Rules are simple for Olds' first Little Free Library, located in the Highlands subdivision: take a book; leave a book.
The library is actually a two-shelf unit fashioned like a birdhouse and is intended to be the site of a public book exchange. Its design was unveiled on Oct. 1 at the playground on Briegel Road, in the southwest part of town.
That is where it will be located, once an accompanying set of picnic tables and benches is delivered later this fall, said Jeanne Richardson, a local developer.
Once in place, town residents will be allowed to stop by, pick up some reading material and then leave books behind for others.
The Olds “branch” will join a network of other libraries recognized by the Wisconsin-based non-profit organization, Little Free Library.
In 2009, Todd Bol, a resident of Hudson, Wis., started the concept of the Little Free Library by building a model one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother. He then filled the model with books and put it in his yard.
Since then, the organization estimates there are now 15,000 “branches” across 56 countries on every continent. Many also look like birdhouses.
Yvonne Moore, a Highlands resident, first saw the libraries in the U.S. and decided to start one in Olds.
“They're just a cool community endeavour where everyone can bring and distribute books,” said Moore, who writes children's books of her own.
There are no restrictions for what kinds of books will be found inside, but Richardson said she expects the system to police itself.
Dave Heilman, another Olds resident, built the library, borrowing from blueprints available on the Little Free Library website.
He used wood, metal for the roof and acrylic glass for the door panel.
Olds mayor Judy Dahl, who attended the quiet gathering, noted that the library was located in a good spot: visible and along a walking path — deterrents to vandalism.
Richardson said she wanted to support literacy and family learning, adding that she's looking forward to building more libraries in town.
“It's fostering a love for reading,” she said.
