This free little library is bringing the neighbourhood together
The little library just celebrated its first birthday with a neighbourhood party
Tara Levesque didn't think that her little library would become such a big part of her life. She inherited it a year ago when friends in the neighbourhood moved away and gave her theirs.
She thought she would put it in at the end of the street and that would be that.
Little did she know that it would become a community gathering place and something that brings her so much joy. She says people stop by all year round.
"I see people out here at night with flashlights and people here super early in the morning," she said. "People came this past winter in blizzards."
Levesque says she has to restock it constantly. Luckily, she gets plenty of donations.
"We'll come out her and there will be boxes left for us," she said. "At Christmas time we actually got a big wrapped box like Christmas present on our doorstep."
She says she loves to see what people pick.
"When I see people here I look at them from the window and I wonder, what are they taking?"
She's seen everything from a home inspector's manual to old design books from the 60s and 70s.
But the situation that stands out for Levesque is when a woman told her she was looking for a book for her daughter and came across one that she really liked when she was little.
"And she took it out and when she was looking at it, she realised it was her book from when she was little. Her name was on the cover. She said she cried on the spot."
Levesque says having the little library has definitely made their lives better and has helped in getting to know people in the neighborhood.
On special occasions, like Halloween and Pride Week, they will decorate it. They even included a dog hook.
"It's making our little neighbourhood happier."
Her daughter Luella Donato also loves the library because there are lots of books for her to choose from.
"I saw a lot of Nancy Drews at one point and I read one." Those are her favourite, she said.
She also loves the creative side to mark the holidays.
"It's really fun because we always get to decorate it."
The @homewoodlittlelibrary is the first in a series called Small Act Big World. If you know of someone doing something to make the world a better place, email [email protected]
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