The Little Free Library book-sharing-boxes movement started less than a decade ago in Wisconsin. The concept is simple: take a book, leave a book. It has spread across the world.
An online interactive map shows all the locations of the 60,000 registered Little Free Libraries in 80 countries. Saturday, some more will be dedicated in East Tennessee. This particular project is about more than books.
Readers will have eight more options to explore books.
"Bring a book. Exchange a book. Take a book. Leave a book. That's what it's all about," Lynn Heinz said.
While many of the book-sharing boxes are designed and built by individuals, the ones in Morristown are a collaboration among businesses, churches and schools working together to not only build libraries but also a closer community.
"It takes all of us. It takes all of us to make it a success," Heinz said.
Heinz is the Service Learning Coordinator for the Teen Outreach Program or TOP serving Hamblen and Hancock counties. It teaches character building skills and making good choices about their health, teen pregnancy and drugs. It includes a service component. The kids came up with this project.
"Literacy is the key to success. And to have a good foundation in reading is to be a successful person," she said.
Meadowview Middle School student Marina Flores and some other TOP students painted one of the new Little Free Libraries.
"Some of the kids at school wanted to do superhero themes so we had that and on one side we had book characters like Beauty and the Beast," Flores said.
There are a lot of books inside the libraries for kids and for adults and even some in Spanish for the Spanish speaking population.
"To help the Hispanic families to be able to read to their own children in Spanish," said Betsy Hurst, the TOP Director.
She said community books will also be available in the Little Free Libraries. The booklets provide a comprehensive list of local agencies and resources.
"What to do, where to call, where to do if they need any specific places. If they need food for example they will go in contact in here ok I need food I am going to go to these places," she said.
Heinz said, "It's an ongoing project. It's not going to end now that it is finished and up in the park or up at the mall or up wherever it's at."
Flores looks forward to readers actually using the Little Free Libraries she helped create.
"Take a book and hopefully they get to read it and then they'll bring a different book that they think people would like and read," she said.
A ribbon-cutting is set for Saturday, April 28 at 10 a.m. at Fred Miller Park in Morristown. It's part of the Morristown Parks and Recreation "From the Pages to the Park" festival.
Volunteers and sponsors for Little Free Libraries
Rugel's Church Furniture
Paula Rugel-Gibson
Tracy Strange
Dwayne Ward
1st Baptist Church's Carpentry Ministry
Matthew Dickerson
Macayla Dickerson
Carter Dickerson
Kylie Dickerson
Grant Kite
Channing Richardson
David Wild
Lance Wild
Morristown Hamblen Library
Tracy Seal
Shelly Shropshire
East TN Diamond Co.
Kristine Emmons
A-1 Rentals
LFL Home Sponsors
College Square Mall
Fred Miller Park/Morristown Parks and Recreation
Cherokee Park
Rose Center
West Elementary School
Lincoln Heights Middle School
Hillcrest Elementary School
Talley Ward Recreational Center/Morristown Parks and Recreation
Students of the Hamblen County Teen Outreach Program
Lincoln Heights Middle School
Meadowview Middle School
Miller Boyd Alternative School (6th-9th grades)
Morristown-Hamblen High School East (9th grade)
H.O.M.E. Community Service Students