Roanoke, VA - The Roanoke Arts Commission is seeking regional artists to transform six gently used newspaper boxes into Roanoke’s Little Free Libraries. Each little library will be placed in a different quadrant of the city and will consist of a box of books. A book may be taken by anyone for any length of time and returned or not, although borrowers are encouraged to add a book to replace the one they took.
Neighborhood organizations and others have agreed to serve as stewards of the libraries to monitor for appropriate materials and replace books as needed. The libraries will be registered with the national organization littlefreelibrary.org, which also places them on a national location map.
The Roanoke Times donated the boxes. Each artist selected will be provided with a box to transform and a $600 stipend per box. The artist, along with the steward for each box, will be recognized on a plaque at each site. Applications for Roanoke’s Little Free Libraries can be downloaded at www.roanokeva.gov/artsandculture under “Current Calls to Artists.” Applications are due by 2 p.m. on Dec. 21.
Other partners in the project include Roanoke Public Libraries, Roanoke Parks and Recreation, and the city's Office of Neighborhood Services.
The Little Free Library movement was begun in 2009 by Todd Bol in Hudson, Wis. He built the structure as a tribute to his mother, a lifelong reader and a former teacher. Bol was not only interested in promoting a love of reading, but also in fostering a sense of community. He believed that “humanity’s sweeter side emerges when neighbors share books and ideas.”
When Bol saw how popular his Little Free Library was, he and Rick Brooks teamed up to promote the concept on a larger scale. They soon reached their goal of 2,510. As of Sep. 15, 2015, there are over 32,000 registered Little Free Libraries across all 50 states and over 70 countries around the around the world.
For more information, contact Roanoke Arts and Culture Coordinator
Susan Jennings, at 853-5652 or [email protected].
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