Girl Scouts Steward Sloat Elementary’s Little Free Library

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Since May 2021, 10 Junior Girl Scouts from Troop 62422 have maintained a Little Free Library for the neighborhood as part of their Junior Bronze Award project, the highest honor fourth and fifth grade level scouts can achieve.

The troop, which is based at Commodore Sloat Elementary School school and St. Francis Episcopal Church, installed the bright blue community bookshelf at the entrance of Sloat Elementary after six months of researching and planning. They've even created a plan to keep it going after they move on.

Living under the shelter-in-place public health order led the scouts to realize that access to books was important.

People can go there any time to get, return or give a book. The scouts ensure it is kept tidy and well-stocked.

“Anyone can use our Little Free Library and it’s a great way to get more books and give away children’s books that you don’t need,” according to troop co-leader Stacey Fowler. “It has all different kinds of books, varying from picture books to chapter books, fantasy to non-fiction. Keeping stock and variety has been challenging, though, because not enough people return books they take or leave new ones in their place.”

The Little Free Library project was created in 2009 by Todd H. Bol, who built the first community bookshelf as a tribute to his mother in Hudson, Wis. Today there are more than 125,000 in 100 countries and a nonprofit organization dedicated to its legacy.

The troop welcomes donations of new and gently used children’s books for pre-Kindergarten to sixth grade reading levels.

“We really hope that our Little Free Library will help inspire other people to read more, expand book access and build community in the neighborhood,” Fowler said.

Sloat Elementary Little Free Library

Location: 50 Darien Way

For more information about the Little Free Library project, visit littlefreelibrary.org.

For more information, about Girl Scout Troop 62422 or to arrange large book donations, email troop leader Stacey Fowler at staceyfowler@sbcglobal.net.