My Account
A gift of two “little libraries” to Warkworth School are among the latest Warkworth Men’s Shed projects to benefit the community.
The library project came about after Year 2 teacher Kirstie Holbutt began a discussion with her students about how both children and adults could improve their access to books.
After listing some of the more conventional ways people acquire books – students hit on the idea of a “little library”, which would operate in the same way free community fruit and vegetable stands.
Just as the stands allow people to drop off surplus produce and help themselves to free fruit and veggies to meet their needs, the little library does the same thing with books.
Books that have been read can be dropped off at the library and the reader can pick up something new.
Children were tasked with coming up with designs for the little library shelving units. These designs were then taken to the Men’s Shed to be built.
The units feature a sloping roof and glass doors to protect the books.
One is planned to be sited at the Nature’s Nest early learning centre in Warkworth and the other will be accessible to the wider community at a site yet to be determined.
Before being put into position, children will paint the shelving units and be encouraged to donate books they have finished with to get the venture off the ground.
Trevor Managh, who is in his nineties, led the Men’s Shed team to construct the libraries, which were completed over a four-week period.
