Mary Nameth of the Dearborn branch of the American Association of University Women talks about the new Little Free Library the group placed and filled with children’s books June 8 on Middlebury Drive west of Duxbury Lane in the Springwells Park neighborhood.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – A Little Free Library filled with children’s books opened June 8 in Springwells Park thanks to the American Association of University Women local branch and engineer and builder David Watts.
The little library is on Middlebury Drive, west of Duxbury Lane. The group tentatively plans to place a large receptacle in the current location for children’s books, while relocating and filling the original cabinet with books for adults in another section of the neighborhood.
Past AAUW branch president Judy Buck said the purpose of Little Free Libraries is to allow neighborhood families to stop by to borrow a book or to place a book in the box to share with others.
“Encouraging literacy is an important initiative within the mission of the AAUW,” she said.
AAUW member Mary Nameth, the group’s book sale co-chair, confirmed that literacy and Little Free Libraries, which encourage book sharing, are important to the group.
“It’s kind of like ‘take one, give one,’” she said. “If you take one and you have one that you read and you don’t want anymore, put it in there, and we’ll watch it.”
Nameth said the front door uses plexiglass instead of regular glass for safety reasons, and it has a latch so it won’t blow open, exposing books to the elements.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “(Watts) did a lovely job.”
AAUW member Shannon Clements, whose husband, Watts, built the Little Free Library, said she and her children grew up as avid readers, which she believes makes a difference in one’s life.
“I think it makes a big difference in the way you see the world, to learn about other things and other people,” she said. “That is part of why our world needs to be together.”
Watts, a retired Ford mechanical engineer, is currently making two more Little Free Libraries.
He said covering the roof of the Little Free Library with aluminum sheet metal is a lot more challenging than he ever imagined it to be.
“It’s a lot harder to form and get good corners, and it was a lot of work to make sure there were no sharp edges,” Watts said.
At the dedication, he was pleasantly surprised to see the turnout.
“I had no idea that there were this many people interested in this,” Watts said. “It makes me glad I built it.”
Springwells Park neighborhood association president Afan Bakpacker (fifth from left) talks June 8 about the new Little Free Library the American Association of University Women Dearborn branch placed and filled with children’s books on Middlebury Drive west of Duxbury Lane, while David Watts (left), who built the library; his wife and AAUW member Shannon Clements; past AAUW branch president Judy Buck; Dearborn Assistant Fire Chief Kelly Meister; current AAUW branch president Joan Reed; AAUW branch treasurer Carole Wells; and AAUW branch book sale co-chair Mary Nameth listen.
Afan Bapacker, president of the Springwells Park neighborhood association, said his daughters love the new Little Free Library.
“They love to read and they are always looking for books,” he said. “This is a great way for the community to not only share something but to encourage literacy.”
Bapacker said the Little Free Library will be monitored for appropriateness of the donations, and hopes more units are dedicated throughout Dearborn.
Assistant Fire Chief Kelly Meister, who attended the dedication on behalf of the city of Dearborn, said education is very important.
“The youth of this city are eventually going to be the leaders of this city, and we want to start them off on the right foot, and I think this is the perfect was to do it,” she said, pointing to the Little Free Library. “Not only are these Little Libraries great for kids, we can put grownup books in them, too, so everyone can use this.”
Meister said she believes Little Free Libraries will proliferate throughout Dearborn once the idea catches on, which will add to the city’s greatness.
“Just like the mayor said in the State of the City address, Dearborn bets on Dearborn,” she said.
In addition to its support of Little Free Libraries, the AAUW continues to accept donations Mondays from 8 a.m. to noon at the Dearborn Ice Skating Center, 14900 Ford Road, for its 70th Annual Used Book and Media Sale, which runs Oct. 5 to 7. The AAUW is a 501(c)(3) organization, so donations are tax-deductible.