“[PHOTOGRAPHER NAME]/[COLLECTION NAME]/GETTY IMAGES.

inspires readers, and expands book access for all through a global
network of volunteer-led little libraries.”
Once they receive their Little Free Library plaque, McCarthy and
her kids can hang it on their library box to become an official Little
Free Library. The plaque comes with a number for them to register on
the organization’s website, at which point their library will be added
to the map of Little Free Libraries worldwide.

There are no set rules for the Old Lee Hills neighborhood library;
anyone can come and take a book or leave a book, and the whole
community is respectful of the process.

“When it first went into the ground back in April 2020, people,
especially those home with kids, started coming immediately,” recalls
Jaworski, who says the library requires very little maintenance. “It
was like a little field trip when schools were completely asynchronous.

I found myself going to the kitchen window or door to look out
and see if anyone was at the library. It brought me a lot of joy to see
people from afar and wave to them without being next to them.”
Jaworski, a substitute teacher at Daniels Run Elementary School,
wanted to have the library at her home to provide her another way
to connect with the kids in her community. And while she says the
library is most popular among families with kids ages 10 and younger,
there are many others who benefit from the books.

“There is an older couple who live on my street, and when they
take their nightly walks they will sit on the bench, take a little rest and
grab a book to look through,” says Jaworski. “It’s really been a great
distraction for everyone and a great little outing.”
Across the Potomac River in Bethesda, Maryland, Michelle Gins
and her family are sharing books with their neighborhood too. They
purchased their little library five and a half years ago after seeing the
concept on a drive home from the beach.

“We wanted to do it because we thought it would be a great benefit
to our community, and we think reading is so important,” says Gins,
who has two kids, ages seven and nine. “It’s been really fun to be
able to walk out of the house and have a free mini library. My kids
love watching people come and take a book or put a book in; they get
excited whenever they see people outside.”
Their library also has very few rules; people are allowed to take as
many books as they want and leave as many as they want. After five
years, the Gins needed to replace the library door, but other than that,
there has been no upkeep aside from adding books. Because the Gins
opted for a two-story library, the family put a step stool outside so
little kids can see inside.

“People in our community are constantly bringing books and
will stop by and say how much they love the book box,” Gins says.

“Because I’m home more as a result of the coronavirus, I see more
people getting books and peering inside. I think because most of us
are home and doing more things outdoors, the library is getting more
action these days.” n
16 Washington FAMILY MARCH 2021
How To Set Up A Little Free Library:
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday,
March is National Reading Month. A Little Free Library is a fun
way to increase reading within your community. Interested in
setting one up? Here are the steps you need to take:
1. Decide if you want to purchase or build your Little Free
Library. Buying one will cost between $250 and $350. If you
want to build your own, Little Free Library has plans and
blueprints on its website.

2. Once you build your library, you can set it up in your front
yard or anywhere you want around your neighborhood.

3. Libraries purchased through Little Free Library are
automatically registered in their database. If you purchase
yours elsewhere, like the McCarthy and Gins families, you
can purchase a plaque to register it with the Little Free
Library. The plaque costs $40.

4. Once you get your plaque (charter sign) you can add your
library to the website’s worldwide map.

5. Fill your library with community-donated books, and you are
ready to bring reading to your neighborhood!



The
Write Stuff
TYPEWRITER BACKBROUND: DANIELSBFOTO /ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Local children’s book authors share
their creative processes
By PJ Feinstein
Does your preschooler beg you to read the same book night after night? Do you have an
elementary school-age child who finishes books faster than you can replace them? What
makes children’s books so engaging, and how do authors come up with stories that capture
the imaginations of young people?
In honor of National Reading Month, we spoke to five local authors of children’s books
to learn why they love the genre and what inspires them to create. Their answers may very
well inspire you to pursue your secret ambition of writing a book or help you to support
your own budding author.

These interviews have been lightly edited and condensed.

WashingtonFAMILY.com 17