Girl Scout troops do more than sell delicious snacks every year. Thanks to a group of Clarkston scouts , next year two ‘Little Free Libraries? will be placed somewhere in downtown Clarkston.
A group with Troop 13363 visited Clarkston City Hall on Sept. 22 to ask city council to approve their project.
Completing the project, considered a sustainable community project, will earn each girl a Silver Award.
The award is one of the highest honors obtainable. Each girl must put in 50 hours of work on a a sustainable community project. Scouts will plan, problem solve and use critical thinking skills throughout the project.
At the meeting, the girls, in grades 6-8, took turns informing council of their hopes to install two libraries next spring.
The Little Free Library concept, ‘is to take a book and leave a book. Read a book. Return a book,? one of the scouts told council. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to frequently take or leave a book from the library, so books stay fresh and changing.
Mayor Joe Luginski expressed concern about installing a library in Depot Park because of vandalism.
Troop Leader Amy Music said books in the library are free. New cameras have also been recently installed in the park.
Each library is relatively small, and consists of just one or two shelves with about 20 books. Books in the libraries are for both kids and adults.
Each will contain a notebook so people can leave various messages. Notes, messages and words of encouragement are encouraged.
The library is completely waterproof to protect the books. Scouts will construct each structure by hand as they work their 50 hours to earn the Silver Award.
The Little Free Library movement began in 2009 after Wisconsin resident Todd Bol Hudson built a library constructed after a one room schoolhouse in honor of his mother who was an avid reader.
Bol built several little libraries and gave them away so that others could install one wherever they wanted. Bol later teamed up creative craftsman Rick Brooks and created an initial goal to have over 2,500 little libraries installed. By 2011, the concept gained attention in news outlets everywhere. By 2014, over 15,000 little free libraries were registered. Officials of the Little Free library, a non-profit organization believe this number is much higher.
Similar libraries have been constructed locally including locations in Fenton and Rochester. The 6th Street Little Free Library in Fenton, which is on private property, has a bench and often gives free vegetables and smetimes school supplies to visitors.
Councilwoman Sharron Catallo said she has read about Little Free Libraries and also seen information about them on the news.
‘From everything I have seen and read it is a very positive thing, ? she said.
Council granted initial approval for the libraries, which would be installed in Spring 2015.