Little Free Library Up and Running

HARBESON: A handy little idea

> SOUTHERN INDIANA — After having worked hard the past few months, I now have something new to add to my resume — “I was Lead Project Manager for a major construction venture, supervising every aspect in the creation of a privately funded community building.”

I haven’t decided whether I should add that the building is about 2 foot wide and 2 foot tall.

The project I’m referring to is my own Little Free Library. I wrote last December about the idea — building tiny libraries as a fun way to support literacy and build community. I knew I had to have one.

But how? I knew little about building or woodworking. I needed to find someone to help me and the first person I thought of was Jim James. Jim is a relatively new acquaintance but through our interactions, I knew he was into woodworking.

I decided Jim would be the perfect person for the job because he didn’t know me well enough to realize how inept I am at anything crafty. He also didn’t know that I can cut my thumb just looking at a sharp blade.

So I contacted him to see if he would help me. I was clear that I didn’t want him to build it FOR me; I wanted him to build it WITH me. I hoped to learn by doing. Since he didn’t know what he was getting into, Jim agreed and I soon found myself in his workshop, an amazing place, loaded with every kind of machine imaginable with which to cut myself.

I learned a lot about Jim while we worked together on this Little Library. And he learned a lot about me — which is why we made a solemn blood-pact that we would never share those things with anyone. Ever. So don’t bother asking either of us for details.

(In hindsight, I am wondering now how our blood-pact will work since he convinced me we only needed to use my blood. It made sense at the time — there was plenty available.)

Somehow, despite my help, we managed to get the library ready for painting and other exterior work — a point where I drafted the help of family. My mom Rose Huber and my daughter, Melissa Weissinger (who also made the mistake of telling me how easy it was to dig a hole with a post-hole digger) helped paint.

My brother Gary Huber and his son Nick helped me put on the shingles. I struggled when I wanted to hammer in at least one nail, but the problem was my brother’s hammer. I think it was for right-handers and I’m a lefty.

My husband John helped me with final touches, which included attaching a piece of stainless steel  engraved “ Paul Huber Memorial,” because I built this library in my dad’s memory. He was a voracious reader just like me.

Within hours after installation, I glanced out my window and saw a woman and two children leaving with an Amelia Bedelia book I just placed inside. That was worth the blood, sweat and bruises.

This idea is spreading fast and I’ve met many people who are busy planning, building and decorating their own unique Little Free Libraries. The Jeffersonville Rotary Club recently awarded grants which were used to purchase two Little Libraries in memory of recently deceased members. Budget Printing Center, a local business in Jeffersonville, has graciously donated labels to attach inside the books to explain and promote the project.

To find out how you can build your very own, and/or share your talents with others who want one but need assistance in various areas such as construction, artwork, and installation, please join us at the next meeting of Little Free Library Indiana at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, at the Jeffersonville Red Cross Office, 1805 E. Eighth St.

You can also keep updated on this project at  littlefreelibraryindiana. wordpress.com, which includes a link to a Facebook page. Join us and maybe soon you’ll have something new to add to your resume too.

 — Clark County resident Debbie Harbeson is into making blood pacts but she prefers using other people’s blood. Write to her at Debbie@debbieharbeson.com

Little Free Library Indiana

HARBESON: This idea is book smart

SOUTHERN INDIANA — There’s a lot of truth in the phrase, “bigger is not always better.” For example, due to my husband’s love of NASCAR, I’m forever thankful that tiny collectible versions of his favorite cars exist. If they didn’t we’d need a lot more garage space.

I’ve always been fascinated by miniature versions of most anything. (Well, except for those miniature versions of candy bars — that’s just annoying.) So when I first saw a photo of a Little Free Library, I was immediately intrigued. These little libraries look like tiny buildings and are usually mounted outside on posts.

The idea for building tiny libraries began in Wisconsin as a fun way to support literacy and build community. The Little Free Library organization is “building and promoting ‘take a book, leave a book’ structures that fit in a front yard, by a sidewalk, coffee shop or park and are just big enough to hold 20 to 30 books that kids and adults can give and take.”

The idea attracted me on many levels. I’m a voracious reader and I really like the voluntary, local, grass-roots aspect. Even so, I didn’t pursue it any further than bookmarking their website. But then several interesting connections happened.

Through the Courier-Journal, I found out that Jeffersonville resident Phyllis Wilkins has been working on promoting the idea, not only for the local area, but throughout Indiana. She has created Little Free Library Indiana which is a partner with Little Free Library International.

I was glad to see someone else enthused about this idea. We met last week to discuss the project and it was fun talking about all the possibilities. We came up with about a million or so.

Phyllis is planning a Little Free Library in memory of neighbors Charley and Mickey Reisert, who both passed away recently. That was yet another connection for me. Although I only knew him for a short time as a result of writing my column, Charley and I had a couple of interesting lunches discussing books we both read on politics, philosophy and economics.

This brings me to yet another connection. During one of our discussions, Charley told me he wanted to set up a lunch with me, himself and Mayor Tom Galligan. I’m always open to having lunch with anyone, but I can’t help but suspect that Charley just thought it would be fun to watch the fireworks if any heated discussions erupted.

Even though that never happened, being reminded of it did make me think this Little Free Library Indiana project might be good for Galligan. So I’d like to invite Mr. Galligan to join us in this local community project that needs people who enjoy construction. He’s going to need something to do in a few weeks after he’s no longer the mayor anyway and it might be a good idea to keep him away from bulldozers.

As a matter of fact, this project perfectly fits all local politicians recently put out to pasture. They could have complete control over a building project, with no taxpayers breathing down their necks about cost, no council members biting ankles about minor details and no columnists complaining about using government force.

Anyway, no matter who you are, if this project speaks to you as it does to me and you would like to help create little libraries throughout the local area (and there are many ways you can help), I encourage you to get involved. Phyllis is hosting the first “official” meeting of the Little Free Library Indiana at 6 p.m. Friday at the Red Cross office, 1805 E. 8th St., Jeffersonville.

You can also keep updated on this project through the Little Free Library Indiana Facebook page and the Little Free Library Indiana blog, which is at www.littlefreelibraryindiana.wordpress.com.

— Clark County resident Debbie Harbeson thinks the inventor of those miniature bite-sized candy bars must surely be a masochist.