Support for the Little Free Library (LFL) program is definitely growing by leaps and bounds in the Oxford area.
Over the weekend, another free book exchange box was installed in front of Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ, located at the corner of Hovey and Dennison streets in Oxford Village.
‘We’re just tickled to death about it,? said Pastor Liz Wilson.
The wooden box, which resembles a little house complete with a shingled roof and glass door, functions like a 24-7 library.
Members of the public are free to take books for their own use and leave books for others to enjoy. Anyone can use it at their leisure. No library cards are required, nor will any late fines be assessed.
Wilson, a retired Oxford teacher, contributed many books from her personal library to get the ball rolling.
‘I have all these wonderful books,? she said. ‘It’s going to be well-stocked for many years. We have backup books.?
The Immanuel box is part of the LFL program, an international free book exchange movement founded in Madison, Wisconsin in 2010.
There are 25,000 LFL book exchanges located in all 50 states and more than 70 countries, according to the website www.littlefreelibrary.org. To date, more than 35 million books have been exchanged worldwide through LFL.
Immanuel’s LFL exchange is the third one in this area.
In late May, a box resembling an old schoolhouse was installed at Kingsbury Country Day School at the intersection of Oakwood and Hosner roads in Addison Township.
A few weeks later, another one resembling a barn was installed in downtown Oxford’s Centennial Park.
Wilson said having a box at Immanuel was suggested by church member Tammy Martin.
‘I’d seen a couple in Berkley, outside people’s homes,? she said. ‘It just seemed like a really good idea. It’s a growing trend.?
Another church member, Suzanne Spiker, asked her husband, Dale Spiker, to build it.
‘He got right on it,? Wilson said.
‘He spent most of the summer building it,? said Suzanne, who was baptized at Immanuel and is a 1952 graduate of Oxford High School. ‘It’s gorgeous. I love it. It’s so cute. He did a nice job. He was very meticulous about it. He’s very proud of it. Every time somebody (came) over, he (took) them out to the garage to show them his little library.?
Longtime residents will remember Dale from his days with the Oxford Fire Department. He served from 1960 to 2007.
A modest man, Dale didn’t wish to be quoted or photographed for this story because to him, this was something he did for his wife, not for publicity.
Suzanne cannot wait to see her husband’s creation in action.
‘I just hope people use it,? she said. ‘There are two shelves in it. One shelf for children and one shelf for adults.?
Wilson thinks it’s a good idea for the church to participate in the LFL program because it helps build and strengthen community spirit. ‘Whatever we can do to promote community is valuable,? she said.
She also sees it as a positive way to encourage physical fitness because many of the folks who use it will most likely be passing by on foot or riding a bicycle.
‘It gets people outside and moving,? Wilson said.