A new Little Free Library has popped up in Sylvan Lake, bringing the total of these little boxes to five in town.
Lynda Fiedler, who put up the newest library on her property, says seeing so many in town is just great.
“There is variety and options. You can go around to each of them and see what is different in each one,” Fiedler said.
The purpose of the Little Free Library is to inspire the love of reading in communities across Canada and the United States.
With Fiedler’s property being close to elementary schools, she hopes to be able to have a decent stock of books for school aged children available in her library.
“I think having [the Little Free Library] will help them not only learn to love reading, but also in school,” said Fiedler.
In the first week of the library being set up, she has already seen a number of children’s books being taken.
Recently she started putting issues of Archie Digest in her little library, in the hopes of getting more kids reading.
For many kids, comic books like Archie Digest are the first foray into reading and loving it. Fiedler saw it happen with her daughter, who really started to read through the Archie comics.
“I think for kids who don’t really like to read these comics and graphic novels are a great place to start,” she said, adding graphic novels don’t see a huge return rate in the Little Free Library.
According to the Little Free Library website, the best way to improve a child’s achievement in reading is to have access to books in the home.
While providing plenty of children’s books, Fiedler said she is trying to make sure there is a little bit of everything available.
“There is a pocket astronomy book, a book on gardening, I think we even had Wuthering Heights in there,” said Fiedler.
“I would like to have my bases covered.”
Peter Mielke, president of the Friends of the Sylvan Lake Library (FOSLL) said he is thrilled to see more Little Free Libraries put up over town.
He said the little library was “such a great idea” and loves to see the fifth one open, and to have all of them spread out over town.
“Anything that helps get people reading is a good thing,” Mielke said.
The Little Free Library provides books “in areas where books are scarce” 24 hours a day.
The library on the Fiedler’s property even has a small light that turns one after sunset, and simulates a lighthouse.
The little library was built for the Fiedler’s by Larry Kurt and the FOSLL. This is the second Little Free Library FOSLL have made, and they both look the same.
The Sylvan Lake Municipal Library got the newest Little Free Library with a bunch of books to keep the library stocked.
“I asked FOSLL and they created a great little library for us, with a little light house on the side. I didn’t realize at the time I could order a library through the actual organization,” Fiedler said.
With only a week of being “open”, the newest Little Free Library has already found a few new books in the box, ones Fiedler says she didn’t put in.
That is the point of the Little Free Library, take a book and give one in return.
“That doesn’t mean if you don’t have one you can’t take one, absolutely take one, but if you have one you would like to donate please do,” said Fiedler.
While the newest addition does not yet have its official charter, and won’t appear of the website’s listing of Little Free Library locations, Fielder is considering this time her “soft opening”.
The library on the Fiedler’s property will be included on the online listing after the charter number arrives, which could take around a month.
“Come on by and take a book or leave one. Right now we have around 40 books in our little library.”
Sylvan Lake’s newest Little Free Library is located at 62 Herder Dr.