When Lakesite resident Christina Davenport approached City Manager Kirsten Ert Acuff last summer with her idea to install a “free little library” at City Hall, she had no idea how well her proposal would be received.
Inspiration for this project came from Christina’s mother, Maxie Cannon, who was a lifelong lover of books and a firm believer in the power of community that surrounds learning.
When Maxie was diagnosed with ALS and slowly began to lose the ability to control her arms, her personal collection of books began to collect dust. With no way to pull a book from the shelf or even turn a page, hundreds of books on some of her favorite topics such as gardening and cooking sat unused.
Christina then decided to approach the city to present her desire to install a free little library in Lakesite to honor her mother and her beloved hobby and to benefit her community. She planned to purchase a little library kit online, similar to the small wooden structures that people place outside their homes to share books with neighbors.
Her idea was to have the library installed in a central location and stock it with books for the entire Lakesite community to enjoy.
David Pickenpaugh, a member of the Lakesite Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and owner of Bowled Over Woodcrafts, had already been working on designing a little library for the city. When he learned about Christina's request and her plan to purchase a library kit, he kindly offered to use his woodworking skills to build one for City Hall instead.
David started building the library and sent it to Christina before the Thanksgiving holiday so she and her family could decorate it during their time together over the holiday weekend and show her mom how loved and supported she is by them all.
“This Free Little Library is devoted to giving my mother’s books a second life,” said Christina. “In it, you'll find a range of books for both kids and adults, many of which encourage learning new skills and exploring hobbies fit for everyday life.”
The Free Little Library is situated outside the City Hall entrance, offering shelter from the elements and ensuring it is well-lit and accessible at all times. Participants are encouraged to take one book and leave one book, but this is not mandatory.
“Reading is one of my favorite activities, so Christina's idea hit a personal nerve with me,” said Lakesite City Manager Kirsten Ert Acuff. “But learning about the motivation behind it, and being able to connect her with a member of our Parks and Recreation Advisory Board like David Pickenpaugh to bring it to life, made it much more meaningful. I'm very excited to see the Lakesite community come to city hall to explore what their neighbors have left in the library and maybe share some of their own favorite stories by leaving a book in return.”