Lincoln Rotary plants a new Children’s Little Library on Fifth Street

[May 24, 2019]   LINCOLN - On Monday, the Lincoln Rotary Club planted a new Children’s Little Library in the 700 block of Fifth Street in front of the Lincoln Police Station.

The Little Library project is one that promotes reading among youth by providing a central location with access to free books. Readers are invited to take a book to read then return it when they are finished. They may also bring good used books and place them in the box for others to enjoy.

The Little Library started out Monday fully stocked by the Rotary, and according to Rotarian Keith Leesman from time to time the club will check the box and add new books so the variety available will continue to change.

This particular library is decorated with a theme based on the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak. According to Leesman the book was first published in 1963 and received ‘unfavorable’ reviews from critics. However, children loved the story and it became very popular and has remained popular through the generations.

The decoration on the box was done by Greg Hoffert. The solid wood box mounted on a post like a mailbox was built by Dale Meier. The base paint was applied by Bob Chamberlain with Hoffert then adding the artistic touches.

This is the third such project by the local Rotary Club. Other Little Libraries installed by the Rotary can be found at the Hope Grows Youth Center and at the Head Start Center at Lincoln Court.

[Nila Smith with text from the Rotary Club]