Little Free Libraries coming to Lorimor, Afton

LORIMOR — Desiree Thornton’s “summer project” involves chalkboard paint, empty newspaper dispensers and lots of books.

Using two old Creston News Advertiser vending machines, Thornton, an East Union paraeducator and mother of three, is creating free miniature libraries for Lorimor and Afton, a project she hopes will fill a need in the two towns, which don’t have public libraries of their own.

“I wanted to make sure we have access to books,” Thornton said. “I always felt like Afton should have a library because it’s big enough but not quite big enough.”

The Lorimor library, which has been up since May 11, is located on Main Street across from Lorimor City Hall. The Afton library, which she said she hopes to open this weekend, will be located on the square in front of Connie’s Beauty Bar, 151 E. Kansas St.

Thornton said she drew her inspiration from the Little Free Libraries in Creston located at Adams Street Espresso and on Howard Street. Like them, the libraries will be locations where community members can borrow, keep or donate books at their leisure — completely for free.

“It doesn’t cost anything,” Thornton said. “You can take books. You can leave books. They do not have to come back.”

Thornton proposed the idea to Afton’s and Lorimor’s city councils, which both approved the idea.

To stock the libraries, Thornton and her family sorted through their personal books and donated ones they didn’t want anymore.

“We just kind of went through the books,” she said. “We had several on our porch, and I was like, ‘Let’s just go through the ones we aren’t sentimentally attached to.’”

Instead of purchasing a library directly from the Little Free Library website, which she said would have cost about $300 up front, Thornton requested the use of two empty Creston News Advertiser vending machines. She received them for free, and she said the heavy waterproof structures don’t require a lot of maintenance and are perfect for storing books outdoors so everyone can access them.

The Lorimor library launched with about 30 books, and she said the reception so far has been fantastic, with most of the books being taken in the first week.

Thornton encourages others to donate books, which can be done by simply setting them in the library. She also said she plans to register both locations as official Little Free Libraries to get them on the organization’s online map.

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that promotes literacy and community. According to its website, it is estimated that more than 25,000 Little Free Library book exchanges exist around the world.