The Bristol residents build Little Free Library at Worthington Hills Park
Stephen Borgna
The Little Free Library dedicated May 13 in a garden adjacent to Worthington Hills Park is available to the community thanks to a group of senior citizens who make “giving back” a regular practice.
Cathleen Denti, activities director at The Bristol Senior Living facility at 7780 Olentangy River Road, said staff members and residents were having a discussion one day about what to do for their next “give back” activity.
“We always try to have some kind of a ‘give back’ project in the works,” Denti said. “We were just discussing possibilities when one of the ladies brought up literacy and reading to children, and just all the various ways to contribute to literacy in general.”
Denti said someone then brought up the possibility of constructing a Little Free Library.
Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in Hudson, Wisconsin, that sells small cabinets that can be filled with books people can take and read as they please. The Little Free Library website says its mission is to “be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Libraries.”
The Bristol residents Jim Kasan and Lloyd Anderson, a former welding engineer and woodworker, put the Little Free Library together over the course of two days.
The Bristol purchased a prefab kit that cost about $300 and came out its activity budget.
"I enjoy building that stuff," Anderson said.
After he and Kasan were finished constructing the library, resident Doris Johnston painted flowers on it – a theme chosen by The Bristol residents because they thought it would fit in with the garden where the library is situated.
Johnston said the painting took her about a day.
“She’s always been kind of our resident artist,” Denti said. “She just has a lot of talent to share.”
The Little Free Library was filled with children’s books. Those visiting at Worthington Hills Park, 7740 Olentangy River Road, may take a book as they please.
Denti said the library received some use even before it was officially dedicated.
“We put a big red ribbon and bow on it,” she said. “And before we could even get to the dedication ceremony, there was a mother and child out in the park that actually took our ribbon off, grabbed a book out of it, sat in the park and read it, and put it back.”
Denti said she had to re-tie the ribbon around the library for the dedication ceremony.
“We’ve had numerous visitors, so that’s been really neat,” she said.
“Some of the books are missing out there,” Anderson said. “So somebody’s taken them home to read them.”
sborgna@thisweeknews.com
@ThisWeekSteve