading glasses, coloring books, crayons and markers, and calendars. Each time a neighbor visits, they will always find something new.

Leslie Stack (left) and Chris Stack next to the new Little Free Library sponsored by The Broomall Rotary

The bright yellow and red house can’t be missed at the walking path and playground at the Broomall Rotary Veterans Memorial Park. This library is registered with the Little Free Library organization, known for its motto: “Take a Book, Share a Book.”

www.LittleFreeLibrary.org

Leslie Stack encourages people to enjoy use of the LFL even when they don’t have a book to share. “Within our work in the Broomall Rotary, we know that there are members of our community who do not own any books and we want to encourage them to use the Little Free Library even if they don’t have books to share,” said Stack.

After visiting the LFL, readers may return the original book, share a different book, pass the original book on to a friend, drop it off at a different Little Free Library or keep what they have taken from the LFL. All items originating from donations associated with the Broomall Rotary have an LFL stamp inside. Those without the stamp have been donated by a member of the community.

The idea of the Little Free Library is to create a community where the library reflects the interests and needs of its neighbors through the give and take of items. This also encourages patrons to visit their local Marple Public Library once they have found a new subject or favorite author through the Little Free Library.

There are over 50,000 registered Little Free Libraries throughout the world. To connect with Leslie Stack, the steward of the Little Free Library in Marple, visit www.BroomallRotary.com.

For more information about connecting your neighbors through a library of your own visit: www.LittleFreeLibrary.org.